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Updated: Jun 11, 2026
Discrimination of Seven Immune Cell Subsets by Two-fluorochrome Flow Cytometry
Published on: March 5, 2019
Good cell, bad cell: flow cytometry reveals T-cell subsets important in HIV disease
Pratip K Chattopadhyay1, Mario Roederer
1Immunotechnology Section, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. pchattop@mail.nih.gov
Insights
Flow cytometry is crucial for understanding HIV pathogenesis and vaccine development. This review covers cellular markers, measurement considerations, and the technology's future role in treatment and vaccine evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Flow cytometry is a pivotal technology for dissecting complex immune responses in HIV infection.
- Understanding cellular markers is essential for tracking HIV disease progression and immune status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review cellular markers measurable by flow cytometry in HIV pathogenesis and vaccination studies.
- To discuss critical considerations for accurate flow cytometry measurements.
- To highlight the impact of flow cytometry on HIV research and its future applications.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on flow cytometry applications in HIV research.
- Identification and categorization of key cellular markers (activation, differentiation, senescence, immune suppression, function).
- Discussion of methodological considerations for flow cytometry analysis.
Main Results:
- Flow cytometry enables comprehensive analysis of immune cell populations in HIV.
- Various cellular markers provide insights into disease mechanisms and immune responses.
- Methodological standardization is crucial for reliable results.
Conclusions:
- Flow cytometry has significantly advanced our understanding of HIV pathogenesis.
- The technology holds promise for guiding therapeutic strategies and evaluating HIV vaccine efficacy.
- Continued advancements in flow cytometry will further enhance HIV research capabilities.
Abstract:
Flow cytometry is a key technology in the study of HIV disease. In this article, we review various cellular markers that can be measured in the setting of pathogenesis or vaccination studies, including markers of activation, differentiation, senescence, immune suppression, and function. In addition, we discuss important considerations for making these measurements. Finally, we examine how flow cytometry studies have taught researchers about the disease process, and the potential for flow cytometry technology to guide treatment decisions and evaluate vaccine candidates in the future.
