Re: very rare events: how low can you go?

From: Larry Arnold (lwarma@med.unc.edu)
Date: Tue Jan 30 2001 - 08:20:33 EST


Lynn

We routinely sort for cells that constitute 0.01% of the threshold
events.  We have done some where the frequency was 0.001%.  The ability to
resolve frequencies this low require good signals so that you have
separation between the negatives and the positives.  If the populations
overlap when negatives and positives are in the same sample then the
frequency you can resolve reliably becomes larger.  Whoever you were
arguing with was right and wrong depending on the circumstances.

Larry

At 01:39 PM 1/26/2001 -0500, you wrote:

>Hello all,
>
>This question arises from a rather heated discussion following a seminar
>yesterday, in which the speaker claimed that flow cytometry is not
>useful for analyzing cells that are less than 1-2% of the starting
>population. I am sure that with all of the sorting, multicolor analysis,
>and multiparameter gating that people do, we can prove this assertion
>wrong.
>
>If you have experience or publications with analysis of events well
>below 1% of the starting cell population, could you please share some
>examples or references?
>
>Thanks in advance for your help!
>**********************************************
>Lynn B. Dustin, Ph.D.
>Center for the Study of Hepatitis C
>Rockefeller University
>Box 64
>1230  York Ave.
>New York, New York 10021
>Phone: 212-327-7067
>email: dustinl@mail.rockefeller.edu

Larry W. Arnold, Ph.D.
Res. Assoc. Prof.
Director, Flow Cytometry Facility
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
CB# 7290
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Phone: 919-966-1530
FAX: 919-962-8103



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