Widely used in diagnostic centers and in the pharmaceutical industry, flow cytometry is a laser-based technology that measures and analyzes the physical characteristics of cells with a biological sample (fluid) passed through a beam of light. Regarded as highly important in the biotech industry, flow cytometry is used to abstract specimens of bone marrow, whole blood, cerebrospinal fluid and solid tissues. Due to its range of medical applications, including the detection of cancer, HIV, immunological rejection caused by transplantation, tumor immunology and genetics, the global flow cytometry market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 10% by 2020.
Role of flow cytometry in the biotech industry
Health and diagnostic centers
Flow cytometry is used for transplantation, sperm sorting, chemotherapy, tumor immunology, prenatal diagnosis and sex preselection – along with various other applications. With emerging economies in the APAC region investing heavily in their healthcare facilities, as well as diagnostic and testing facilities, flow cytometry has emerged as a viable process to achieve better results on a long term basis. This accounts for why healthcare spending in this region is on the rise, as is the demand for flow cytometry.
Protein engineering
Protein engineering plays a vital role in the development of biotechnological products and processes. It involves the optimization of protein structures in order to gain an in-depth understanding of their affinity, specificity and enzymatic activity. With the help of flow cytometry, screening can be done in a detailed manner to obtain a phage display of antibody libraries. Phage display works on the principle that a protein encoded in the genome of a virus is displayed on the outer surface as a fusion protein. This information is further linked to the respective protein variant in the same cell.
Cell engineering
Taking protein engineering to the next level, flow cytometry is used in cell engineering to diagnose problems at the cellular and sub-cellular levels. With the help of this technology, the cell sorting process as well as analysis of cellular properties like stress tolerance can be done in an efficient manner.
Enzymatic activity screening
Another major application of flow cytometry in the sphere of biotechnology is the screening of enzymatic activities. With this process, the link between the signal and the cell, which produces the enzyme during a reaction, can be obtained. As compared with the screening for ligand binding, enzymatic screening is far more complex, which explains why biotech companies are adopting flow cytometry for this specific process.
Physiological research
Flow cytometry has also played an important role in physiological research. As this technique allows for the in-depth analysis of cells by sorting them using different subpopulations, it is easy to obtain large amounts of information, which will in turn enhance the understanding of cell behavior. In recent years, the information gathered on distribution of cellular properties through flow cytometry has also helped in transcriptomic studies.
Looking for more concrete data on the flow cytometry market?
