Tech Tip: Measuring Cell Division in PMBCs by Flow Cytometry

The level of cell proliferation provides insights into relative cell health and is a widely used diagnostic indicator for numerous cancer types. In immunology, measuring cell proliferation is particularly useful for assessing immune responses such as T cell activation. In the past, cell proliferation assays involved radioactive labelling of DNA, but today fluorescent dyes such as ViaFluor® SE and CFSE are a safer and easier alternative for tracking cell replication in vivo and in vitro.

Cell proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs) can be a useful read-out of immune cell activation. In this Tech Tip, we outline a typical procedure for using fluorescent ViaFluor® SE Dyes with PMBCs, which can easily be adapted for use with other cell types.

The article includes:

• A printable procedure for measuring T cell divisions of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)
• Tips and considerations for choosing a cell proliferation dye
• Tips for cell activation, gating, and data analysis