Flow Cytometry Applications

Learn about the various applications the flow cytometry is used for.

Flow cytometry applications
  • Analysis of plasma membrane receptor expression

  • Analysis of cell viability, apoptosis, and necrosis

  • Cell phenotyping

  • Analysis of cell cycle

  • Cell sorting

  • Analysis of intracellular protein expression

  • Biomarker detection

  • Cell counting

  • Quantification and isolation of Circulation Tumor Cells (CTCs)

Table of cell-line-specific markers to identify or isolate CTCs by Flow cytometry:
Cell line
Cancer Type
Flow Cytometry marker

A549

NSCLC (Adenocarcinoma)

ALDH, CD133, CD90, CD44+, HPRT

NCI – H226

NSCLC (SCC)

EpCAM, CK8

NCI – H460

NSCLC (LCC)

PD-L1, CD318, EpCAM, Cytokeratin, HPRT

NCI – H69

SCLC

CD133, E-Cadherin

MCF7

BC Luminal A (ER+/PR+)

CD166,  Cytokeratin, CK18, CK19, E-Cadherin, CD24, EpCAM

T47D

BC Luminal A (ER+/PR+)

Cytokeratin, E-Cadherin, CK19, CD24, EpCAM,

SKBR3

BC ER-/PR- HER2+

CK19, HER2, CD164, CD109, ALDH1A3, ALDH3B2, EpCAM, CD24

AU565

BC ER-/PR- HER2+

HER2

MDA-MB-231

TNBC/Claudin Low

CD166, CD318, CD133, [CD44+/CD24-]

MDA-MB-468

TNBC

CD44, CD133

4T1

Mouse TNBC

EpCaM

Hep3B

HCC

CD13, CD133, EpCAM, CD44-, CD24+

HepG2

Hepatoblastoma

CD133, EpCAM, CD44

HuH6

Hepatoblastoma

CD133

PC3

Prostate

EpCAM, ZO-1, CD44, CK8/18/19

DU145

Prostate

CD44

LNCaP

Prostate

EpCAM, CK8/18/19

ES-2

Ovarian

EpCAM, E-Cadherin-, N-Cadherin+

PEO-1

Ovarian

EpCAM, E-Cadherin+, N-Cadherin-

OVCAR-3

Ovarian

EpCAM, N-Cadherin-, CD44

Colorectal Primary CTCs

Colorectal

CK19, MUC1, CD44, CD133, ALDH1, CD47

HCT116

Colorectal

CK19, EpCAM, CD133

HT-29

Colorectal

EpCAM, CK20, CD26, CD44, E-Cadherin

T84

Colorectal

CD26, EpCAM, E-Cadherin

SKMel24

Melanoma

CD200

SkMel28

Melanoma

S100b, GP100, MCAM, MCSP/GPX4, Melan-A

WM2664

Melanoma

CD200, MUC18/CD146, S100

AML t(8:21) (patients)

Leukemia

CD34, HLA-DR, CD13, CD36low, CD105low, CD71low

AML t(15:17) (patients)

Leukemia

CD34low, HLA-DRlow, CD13, CD36low, CD105low, CD71low

AML inv (16) (patients)

Leukemia

CD34, HLA-DR, CD13, CD36low, CD105low, CD71low

AML cell lines (U937, KG1a, MV4-11)

AML

CD44, CD34, CD33

(OSU-CLL)

CLL Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia – immortalised patient sample

CD19, CD5, CD20, CD43, CD80, CD86, kappa/lambda ratio

Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Lymphoma

Kappa/lambda, BCL-2, LCA, CD30, CD43, CD20, PAX-5

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Lymphoma

CD15, CD30, CD57

Burkitt’s Lymphoma

Lymphoma

CD10

Abbreviations:

NSCLC – non small cell lung carcinoma

SCC – squamous cell carcinoma

LCC – large cell carcinoma

SCLC – small cell lung carcinoma

BC – breast cancer

TNBC – triple negative breast cancer

HCC – hepatocellular carcinoma

AML – acute myeloid leukemia

CLL – chronic lymphocytic leukemia