[Value of computer processing of data acquired by cytofluorometry for biological analyses]

Abstract

The amount of informations relative to cell analysis generated on a flow cytometer must often be processed on a computer so that accurate and efficient analysis can be performed on the stored data, and have the power to consider complex signal distributions. A Ortho 50H flow cytometer was complemented with a Persona 1600 microcomputer (LogAbax) via an acquisition system directly connected to the photomultiplier assemblies. In the configuration we used, three primary signals are processed and stored simultaneously, thus providing six parameters for each cell. The analysis of the data can be delayed or operated immediately after each acquisition. Turbo Pascal was used for all programming. The implanted programs are available for the processing of histograms relative to immunofluorescence or DNA analyses. They allow the user to operate on data obtained after selecting the cells on a two-parameter basis. Examples of immunofluorescence and DNA analyses obtained on experimental preparations are presented.