Near-Clinical Applications of Laser Scanning Cytometry

Biological samples from human tissues are characterized by complexity and heterogeneity. The ability to make rapid, reliable, quantitative fluorochromatic measurements on clinical samples allows the development of new and practical assays that could influence diagnosis and treatment in a variety of clinical applications. Laser scanning cytometry (LSC) is a very versatile and adaptable technology that allows for the quantitative analysis of cell samples that are unsuitable for flow cytometry by virtue of their presentation and context. Crucially, it allows the direct visualization of cells and rare events and the correlation of imagery with fluorochromatic measurements. In this chapter, we describe early experiments in the study of cytotoxic drug uptake and resistance in human tumor cells and in the study of sputum cells from asthmatic patients, which harness the specific capabilities of LSC to practical clinical problems.