Flow cytometry, illustrated in the figure, is a technique used to sort cells by type. The cells are placed in a conducting saline solution which is then forced from a nozzle. The stream breaks up into small droplets, each containing one cell. A metal collar surrounds the stream right at the point where the droplets seprate from the stream. Charging the collar polarizes the conducting liquid, causing the droplets to become charged as they break off from the steam. A leser beam probes the solution just upstream from the charging collar, looking for the presence of certain types of cells. All droplets containing one particular type of cell are given the same charge by the charging collar. Droplets with other desired types of cells receive a different charge, and droplats with no desired cell receive no charge. The charged. The charges droplets then pass between two parallel charged electrodes where they receive a horizontal force that directs force that directs them into different collection tubes, depending on air charge.
