OPSLs for quick flow cytometry

Optically pumped semiconductor lasers fulfill requirements of virtually all cytometry tasks

Abstract

Applications for flow cytometry continue to diversify and evolve. That is because cytometry is both a widely used clinical tool for fast blood cell analysis as well as a powerful research tool. As novel therapeutic modalities (e. g. stem cell treatment) are developed, new cytometry applications often blur the traditional distinction between clinical and research measurements. Yet a single laser technology — the optically pumped semiconductor laser (OPSL) — is proving optimum in virtually all cases, whether the application needs high power, multiple wavelengths, low cost, small packaging or a low thermal or electrical budget. From routine counting of CD4 immune receptor cells to stem cell sorting, this article will show how and why OPSL is meeting the evolving needs of flow cytometry.