Flow cytometric measurement of different physiological parameters

A variety of physiological parameters involved in signal transduction pathways, enzymatic activities, ATP production, and many other physiological processes can be analyzed by flow cytometry. Parameters as intracellular pH, membrane potential, calcium concentration, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, or glutathione content can be estimated thanks to this technique. One of the principal advantages of flow cytometry is that it allows the measurement of these parameters in living and small cells, usually in real time during the physiological stimulation. Moreover, flow cytometry can detect not only the fluorescence of biochemically specific developed fluorescent dyes but also autofluorescence (such as the chlorophyll a fluorescence), which can be measured in parallel and can provide supplementary information about the physiological condition of the measured cells.