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Flow Cytometry Unit

We are located at Wits Medical School - 9th floor, Department of Surgery.

Staff and contact details:

Dr Marietha Nel (Research Officer) - 27-11-717-2088, Fax: 27-11-484-2717

Proff G Candy 27-11-717-2275

Mr J Mathipa (Technical Laboratory Assistant)

Mr J Mokgobu

 

Flow Cytometry uses an electronic instrument that passes particles or cells one by one through a laser, and past sensors that measure physical and chemical characteristics of those particles or cells.

Flow Cytometry Facilities are available to all prospective researchers both within and outside the University of the Witwatersrand. In the last 15 years the applications of flow cytometry have spread through all branches of biological sciences.

Flow cytometers have been used to measure the properties of and to sort mammalian and plant cells, yeast and bacteria and isolate nuclei, chromosomes, and mitochondria. In cells, a variety of properties may be measured, for example the DNA content of the nucleus, the expression of a surface or intracellular antigen, the activity of an intracellular enzyme or the pH.

The scope of the technique is only limited by the fluorescent dyes available and the investigator s imagination.

Flow Cytometry applications presently involved in:

  • Measurement of apoptosis and necrosis
  • Thermosensitivity of cancer cells to anti-cancer drugs
  • Measurement of endothelial cells
  • Lymphocyte basal activation status and activation potentials
  • Measurement of malaria parasite stages
  • Renal transplantation crossmatching
  • Heat shock proteins
  • Bronchial lavarge cell analysis

A seminar on the introduction of flow cytometry, its principles and applications is offered.

Services:

  • Setting up of instruments
  • Help in sourcing required materials
  • Assistance in interpretation of data
  • A multi-disciplinary cytometry advisory panel

Research:

See the following list of possible applications:

  • Botany
    1. Cell cycles in plants
    2. Analysis and sorting of plant chromosomes
    3. Chlorophyl fluorescence measurements
    4. Fluorescence-activated sorting protoplasts
  • Cell Biology
    1. DNA synthesis
    2. Cell cycle distributions
    3. RNA content
    4. Chromosome karyotyping
    5. DNA analysis of mammalian spermatozoa
  • Cell Cycle Kinetics
  • Haematology
    1. Lymphocyte studies
    2. Monocyte/Macrophage studies - Granulocyte studies
    3. Leukemia diagnosis and monitoring
    4. Lymphomas
    5. Platelet Antibodies
    6. Rectic counts
    7. Immune complex analysis
  • Immunology
    1. Cell mediated immune response
    2. Cytoxicity assays
    3. Cell surface antigens
    4. T cell ratios in HIV
    5. Diagnosis and monitoring of HIV
    6. Analysis of serum autoantibodies
    7. Immune competence studies
    8. Drug monitoring
    9. Autoimmune diseases
  • Marine Biology
    1. Analysis and sorting of aquatic particles
    2. Analysis and sorting of phytoplankton
  • Microbiology
    1. Analysis of malaria - infected blood
    2. Effects of antibiotics on bacteria
    3. Parasite studies
  • Oncology
    1. Patterns of cell proliferation
    2. Malignancies
    3. Leukemia s - Lymphomas
    4. Chemotherapy monitoring
    5. Unusual phenotypes
  • Virology
    1. Kinetics of virus absorption
    2. EBV, CMV studies
    3. Herpes Simplex studies
  • Biochemistry
    1. Intracellular calcium
    2. Toxicology assays
    3. H2O2 assays
    4. Membrane potentials
  • Miscellaneous
    1. Quality of drinking water
    2. Estrogen receptors
    3. Radioactive levels in mine workers
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