Flow cytometry forms an integral part of both basic biological research and clinical diagnosis in pathology. This straightforward new volume provides a clear, easy-to-read, and practical manual for both clinicians and non-clinicians at all levels of their careers. The chapter topics range from basic principles to more advanced subjects, such as apoptosis and cell sorting. The book charts the history, development and basic principles of flow cytometry.

Targeted at beginners as well as experienced users, this handy reference explains the benefits and uses of flow cytometery in the study of plants and their genomes. Following a brief introduction that highlights general considerations when analyzing plant cells by flow cytometric methods, the book goes on to discuss examples of application in plant genetics, genomic analysis, cell cycle analysis, marine organism analysis and breeding studies. With its list of general reading and a glossary of terms, this first reference on FCM in plants fills a real gap by providing first-hand practical hints for the growing community of plant geneticists.

Flow cytometry is a technique used to study cells, such as blood cells or cancer cells. It is used in medical and research laboratories.

The production of doubled haploids has become a necessary tool in advanced plant breeding institutes and commercial companies for breeding many crop species. However, the development of new, more efficient and cheaper large scale production protocols has meant that doubled haploids are also recently being applied in less advanced breeding programmes. This Manual was prepared to stimulate the wider use of this technology for speeding and opening up new breeding possibilities for many crops including some woody tree species. Since the construction of genetic maps using molecular markers requires the development of segregating doubled haploid populations in numerous crop species, we hope that this Manual will also help molecular biologists in establishing such mapping populations. For many years, both the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have supported and coordinated research that focuses on development of more efficient doubled haploid production methods and their applications in breeding of new varieties and basic research through their Plant Breeding and Genetics Section of the Joint F AO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. The first F AO/IAEA scientific network (Coordinated Research Programme - CRP) dealing with doubled haploids was initiated by the Plant Breeding and Genetics Section in 1986.

Flow cytometry has rapidly evolved into a technique for rapid analysis of DNA content, cellular marker expression and electronic sorting of cells of interest for further investigations. Flow cytometers are being extensively used for monitoring of cellular DNA content, phenotype expression, drug transport, calcium flux, proliferation and apoptosis. Phenotypic analysis of marker expression in leukemic cells has become an important tool for diagnostic and therapeutic monitoring of patients. Recent studies have explored the use of flow cytometry for monitoring hormone receptor expression in human solid tumors and for studies in human genomics. Contributions in the current volume are based on presentations made at the First Indo-US workshop on Flow Cytometry in which experts from USA, UK and India discussed applications of flow cytometry in biological and medical research. This book will be of interest to post graduates and researchers in the fields of pathology, cytology, cell biology and molecular biology.