Introduction to Flow Cytometry: Blood Cell Identification (Online CE Course)

(based on 460 customer ratings)

Author: Dana L. Van Laeys, MEd, MLS(ASCP)MBCM, CLSp(MB)
Reviewers: Dr. Linda Miller, PhD I, MBCM(ASCP)SI and Rebecca Sacks, MLS(ASCP)CM

How to Subscribe
MLS & MLT Comprehensive CE Package
Includes 184 CE courses, most popular
$109Add to cart
Pick Your Courses
Up to 8 CE hours
$55Add to cart
Individual course$25Add to cart

No other laboratory method provides as rapid and detailed analysis of cellular populations as flow cytometry, making it a valuable tool for diagnosis and management of several hematologic and immunologic diseases. Understanding this relevant methodology is important for any medical laboratory scientist.
Whether you have no previous experience with flow cytometry or just need a refresher, this course will help you to understand the basic principles, with the help of video tutorials and interactive case studies.

Basic principles include:
  • Immunophenotypic features of various types of hematologic cells
  • Labeling cellular elements with fluorochromes
  • Blood cell identification, specifically B and T lymphocyte identification and analysis
  • Cell sorting to isolate select cell population for further analysis
  • Analyzing and interpreting result reports and printouts

See all available courses

Continuing Education Credits

P.A.C.E.® Contact Hours (acceptable for AMT, ASCP, and state recertification): 1 hour(s)
Approved through 9/30/2025
Approved through 9/30/2025

Objectives

  • List the appropriate specimen types used for flow cytometric analysis.
  • Describe the steps involved in analyzing samples by flow cytometry.
  • Calculate absolute cell counts from percentage values for flow cytometry analysis.
  • Identify blood cell types associated with respective specific surface markers.
  • Interpret basic flow cytometer instrument analysis printouts.
  • Progress through case studies related to lymphocyte evaluation using flow cytometry while performing final interpretations.

Customer Ratings

(based on 460 customer ratings)

Course Outline

Click on the links below to preview selected pages from this course.
  • Flow Cytometry Basics
      • Flow Cytometry Course Introduction
      • Table 1: Definitions
  • Flow Cytometry Principles
  • Identifying and Using Cell Surface Markers
      • Identifying General Cell Types Associated with Surface Markers
  • Interpreting Instrument Printouts
      • Cytogram for Cellular Scatter: Intrinsic Characteristics
      • White Blood Cells and Cytogram for Cellular Scatter
      • Extrinsic Cell Characteristics
      • Which white blood cell populations would have the most side scatter when analyzed using flow cytometry?
      • Gating: Selecting the Population of Interest
      • Using Cell Surface Markers as Tools For Diagnosis
      • Diagnostic Process
      • True or False: When analyzing the raw data of a sample on the flow cytometer, CD marker information on the histograms represents data inside the non-g...
  • Review of Flow Cytometry Principles
  • Case Study One
      • Case One
      • Scatter and CD45
      • What cell population is gated in this peripheral blood sample analyzed by flow cytometry?
      • CD19 and CD20
      • It has already been established that the gated cell population is lymphocytic. CD19 and CD20 cell surface antigens both appear on what type of lymphoc...
      • CD10, HLA-DR, Kappa, and Lambda
      • If 100% of the cells in the gated lymphocyte population are positive for CD45 (i.e., they are leukocytes) and 7% are B cells (represented by CD19 and ...
      • T Cell Markers
      • All helper cells are T cells. Consequently, in a normal lymphocyte population, it is reasonable to expect all CD4-positive cells to be CD3-positive.
      • Final Interpretation of Case One
  • Case Study Two
      • Case Two
      • Scatter and Gating
      • T Cell Analysis
      • B Cell Analysis and Final Interpretation of Case Two
  • Conclusion
      • Conclusion
  • References

Additional Information

Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Intended Audience: Medical laboratory scientists and medical laboratory technicians. This course is also appropriate for medical laboratory science students and pathology residents.
Author Information: Dana L. Van Laeys, MEd, MLS(ASCP)MBCM, is the Education Coordinator for Molecular Diagnostics and Immunology in the Clinical Laboratory Science Program at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. She has 14 years of experience in molecular diagnostics and flow cytometry. She has been a presenter at ASM, CLEC, and AABB conferences. Ms. Van Laeys holds a Masters in Adult Education and Distance Learning.
Reviewer Information:
Dr. Linda Miller, PhD I, MBCM(ASCP)SI, is an Assistant Editor for the Immunohematology section of Lab Medicine. She received her BS in Biology from Syracuse University and her PhD in Immunology from SUNY Upstate Medical University. She holds certifications as a Technologist in Immunology, Specialist in Immunology, and Technologist in Molecular Biology from ASCP. Dr. Miller is a professor of Clinical Laboratory Science at Upstate Medical University and the Director of the Medical Biotechnology program in the same department. There, she teaches Immunology, Human Genetics, Molecular Methods, and Medical Biotechnology courses. She has served as a member of the ASCP Immunology Exam Committee and the ASCP Lab Q Editorial Board as Associate Editor of Clinical Immunology. Dr. Miller has written numerous continuing education exercises and book chapters in clinical immunology and is co-author of the 4th edition of the textbook Clinical Immunology and Serology: A Laboratory Perspective (FA Davis).
Rebecca Sacks, MLS(ASCP)CM is a Lead Medical Laboratory Scientist in Hematology at South County Hospital in Wakefield, Rhode Island. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Rhode Island and an Associate of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science from Bristol Community College. She most recently started tutoring Medical Laboratory Science students at Bristol Community College as well as volunteering as a Subject Matter Expert with AMT.
Course Description: This course describes the most basic principles of flow cytometry, providing an overview and introduction to this useful tool. The focus of the course is blood cell identification, specifically B and T lymphocyte identification and analysis.

How to Subscribe
MLS & MLT Comprehensive CE Package
Includes 184 CE courses, most popular
$109Add to cart
Pick Your Courses
Up to 8 CE hours
$55Add to cart
Individual course$25Add to cart
cd4/cd8 count shutterstock


cll blood smear shutterstock


cell-sorting


staining illiustration


Sheath fluid


Image 1