Flow Cytometry in Hematologic Neoplasia

The role of flow cytometry as an adjunctive tool for diagnosis and prognosis of hematologic neoplasia in veterinary medicine is rapidly expanding. Immunophenotyping of hematopoietic cells by flow cytometry utilizes a panel of fluorescently labeled antibodies that bind to cell surface proteins, called cluster of differentiation markers, to identify cell lineage. In hematologic neoplasia, flow cytometry can be used to determine if a patient has lymphoma or leukemia, to identify the type of lymphoma or leukemia, and to provide prognostic information. Detection of cell surface antigens by flow cytometry requires viable cells. The antibodies are either directly conjugated to a fluorescent protein or detected using fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies specific for the monoclonal antibodies. The most common forms of lymphoproliferative disease in veterinary patients are multicentric, peripheral node lymphoma in dogs and intestinal lymphoma in cats.