What advantages would one get in selecting cells with LCM vs. cell counting by flow cytometry?
Orlando, Fla. James L. Wittliff, PhD, MD: Clearly, cell counting and sorting by flow cytometry works well for ascites specimens and certain solid tissues in which cells may be dissociated easily. The principal advantage we are exploiting is the development of new clinical tests of human solid tumor specimens whereby both gene expression and protein expression profiles are developed for carcinoma cells compared to adjacent normal cells. Preliminary evidence from a number of investigators listed in the references supports this concept. The primary application relates to the fact that homogenization and extraction of a solid tissue specimen composed of 10-20 different cell types releases a multitude of macromolecules that do not reflect the diseased cells of interest. Hence, the level of a particular clinical analyte (e.g., estrogen receptors, HER-2/neu oncoprotein) in a tissue such as a breast carcinoma would be greatly diluted and unrepresentative of the actual cancer cells. These tests
