Get premium membership and access questions with answers, video lessons as well as revision papers.

Give the methods involved in cell separation and isolation

Answers

1. Immunomagnetic Cell Separation
Immunomagnetic cell separation is a technique whereby magnetic particles are used to isolate target cells from heterogeneous mixtures. To accomplish this, the magnetic particles are bound to specific cell surface proteins on the target cells via antibodies, enzymes, lectins, or streptavidin.
The sample is then placed in an electromagnetic field that pulls on the magnetic particles, bringing the labeled cells with them. The unlabeled cells remain in the supernatant, thus creating a physical separation between target and non-target cells within the sample.
Due to its speed and simplicity, immunomagnetic cell separation is one of the most commonly used methods by which scientists isolate highly purified populations of specific cell subsets. Immunomagnetic cell separation has several advantages, including:
· High purity
· Fast protocols
· Ease of use
· Low equipment cost
· Many cells can be isolated at once
· Potential for automation
· High cell viability

2. Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting
This is a method that uses flow cytometry and fluorescent probes to sort heterogeneous mixtures of cells. Fluorophore tagged antibodies bind to epitopes on specific antigens on the target cells within a single -cell suspension. After tagging, the flow cytometer focuses the cell suspension into a uniform stream of single cells.
This stream is then passed through a set of lasers that excites the cell-bound fluorophores, causing light scattering and fluorescent emissions. Based on the wavelengths produced by the laser excitation, the resulting photon signals are converted into a proportional number of electronic pulses that assign a charge to the droplet that is formed around the cell. As each droplet falls between the deflection plates, its charge causes the droplet to either be deflected into collection tubes or fall into the waste chamber.
Immunomagnetic cell separation is a much faster and simpler procedure than FACS, and is often the preferred cell isolation method for common cell types. FACS has several advantages over immunomagnetic cell separation including the ability to:
· Sort single cells
· Isolate cells based on intracellular markers (e.g. GFP)
· Isolate cells based on surface marker expression levels
· Sort complex cell types with multiple markers at higher purity

Titany answered the question on September 13, 2021 at 05:20

Next: What is facilitated transfusion in plants?
Previous: Draw a table to show the four classes of biochemical compounds

View More Biology Techniques 1 Questions and Answers | Return to Questions Index

Learn High School English on YouTube

Give the methods involved in cell separation and isolation

Answers

Related Questions