Acquisition of a Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS)

获得荧光激活的细胞分类器摘要生物学中最强大的方法之一是还原论，即将复杂的系统分解成它们的组成部分的过程，以便更好地从整体上了解它们之间的相互作用。FACS机可以根据特定“标记物”的表达，从大的、不同的起始群体中丰富特定的细胞亚群。这些表面标志物是通过结合荧光标记的特定抗体来检测的，这些抗体在FACS机器中暴露在UV激光下时会发光。UCI的不同群体的研究人员拥有同样不同的兴趣范围。这些利益可以分为四个大的领域。这些只是校园里许多研究和教学项目中的一部分，这些项目将受益于FACS机器1。分离白细胞(WBC)亚群。有人建议进行实验，要求分离特定的白细胞亚群，以观察它们在保护个人免受寄生虫T.ruzi感染方面的作用。这种微生物的感染是南美洲心脏病的主要原因。其他研究人员将分离白细胞亚群，以研究它们在多发性硬化症等疾病中的作用。2.分离处于细胞周期不同阶段的细胞。将进行实验，以测试特定生长因子对调节细胞分裂的影响。细胞生长调节在发育和癌症中都是重要的，癌症是肿瘤细胞的一种不受控制的生长。FACS机特别适合进行这类实验。少数细胞群体的分离。在许多情况下，无论是在科学界还是在科学界，最罕见的例子往往都是最耐人寻味的。一些研究人员对从人体中收集稀有但重要的细胞进行分析很感兴趣。其中一些细胞帮助保护我们免受某些疾病的侵袭，另一些细胞可能携带某种疾病。FACS机非常擅长找到感兴趣的千分之一的细胞。对转基因细胞进行浓缩。转基因细胞是指在实验室中经过基因改造以表达新基因的细胞。有一天，人们希望通过将这种改变的细胞归还给他们来弥补基因异常，从而帮助他们。同时，在实验室中使用FACS机来丰富这些细胞，以便可以更详细地分析它们。总而言之，UCI的无数研究和教学项目将通过获得一台最先进的FACS机而得到促进和极大的增强。与“所有国王的马和国王的随从”不同，我们相信我们可以将碎片重新组合在一起，这样做可以对复杂的生物系统有更好的理解。

Acquisition of a Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS)Abstract - 9977224One of the most powerful approaches in biology is reductionism, the process of break-ing down complex systems into their component parts, the better to understand their interactions in the whole. A FACS machine allows for the enrichment of specific sub-populations of cells from large, diverse starting populations based on their expression of specific "markers". These surface markers are detected by binding of fluorescently-labeled specific antibodies that glow when exposed to the UV laser in the FACS ma-chine. A diverse population of researchers at UCI has an equally diverse range of interests. These interests can be grouped into four broad areas. These represent just some of the many research and teaching projects on campus that will benefit from a FACS machine.1. Isolation of white blood cell (WBC) subsets. Experiments are proposed that require isolating specific subpopulations of WBC to look at their role in protecting indi-viduals from infection by the parasite T. Cruzi. Infection by this organism is a major cause of heart disease in South America. Other investigators will isolate subpoulations of WBC to look at their role in diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis. 2. Isolation of cells in distinct stages of the cell cycle. Experiments will be per-formed to test the effects of specific growth factors on regulating cell division. Regula-tion of cell growth is important both in development and in cancer, which is an uncon-trolled growth of tumor cells. A FACS machine is particularly well-suited to perform these kinds of experiments.3. Isolation of minority cell populations. In many cases, both within science and without, the rarest examples are often the most intriguing. Several investigators are in-terested in collecting rare, but important, cells from the body for analysis. Some of these cells help protect us against certain diseases, others may carry a disease. The FACS machine is very good at finding that one-in-a-thousand cell that is of interest.4. Enrichment of transfected cells. Transfected cells are cells that have been genetically altered in the laboratory so that they express new genes. One day it is hoped that people may be helped by giving them back such altered cells to compensate for a genetic abnormality. In the meantime the FACS machine is used in the lab to en-rich for these cells so that they can be analyzed in greater detailIn summary, a myriad of research and teaching projects at UCI will be facilitated and greatly enhanced by the acquisition of a state-of-the-art FACS machine. Unlike "all the king's horses and all the king's men" we believe we can put the pieces back together again, and in so doing gain a greater understanding of complex biological systems.