Single-Cell Flow Cytometry Profiling of BAL in Children

Abstract

Childhood pulmonary diseases not only cause childhood morbidity and mortality but also can cause long-term pulmonary impairment. The clinical management of many childhood pulmonary diseases is hampered by a limited understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Flow cytometry, which can be used to phenotype individual cell populations or isolate cells for downstream analysis, represents a crucial technology that can help to elucidate the pathophysiology of these conditions. Here, we describe a flow cytometry–based method for purification and characterization of cell populations in BAL from children. This includes assessment of the effect of cryopreservation on cell phenotype ..