Download Champions' latest CYTO 2025 Poster
Evaluating the limitations of current stabilization and cryopreservation methods for flow cytometric analysis
Champions Oncology evaluated the impact of various sample preservation techniques on the reliability of spectral flow cytometry, crucial for consistent immunophenotyping in global clinical trials. Using a 12-color panel, they compared immune cell subsets in fresh, cryopreserved, and chemically stabilized whole blood from healthy donors.
Key findings include:
Cryopreservation of lysed whole blood maintains stable frequencies and marker intensities for most immune populations, making it a practical alternative to Ficoll-isolated PBMCs.
Prot1 and Streck stabilizers preserved several key immune markers (e.g., CD45, CD4, CD8), though results varied for B cells, granulocytes, and transcription factor FoxP3.
Prot1 better preserved B cells but showed variability in FoxP3 detection.
Streck offered more consistent FoxP3 staining, albeit at lower frequencies.
The study confirms that optimized sample handling methods, including cryopreservation and selective stabilizer use, can extend sample viability and improve data reproducibility. Champions Oncology's work highlights the ongoing need for robust, standardized workflows in high-dimensional flow cytometry to support global clinical research.
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