Measuring Cell Cycle and Mitotic Index with the FlowSight

The cell cycle is a series of orchestrated events that leads to cell replication. It is characterized by three interphase stages (Gap 1, S Phase, and Gap 2) and a dividing stage called mitosis. Mitosis is further divided into four primary phases: prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. Progression of cells through the cell cycle is highly regulated through feedback loops that control cell growth via cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Activation of CDKs mark the progression from one stage of the cell cycle to the next and therefore offer opportunities to intervene in cancer and other cell proliferative disorders. A detailed assessment of the cell cycle and mitosis are essential to the development of CDK-targeted therapies. This application note describes the use of the FlowSight for cell cycle analysis via the classical assessment of DNA content as well the calculation of the mitotic index via the assessment of DNA condensation in nuclear images.