Cell biologists sort things out: Analysis and purification of intracellular organelles by flow cytometry.

Flow cytometry was established originally for measuring DNA content and for the analysis of cell-surface markers in combination with cell sorting. During the past two decades, it has added new dimensions to various areas of immunology and medicine. Increased sensitivity and precision of flow cytometers, accompanied by the development of new fluorescent dyes and probes, has led to new applications in molecular cell biology and genetics. This article focuses on applications of flow cytometry in analysis and sorting of intracellular organelles.