Massively multi-parametric immunoassays using ICPMS

The use of stable isotopes as tags in immunoassays, and their determination by ICPMS, is poised to have a huge impact on multi-parametric bioanalysis. A new technology, which we term 'mass cytometry', enables high throughput, highly multiplexed individual cell analysis. Preliminary results for T-cell immunophenotyping in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), agonist influence on concomitant phosphorylation pathways, and sub-classification of acute myeloid leukemia patients' samples will be presented. The significance of individual cell analysis is demonstrated by the identification of populations of rogue cells in PBMC samples through the use of multidimensional neural network cluster analysis. (author)