The Foundational Technique for Biomedical Breakthroughs: Exploring the Critical Methodologies and Applications of Cell Isolation in Research and Therapy
Cell isolation is a fundamental and critical technique in biological research and regenerative medicine, involving the purification of a specific population of cells from a complex, heterogeneous sample such as blood, tissue, or a cell culture. Achieving a high purity level is essential, as the integrity and relevance of downstream experiments—including genomic analysis, functional assays, and the development of cell-based therapies like CAR T-cell therapy—depend entirely on the quality of the starting material. Various methodologies, including density gradient centrifugation, magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS), and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), are employed, each optimized for specific cell types and purity requirements.