The COVID-19 pandemic underscores a need to understand the biological mechanisms underlying disease progression and severity. Early studies reported a correlation between immune response dysfunction and disease severity in COVID-19 patients. A deeper understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with the host immune system is required to better understand COVID-19 pathogenesis and identify biomarkers that scientists could use to predict, monitor and prevent COVID-19 progression. Flow cytometry, which is routinely used to assess immunophenotypic and functional changes in response to viral infection, plays a critical role in COVID-19 research due to its ability to simultaneously measure the expression of multiple proteins at the single-cell level.

Key takeaways in this ebook from BD Biosciences: 

• Protocols and best practices for preparing cells for flow cytometry
• How multicolor flow cytometry panels are used to study cell types of interest in COVID-19
• Fifteen pre-optimized multicolor flow cytometry panels for immunophenotypic and functional characterization of relevant human immune cells
• Tips, tricks and detailed protocols for optimal experiment setup
• References to seminal publications describing immunological changes in COVID-19 patients
• BD panel design experts for consultation and help customizing multicolor flow cytometry panels that meet your specific needs