Figure 2

Comparative flow cytometry analyses. (a) CD45-depleted, buffy coat blood sample. (b) Representative triple-negative breast cancer patient blood sample. All samples were labeled with antibodies against CD45; cytokeratins (CKs) CK8, CK18 and CK19; and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). (a) and (b) are progression of plots. Top row, left to right: forward scatter area (FSC-A) and side scatter area (SSC-A); histograms of unlabeled (red), CD45-stained (blue) and population expression after magnetic depletion (black); and dot plot of SSC versus CD45 expression gated into CD45− expression, low CD45 expression and high CD45 high expression. Bottom row, left to right dot plots of EpCAM expression versus CK expression for the CD45−, CD45 low and CD45 high populations. In part (b), a third row of plots is presented in which the events in the red outlined quadrant in the second row are further investigated with respect to SS verses CD68 expression. APC, Allophycocyanin; Cy7, Cyanine 7; FITC, Fluorescein isothiocyanate; FMO, Fluorescence minus one; PE, Phycoerythrin; PerCP, Peridinin chlorophyll protein.