An Interactive Reference Framework for Modeling a Dynamic Immune System

We leveraged mass cytometry, a platform that allows measurement of multiple parameters simultaneously at the single-cell level, to initiate a reference map of the immune system. By combining the throughput of flow cytometry with the resolution of mass spectrometry, this hybrid technology enables the simultaneous quantification of 40 parameters in single cells. Use of mass cytometry allows fluorophore reporters to be replaced with isotopically-pure, stable heavy metal ions conjugated to antibodies or affinity reagents. These reporter ions are then quantified by time-of-flight mass spectrometry to provide single-cell measurements, enabling a more detailed characterization of complex cellular systems for a robust reference map.