Educate

The debate about whether, when and how to use isotype controls appears to be controversial to researchers (Herzenberg L et al., Maecker HT and Trotter J.). You may not wish to use isotype controls, but if you do this article will give you an overview of what an isotype control is, when and how to use it.

Controls are vital in any experiment to reliably distinguish your results from background variation and non-specific effects. Here we will discuss some essential controls for flow cytometry you must consider to ensure publication quality flow cytometry data. 

As important as good data and results are, having the right controls to interpret and troubleshoot your experiment is just as critical. Whether you need to gate your populations accurately or identify whether your result is unique or artifactual, controls provide context and clarity.

No, this is not a call for Geeks to take over the world – just a tiny part of it – the part that ensures success in all experiments or at least a good way to analyze them if they fail.

As important as good data and results are, having the right controls to interpret and troubleshoot your experiment is just as critical. Whether you need to gate your populations accurately or identify whether your result is unique or artifactual, controls provide context and clarity. Click on each subject below to learn more about the proper control reagents BioLegend offers and for which scenario they can optimally be applied to.