Do you know what cells are? They are like tiny building blocks that make up everything in your body! But did you know that there are many different types of cells? Some help you see, some help you breathe, some help you move, and many others!
Sometimes, scientists want to study just one type of cell or maybe they want to remove a certain type of cell from a group. This is where cell sorting comes in! It's like separating all of the red LEGO bricks from the green ones so you can build a specific LEGO creation.
To sort cells, scientists use special machines called flow cytometers. These machines can take a sample of cells and quickly sort them based on different characteristics like size, shape, and color. Just like how you can sort your M&Ms by color, scientists can sort cells by different markers on their surface.
Once the machine sorts the cells, they can be collected and used for different experiments or studies. It's like finding all of the red LEGO bricks you need and putting them in their own pile to use for building later.
Cell sorting can help scientists learn more about how different cells work and how they can be used to help people who are sick. It's like finding the right LEGO pieces you need to build something cool and useful!