Which principle utilizes laminar flow and hydrodynamic focusing to characterize cells based on granularity and reflectivity?

The principle that utilizes laminar flow and hydrodynamic focusing to characterize cells based on granularity and reflectivity is laser light scatter. In this process, cells in a fluid stream are aligned into a single file due to laminar flow, ensuring that each cell passes through a focused laser beam one at a time.

When the laser light strikes the cells, it is scattered in various directions depending on the size and granularity of the cell. The intensity and pattern of this scattered light provide valuable information about the cellular characteristics being studied. Granularity is determined by how much the cells diffract and scatter the light, while reflectivity relates to the overall density and composition of the cells.

This technique is fundamental in flow cytometry, which often employs laser light scatter to provide detailed profiles of cells, including determining their size, complexity, and internal structures. This information is crucial for many applications in hematology and other fields of research, allowing for precise cellular analysis.