What are the Similarities Between Flow Cytometry and FACS?

Flow cytometry and FACS are two analytical cell biology techniques that are used to detect and profile different cell types in a heterogeneous mixture. Both techniques use fluorescence and other properties to highlight the differences in cell surface or intracellular components of the different cell types in the mixture. Both techniques acquire fluorescent, forward-scatter, and side-scatter data. Flow cytometry and FACS can both be used in a wide range of applications in medicine, immunology, molecular biology, pathology, and genetics.