The useful question is how much reliable biological information a workflow delivers. Colour count alone cannot answer it.
Original CFCM report: 28 August 2026. Expanded for pre-launch review; this is not a retrospective web-publication date.
Peer-reviewed methods: Rietdijk MH, Kuhnen LC, van den Braber M, Paul AGA, Pascutti MF and García-Vallejo JJ. Comprehensive immune profiling of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells using two complementary spectral flow cytometry panels encompassing 60 unique markers. Frontiers in Immunology, published 1 September 2026. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1894779. This published version postdates the original August report and is used in this expanded review.
Two complementary panels on a five-laser Aurora cover 60 unique markers and resolve more than 50 populations. The materials section lists eight healthy donors, seven glioblastoma, six chronic-inflammation and six COVID-19 samples. Alberta Paul has a Cytek affiliation. The work demonstrates a practical multi-panel immunomonitoring strategy, not a clinical comparison proving that two tubes always outperform one.
The title is a CFCM hypothesis about priorities, not a measured decline in high-parameter cytometry. The study does not establish clinical MRD performance, reduced cost in routine diagnostics or universal transfer across instruments. Splitting markers also loses direct same-cell co-expression information between tubes; a biological question requiring that information may favour a single panel.
CFCM evaluation framework: first list the populations and co-expression relationships needed for the decision. Identify which must be observed in the same cells. Compare candidate layouts using the specimen volume available, dim-marker separation, repeatability, controls, analysis time and failure rate. Include difficult specimens rather than judging only visually attractive healthy-donor plots. Define acceptance criteria before comparing alternatives.
More markers remain useful when they resolve a real question. The stronger competitive claim is a workflow that preserves its meaning across batches, operators and intended samples. A laboratory should be able to explain the role of each added marker and the consequence of losing it. The race may change its scoring system; the evidence does not say that high-colour panels are obsolete.
Professional background: Juan Manuel Ojeda has professional experience with Sysmex España in clinical flow cytometry and now works as a freelance consultant. CFCM is his independent editorial project; its views do not represent Sysmex or imply company endorsement. The same evidence standard applies to all manufacturers.
Related: validation and analysis resources →Clinical Notes →Expanded web version and source-check pass: 19 September 2026. This was not independent scientific review. The original-report date is preserved separately above.