Final answer:
In flow cytometric analysis, forward scatter pertains to a cell's size, as larger cells scatter more light than smaller ones, influencing the intensity of the signal detected.
Step-by-step explanation:
In flow cytometric analysis, low angle or forward scatter of a laser light beam provides information that pertains to a cell's size. When a cell passes through the path of the laser, the physical interruption of the laser beam results in scattering of the light, where the intensity of the forward scatter correlates with the size of the cell. Larger cells tend to scatter light to a greater degree than smaller cells, causing a stronger signal at the forward-scatter detector. Side scatter, on the other hand, correlates with the granularity or internal complexity of a cell.
The data from forward and side scatter can be presented in a flow cytometry histogram, where forward scatter is on the y-axis, indicating the number of cells, and side scatter, which can represent cellular fluorescence, is on the x-axis. This provides valuable insights into the physical and biochemical characteristics of the cells being analyzed.