Cell analysis by mass cytometry

A method for cellular analysis by mass cytometry comprising:

• providing a group of cells labeled with more than one distinct elemental tag;
• selecting a candidate cell in the group of cells by identifying the location of the candidate cell, the candidate cell having a property of interest;
• recording the location of the candidate cell according to its position within the group of cells;
• directing at least one laser pulse onto the candidate cell at the recorded location and generating a discrete plume for each of the at least one laser pulse, each of the discrete plume comprises the more than one distinct elemental tag;
• introducing each of the discrete plume into an inductively coupled plasma and generating groups of elemental ions corresponding with each of the more than one distinct elemental tag;
• detecting each of the groups of elemental ions simultaneously for each of the discrete plume by mass cytometry;
• and
• correlating the detected elemental ions with the property of interest.