Stanford researchers have identified a previously unknown immune cell that destroys nearby cells by exploding. In a study published in Cell, the researchers named the newly discovered cells "ruptoblasts" because of the dramatic way they respond to a specific hormone. To examine what was happening inside individual cells, Chai used live cell microscopy and flow cytometry, a technique that uses lasers to analyze and separate cells. Explosive Cells Destroy Multiple TargetsResearchers tested ruptoblasts against E. coli bacteria, human kidney cells, and mouse blood cells. Ruptoblasts also differ from familiar immune cells such as T cells and neutrophils.