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Published on: August 6, 2013
Microbioreactors for Raman microscopy of stromal cell differentiation
Vishnu Vardhan Pully1, Aufried Lenferink, Henk-Jan van Manen
1Biophysical Engineering Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, 7522 ND Enschede, The Netherlands.
Analytical Chemistry
|February 11, 2010
Summary
This study introduces microbioreactors coupled with Raman microspectroscopy for in situ cell analysis. This combination allows detailed chemical imaging of cell differentiation, including subcellular organelles, in tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Spectroscopy
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Tissue engineering requires dynamic cell culture monitoring.
- In situ chemical analysis of cellular processes is challenging.
- Raman microspectroscopy offers high chemical specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop microbioreactors with integrated confocal Raman microspectroscopy.
- To enable in situ and in vitro chemical imaging of cell cultures.
- To investigate human bone marrow stromal cell (hBMSC) differentiation.
Main Methods:
- Development of microbioreactors with optical coupling to a confocal Raman microspectrometer.
- Raman spectroscopic imaging for chemical analysis.
- Long-term perfusion culture of hBMSCs.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated in situ and in vitro investigation of cell cultures.
- Achieved optical resolution for subcellular feature recognition and chemical analysis.
- Tracked hBMSC proliferation and osteoblast differentiation over 21 days.
- Confirmed compatibility of dynamic culture conditions with Raman analysis.
- Showed feasibility of analyzing subcellular organelles during cell development.
Conclusions:
- Microbioreactors with Raman microspectroscopy are valuable for studying cell proliferation and differentiation.
- This technique allows detailed analysis of hBMSC development into tissues.
- Enables in situ and in vitro study of cellular processes at the subcellular level.
