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Optical Scatter Microscopy Based on Two-Dimensional Gabor Filters
Published on: June 2, 2010
Wavelength-dependent backscattering measurements for quantitative monitoring of apoptosis, part 2: early spectral
Christine S Mulvey1, Kexiong Zhang, Wei-Han Bobby Liu
1Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. cmulvey@bu.edu
Journal of Biomedical Optics
|November 25, 2011
Summary
Elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS) detects early apoptosis in cells. Wavelength-dependent backscattering changes, linked to apoptotic volume decrease, occur within minutes of treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Apoptosis is a critical biological process.
- Monitoring apoptosis in cell cultures is essential for research.
- Elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS) offers a potential method for real-time apoptosis monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of Elastic Scattering Spectroscopy (ESS) for monitoring early apoptosis in cell cultures.
- To characterize the spectral changes associated with apoptosis induction.
- To determine the relationship between early scattering changes and apoptotic volume decrease (AVD).
Main Methods:
- Wavelength-dependent backscattering measurements using ESS.
- Induction of apoptosis in cell cultures.
- Osmotic stress to induce volume changes without apoptosis.
- Pharmacological inhibition of Cl(-) channels to block AVD.
Main Results:
- Early changes in backscattering (decrease in spectral slope) were observed 10-15 minutes post-apoptosis induction.
- These spectral changes correlated with apoptotic volume decrease (AVD).
- Osmotic volume decrease induced similar but smaller scattering changes; blocking AVD also blocked early scattering changes.
Conclusions:
- ESS, specifically backscattering measurements, can detect early apoptotic changes in cells.
- Early scattering changes are partly driven by apoptotic volume decrease (AVD).
- Further research is needed to identify all sources of early spectral scattering changes during apoptosis.

