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Updated: Apr 29, 2026
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In Situ Measurement and Correlation of Cell Density and Light Emission of Bioluminescent Bacteria
Published on: June 28, 2018
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A causal relation between bioluminescence and oxygen to quantify the cell niche
Dennis Lambrechts1, Maarten Roeffaers2, Karel Goossens3
1Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Plos One
|May 21, 2014
Summary
Oxygen levels critically impact bioluminescence imaging assays for cell therapies. This study reveals oxygen
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Bioluminescence imaging assays are vital for tracking cell therapies but are often qualitative and inaccurate.
- The cellular microenvironment (niche) significantly influences assay reliability.
- Oxygen is a key niche component affecting cell metabolism and fate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of oxygen in regulating bioluminescent light kinetics.
- To develop a quantitative bioluminescence assay by accounting for oxygen gradients.
- To establish a method for microscale oxygen tension measurement.
Main Methods:
- Combined experimental and computational approaches were used.
- Investigated oxygen-dependent Michaelis-Menten kinetics for bioluminescence.
- Analyzed bioluminescent light emitted from 3D cell-seeded hydrogels.
Main Results:
- Oxygen concentration directly influences bioluminescent light intensity.
- An oxygen-dependent Michaelis-Menten relation can quantify intrinsic bioluminescence.
- Cell-associated oxygen gradients were resolved from emitted light.
Conclusions:
- Oxygen plays a crucial role in regulating bioluminescence, moving assays towards quantitative measurements.
- This approach enhances the accuracy of cell fate and survival monitoring in cell-based therapies.
- The method offers a promising avenue for accessible microscale oxygen tension measurements.
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