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Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Optical Scatter Microscopy Based on Two-Dimensional Gabor Filters
Published on: June 2, 2010
Light scattering microscopy with angular resolution and its possible application to apoptosis
1Institute of Applied Research, Aalen University, Beethovenstr. 1, 73430, Aalen, Germany.
Abstract:
An inverted microscope has been modified for light scattering experiments with high angular resolution in combination with transmission, wide-field fluorescence or laser scanning microscopy. Supported by simulations of Mie scattering, this method permits detection of morphological changes of 3T3 fibroblasts on apoptosis and formation of spherically shaped cells of about 20 μm diameter, in agreement with visual observation. Smaller sub-structures (e.g. cell nuclei) as well as cell clusters may possibly contribute to the scattering behaviour. Results of 2-dimensional cell cultures are confirmed by 3-dimensional multicellular spheroids of 3T3 fibroblasts and HeLa 2E8 cervix carcinoma cells, where in most cases no morphological changes are discernable. This offers some advantage of light scattering microscopy for label-free detection of apoptosis and may represent a first step towards label-free in vivo diagnostics.
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