[Vital measurement of optical density of HeLa cell line]

Light absorption by the live intact HeLa cells during light microscopy was studied. The light absorption may be considered as a parameter analogous to optical density used in spectrophotometry. This parameter can be used as a quantitative characteristic of life cell as well as intracellular structures. It is shown that cells from one population but belonging to two different clones were differed by their optical density. Optical density correlation between the shadow peripheral regions of the cells and a actin localization in these regions was established.