Quantitative phase microscopy monitors subcellular dynamics in single cells exposed to nanosecond pulsed electric...

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Optical Imaging

Background:

• Traditional microscopy for studying cells exposed to electric fields relies on fluorescence, which requires exogenous agents and targets only one molecule.
• Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) is a label-free coherent imaging technique that measures optical path length for contrast, proving effective for single-cell dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and demonstrate Quantitative Phase Imaging (QPI) as a valuable tool for investigating cellular responses, specifically cytoskeletal remodeling, following exposure to nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs).

Main Methods:

• Utilized QPI to capture phase images of single cells exposed to nsPEFs.
• Derived quantitative measurements including cell swelling, dry mass, and disorder strength from QPI data.
• Applied these metrics to monitor cellular dynamics and responses to nsPEF exposure.

Main Results:

• QPI successfully monitored cellular changes, including swelling and dry mass variations, in response to nsPEF exposure.
• The derived metrics from QPI provided insights into cytoskeletal remodeling dynamics post-nsPEF.
• Demonstrated the utility of QPI for label-free, quantitative analysis of nsPEF-induced cellular effects.

Conclusions:

• QPI is a powerful, label-free imaging modality for studying cellular responses to nsPEFs.
• The technique enables quantitative monitoring of cytoskeletal remodeling and cell swelling.
• Encourages wider adoption of QPI for research in directed energy bioeffects.