Combining quantitative phase microscopy and laser-induced shockwave for the study of cell injury

In this paper, we propose a new system for studying cellular injury. The system is a biophotonic work station that can generate Laser-Induced Shockwave (LIS) in the cell culture medium combined with a Quantitative Phase Microscope (QPM), enabling the real-time measurement of intracellular dynamics and quantitative changes in cellular thickness during the damage and recovery processes. In addition, the system is capable of Phase Contrast (PhC) and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy. Our studies showed that QPM allows us to discern changes that otherwise would be unnoticeable or difficult to detect using phase or DIC imaging. As one application, this system enables the study of traumatic brain injury in vitro. Astrocytes are the most numerous cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and have been shown to play a role in the repair of damaged neuronal tissue. In this study, we use LIS to create a precise mechanical force in the culture medium at a controlled distance from astrocytes and measure the quantitative changes, in order of nanometers, in cell thickness. Experiments were performed in different cell culture media in order to evaluate the reproducibility of the experimental method.