Single-cell laser emitting cytometry for label-free nucleolus fingerprinting

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biophysics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• The nucleolus is crucial for ribosome biogenesis and indicates cellular state.
• Label-free identification of nucleoli is challenging, especially in high-throughput applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a label-free method for precise nucleolus identification and quantification.
• To enable high-throughput cell screening and drug evaluation based on nucleolar characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Introduced single-cell laser emitting cytometry (SLEC) utilizing a Fabry-Perot resonator.
• Leveraged light-matter interactions for label-free nucleolus differentiation.
• Analyzed laser emission images and spectral fingerprints for nucleolar structural and quantitative insights.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 36-fold enhancement in threshold difference for nucleolus differentiation.
• Demonstrated selective laser emission from the nucleolar area.
• Showcased the ability to quantify nucleolus quantity and size within single cells via lasing spectral fingerprint.

Conclusions:

• SLEC offers a robust, label-free approach for nucleolus analysis in flow cytometry.
• This technique advances cell screening and drug evaluation for diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.