Nondestructive, High-Resolution T Cell Characterization and Subtyping via Deep-UV Microscopy

Objective and Impact Statement: We establish deep-ultraviolet (UV) microscopy as a fast, label-free, and simple imaging approach for assessing T cell viability, activation state, and subtype with high accuracy. Introduction: T cell characterization is critical for understanding immune function, monitoring disease progression, and optimizing cell-based therapies. Current technologies to characterize T cells, such as flow cytometry, require fluorescent labeling and are typically destructive endpoint measurements. Nondestructive, label-free imaging methods have been proposed but face limitations with throughput, specificity, and system complexity. Methods: In this work, we use static deep-UV images to characterize T cell viability and activation state and dynamic deep-UV time series to quantify intracellular activity for assessment of T cell subtype (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺). Results: T cell viability and activation state predicted from static deep-UV images showed strong agreement with flow cytometry, with a correlation of R ² > 0.97. Dynamic deep-UV images revealed unique intracellular activity that enabled accurate subtyping of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, with a sensitivity and specificity of ~90%, corroborating recent studies on metabolic activity differences between these subtypes. Conclusion: Together, deep-UV microscopy offers a powerful tool for high-throughput immune cell characterization, with broad applications in immunology research, immune monitoring, and development of emerging cell-based therapies.