Analysis of Fixed and Live Single Cells Using Optical Photothermal Infrared with Concomitant Raman Spectroscopy.

This paper reports the first use of a novel completely optically based photothermal method (O-PTIR) for obtaining infrared spectra of both fixed and living cells using a quantum cascade laser (QCL) and optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser as excitation sources, thus enabling all biologically relevant vibrations to be analyzed at submicron spatial resolution. In addition, infrared data acquisition is combined with concomitant Raman spectra from exactly the same excitation location, meaning the full vibrational profile of the cell can be obtained. The pancreatic cancer cell line MIA PaCa-2 and the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 are used as model cells to demonstrate the capabilities of the new instrumentation.

3D DESI-MS lipid imaging in a xenograft model of glioblastoma: a proof of principle.

Desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) can image hundreds of molecules in a 2D tissue section, making it an ideal tool for mapping tumour heterogeneity. Tumour lipid metabolism has gained increasing attention over the past decade; and here, lipid heterogeneity has been visualised in a glioblastoma xenograft tumour using 3D DESI-MS imaging. The use of an automatic slide loader automates 3D imaging for high sample-throughput.

Fatty-Acid Uptake in Prostate Cancer Cells Using Dynamic Microfluidic Raman Technology.

It is known that intake of dietary fatty acid (FA) is strongly correlated with prostate cancer progression but is highly dependent on the type of FAs. High levels of palmitic acid (PA) or arachidonic acid (AA) can stimulate the progression of cancer. In this study, a unique experimental set-up consisting of a Raman microscope, coupled with a commercial shear-flow microfluidic system is used to monitor fatty acid uptake by prostate cancer (PC-3) cells in real-time at the single cell level.

Live single cell analysis using synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy: development of a simple dynamic flow system for prolonged sample viability.

Synchrotron radiation Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (SR-microFTIR) of live biological cells has the potential to provide far greater biochemical and morphological detail than equivalent studies using dehydrated, chemically-fixed single cells. Attempts to measure live cells using microFTIR are complicated by the aqueous environment required and corresponding strong infrared absorbance by water. There is also the additional problem of the limited lifetime of the cells outside of their preferred culture environment.