Label-free multiphoton fluorescence imaging monitors metabolism in living primary human cells used for tissue engineering

摘要

Fluorescence redox imaging was employed to monitor the metabolic activity of primary human oral keratinocytes prior to the development of tissue-engineered constructs. Keratinocytes with controlled culture conditions were treated with varying levels of chemical stimuli, resulting in differing cellular morphology, growth rate, and metabolic activity. Fluorescence images of keratinocytes were noninvasively acquired from endogenous intracellular metabolic fluorophores NAD(P)H and FAD. A redox ratio quantitatively analyzed each pair of images, showing that fluorescence redox imaging may be a novel technique to characterize live cell viability.