Open AccessQuantitative refractive index distribution of single cell by combining phase-shifting interferometry and AFM imaging
Author(s) -
Qinnan Zhang,
Liu Zhong,
Ping Tang,
Yingjie Yuan,
Shengde Liu,
Jing Tian,
Xiaoxu Liu
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/s41598-017-02797-8
Subject(s) - refractive index , jurkat cells , interferometry , materials science , raman spectroscopy , optics , phase imaging , atomic force microscopy , intracellular , nanoscopic scale , phase (matter) , optical coherence tomography , microscopy , biophysics , chemistry , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , physics , medicine , biology , biochemistry , immune system , organic chemistry , t cell , immunology
Cell refractive index, an intrinsic optical parameter, is closely correlated with the intracellular mass and concentration. By combining optical phase-shifting interferometry (PSI) and atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging, we constructed a label free, non-invasive and quantitative refractive index of single cell measurement system, in which the accurate phase map of single cell was retrieved with PSI technique and the cell morphology with nanoscale resolution was achieved with AFM imaging. Based on the proposed AFM/PSI system, we achieved quantitative refractive index distributions of single red blood cell and Jurkat cell, respectively. Further, the quantitative change of refractive index distribution during Daunorubicin (DNR)-induced Jurkat cell apoptosis was presented, and then the content changes of intracellular biochemical components were achieved. Importantly, these results were consistent with Raman spectral analysis, indicating that the proposed PSI/AFM based refractive index system is likely to become a useful tool for intracellular biochemical components analysis measurement, and this will facilitate its application for revealing cell structure and pathological state from a new perspective.