Volumetric imaging of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) for non-destructive quantification of 3D cell culture growth

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282298
• Publication Date: 2023-03-28T17:41:33Z
• Authors: Oscar R. Benavides; Holly C. Gibbs; Berkley P. White; Roland Kaunas; Carl A. Gregory; Alex J. Walsh; Kristen C. Maitland
• Keywords: Microcarrier; Live cell imaging; 3D cell culture

The adoption of cell-based therapies into the clinic will require tremendous large-scale expansion to satisfy future demand, and bioreactor-microcarrier cultures are best suited meet this challenge. use spherical microcarriers, however, precludes in-process visualization monitoring cell number, morphology, culture health. development novel methods also motivates advancement analytical used characterize these microcarrier cultures. A robust optical imaging image-analysis assay non-destructively quantify number volume was developed. This method preserves 3D morphology does not membrane lysing, cellular detachment, or exogenous labeling. Complex networks formed in aggregates were imaged analyzed toto . Direct enumeration large performed for first time. successfully applied monitor growth mesenchymal stem cells attached hydrogel microcarriers over Elastic scattering fluorescence lightsheet microscopy at varying spatial scales. presented study on-line image analysis systems robust, automated, non-destructive