Cell Growth Measurement Methods
The cell growth can be detected by a variety of methods. The cell size growth can be visualized by microscopy, using suitable stains. But the increase of cells number is usually more significant. It can be measured by manual counting of cells under microscopy observation, using the dye exclusion method (i.e. trypan blue) to count only viable cells. Less fastidious, scallable, methods include the use of cytometers, while flow cytometry allows to combine cell counts ('events') with other specific parameters: fluorescent probes for membranes, cytoplasm or nuclei allow to distinguish dead/viable cells, cell types, cell differentiation, expression of a biomarker such as Ki67.
Beside the increasing number of cells, one can be assessed regarding the metabolic activity growth. I.e. the CFDA and calcein-AM measure (fluorimetrically) not only the membrane functionality (dye retention), but also the functionality of cytoplasmic enzymes (esterases). The MTT assays (colorimetric) and the resazurin assay (fluorimetric) dose the mitochondrial redox potentiel.
Finally, all these assays may correlate well, or not depending on cell growth conditions and desired aspects (activity, proliferation). The task is even more complicated with populations of differents cells, furthermore when combining cell growth interferences or toxicity.
Read more about this topic: Cell Growth
Famous quotes containing the words cell, growth, measurement and/or methods:
“Theres not one part of his physical being thats like that of human beings. From his warped brain down to the tiniest argumentative cell of his huge carcass, hes unearthly.”
—Willis Cooper. Rowland V. Lee. Wolf von Frankenstein (Basil Rathbone)
“The Pastthe dark unfathomd retrospect!
The teeming gulfthe sleepers and the shadows!
The past! the infinite greatness of the past!
For what is the present after all but a growth out of the past?”
—Walt Whitman (18191892)
“Thats the great danger of sectarian opinions, they always accept the formulas of past events as useful for the measurement of future events and they never are, if you have high standards of accuracy.”
—John Dos Passos (18961970)
“All men are equally proud. The only difference is that not all take the same methods of showing it.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (16131680)