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.
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