INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
T
he ability to identify different cell types quickly, effectively, and in a minimally invasive fashion is an important goal in medicine. Immunofluorescence remains the most used method to image biological phenomena happening at the cellular and sub-cellular levels, despite drawbacks such as phototoxicity. This is due to the reactive oxygen species generated that affects cell physiology and health. Also, there is a need for cell fixation to allow antibodies to cross the
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A SI A N H O S P I T A L & H EA LT HCA R E M A N AGE M E N T
cell membrane. The latter aspect hinders some downstream analyses that require live cells. In addition, to account for the heterogeneity of biological samples, single cell measurements are needed. Therefore, novel techniques that would allow scientists to investigate living cells in a non-invasive way at the single-cell level are required. Intracellular acidity as a biomarker
Intracellular acidity is linked with numerous biological processes such
IS S UE - 53, 2021
as migration, division and apoptosis. Deviations from the physiological intracellular pH are associated with cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis. Specifically, cancer cells have a more alkaline intracellular environment. Several methods have been developed to probe cellular acidity, which predominantly focus on fluorescence markers or functionalised nanoparticles. The former method is limited by photobleaching, while the latter one requires complex multi-step protocols.
