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. 2019 Sep;90(1):e62.
doi: 10.1002/cpcy.62.

Cell Volume Measurements by Optical Transmission Microscopy

Michael A Model  1
Affiliations

Cell Volume Measurements by Optical Transmission Microscopy

Michael A Model. Curr Protoc Cytom. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

Cell volume is an important parameter in studying cell adaptation to anisosmotic stress, activation of monovalent ion channels, and cell death. This article describes a method for measurement of the volumes of adherent cells using a standard light microscope. A coverslip with attached cells is placed in a shallow chamber in a medium containing a strongly absorbing and cell-impermeant dye, Acid Blue 9. When such a sample is imaged in transmitted light at a wavelength of maximum dye absorption (630 nm), the resulting contrast quantitatively reflects cell thickness; once the thickness is known at every point, the volume can be computed as well. Technical details, interpretation of data, and possible artifacts are discussed. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Keywords: Acid Blue 9; cell volume; optical microscopy; transmission-through-dye microscopy.

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References

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