The challenge of live-cell imaging is being able to visualize your samples while causing as little perturbation as possible. Fluorescence techniques generally have to balance the rate of acquisition against the total duration of the experiment in order to preserve sample health. Holotomography is a non-invasive, label-free technique that allows visualization at high resolution, while maintaining the cell’s natural state. It does this by allowing very low levels of light to pass through the sample at multiple angles and measuring the refractive index (RI) of various subcellular structures.
By taking information from multiple angles, the Tomocube systems take all of their measurements in 3D. This allows quantification of values such as volume, surface area, and dry mass of the cell and intracellular structures.