Cell morphology and intracellular ionic homeostasis explored with a multimodal approach combining epifluorescence and digital holographic microscopy

The authors have developed a live cell multimodality microscope combining epifluorescence with digital holographic microscopoy; it has been implemented with a de-coupling procedure allowing to separately measure from the quantitative phase important cell parameters including absolute volume, shape and integral intracellular retractive index. In combination with the numerouos different specific fluorescent cellular probes this multimodality microscopy can address important issues in cell biology. This is demosntrated by the study of intracellular calcium homeostasis associated with the change in cell volume, whihc play a critical role in the excitotoxicity induced neuronal death. [GRAPHICS] Comparison between quantitative phase (left) and fluorescence signal (right) on neuronal cellular bodies.