HoloMonitor^® M4 by Phase Holographic Imaging

One important feature of HoloMonitor is the ability to analyze entire cell populations and the individual cells within them. This is possible using quantitative phase imaging (QPI) that enables easy identification of each individual cell and generates data for analysis of more than 30 cell-morphological parameters. From sequences of time-lapses images, the system software, HoloMonitor App Suite, helps the user to automatically extract and analyze kinetic live cell population data based on individual cell data. 

The HoloMonitor platform offers a powerful and unique range of cell biological applications, including kinetic cell count and proliferation assays, cell motility and migration with single cell tracking module, kinetic cell death and other drug responses, cell cycle analysis etc.

When preferred, individual cell data – such as cell count, cell morphology, cell velocity, and cell division rate – can all be measured from the same experimental time-lapse data, without requiring additional experiments. Subpopulations of cells behaving differently that the average population can be identified and analyzed separately.

• Visualizes and quantifies cellular events. HoloMonitor is designed to generate both visual elements such as sequences of images and videos, and quantitative data, putting numbers on what can be seen. 
• Incubator compatible design. Cell cultures can be continuously monitored and analyzed under physiologically optimal conditions, i.e. in the cell incubator or hypoxia chamber.
• Cell friendly and label free. The low-intensity, single-wavelength laser generates no heat reducing the risk of photo-damage to an absolute minimum. All HoloMonitor applications are totally label-free; no staining or contrast agents are required. The risk for toxic effects and/or masking of the effect of various conditions and/or target drug is thus avoided and results obtained without compromising cell integrity.
• Ideal for long term kinetic cell population studies. Images can be recorded with high temporal resolution (maximum image rate: 1 image/s), ensuring that important cellular events are not overlooked. 

Application Areas

Cell Growth - Assess your cell culture integrity and kinetic cell proliferation

• The cell growth applications offer quick and quantitative live cell count and culture QC (quality control), of both adherent and suspension cells. 
• Cellular growth rate, i.e. proliferation, can easily be determined, and details on the morphology of individual cells assessed.

Cell Movement - Distinguish between random cell motility and directed cell migration by imaging live cell movement

• Kinetic motility data with high level of automation
• Single cell tracking of cells of interest
• Live cell motility speed and cell migration velocity measurements
• Detailed understanding of wound healing processes

Cell Cycle - Analyze cells through rounds of replication

• No perturbation to the natural state and function of the cell with label-free analysis
• Robust measurements of mitosis and cytokinesis based on reliable automated segmentation
• Cytometric data with an effortless relationship between images and quantitative data

Drug Responses- Analyze cytotoxic effects and understand the cell death process

• Interactive dose response curves, with outcome for each condition displayed at each selected time point
• Determine cell proliferation, both by cell counting and by confluence, for various cell treatments simultaneously
• Understand drug effects through quantitative assessments of cell morphology

HoloMonitor provides a combination of quantitative and visual imaging data collected over time. The data can be accompanied with supporting videos which visualize how cancer cells shrivel up and die after being treated with a cancer drug, for example. 

In addition to the application areas above the HoloMonitor features are optimal for capturing rare or transient cellular events like phagocytosis, cell engulfment, and cell activation and differentiation.

Moreover, since HoloMonitor leaves the cells unharmed additional studies on the cells, or the supernatant, can be performed after imaging.