Multispectral imaging flow cytometry for microalgae biotechnology process monitoring

The demand for tools to detect morphological and compositional changes of single cells is growing in the course of efficient development and optimization of biotechnological processes. Until now, the chemical composition of cells has been assessed by analyzing a pooled cell sample, which represents the average composition of the cell collection gathered. Individuals from a population can be analyzed using traditional flow cytometry. However, it is unable to resolve important aspects such as morphological characteristics and the distribution of chemical components within cells.

A combination of imaging flow cytometry and multispectral imaging bridges this gap. In the reported parameter research on the bio production of Astaxanthin (Ax) by the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis, the potential of this Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry (MIFC) technique was evaluated and proven (HP). Only three spectral channels (446 nm, 532 nm, and 646 nm) were utilized to quantify the amount of substance and the molecular distribution of the key components chlorophyll (Chl) and Ax in multispectral imaging in transmission mode. The phase-contrast information provided by cellular structures and morphology could be readily distinguished from both. In general, the MIFC method's results are consistent with traditional measures, but they go into greater depth about morphological and compositional changes within the farmed cell population during cultivation and in response to applied stimuli.