Imaging Complex Cell Morphology: Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)

MSCs exhibit specific morphology, which makes them unique compared to other cell types typically used in CLD. While forming spindle-shaped, elongated, and transparent cell projections, the MSCs can pose a significant challenge when it comes to imaging and subsequent image analysis.

Many imaging systems on the market are simply not fit for precise detection of these unusual cell types. Systems with poor image quality and low contrast tend to struggle to distinguish MSCs from the background or any surrounding artifacts. This can introduce a lot of inaccuracies during image analysis especially when working with a range of cell densities – an important step included in clonal outgrowth quantification, also often referred to as confluence assessment.