Oncology

The field of Oncology is largely concerned with elucidating how cancers develop and how best to develop therapies to treat them. Oncologists commonly employ microscopy not only to identify and classify cancer cells, but also to identify the fragmented nuclei of apoptotic cells treated with a chemotherapeutic drug, or to visualize the binding and subsequent internalization and trafficking of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. The ImageStream is ideally suited to these types of studies, and gives the added benefit of combining immunophenotyping with quantitative morphometric measurements that can be applied to identifying rare sub-populations of potentially metastatic cells.

Co-localization of an antibody-drug conjugate to endosomes or lysosomes

In this experiment we use the capabilities of the ImageStream system to measure the transit of a fluorescently labeled antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) through the cellular endocytic pathway. The high spatial resolution afforded by the ImageStream system allowed accurate measurement of ADC co-localization to endosomes and lysosomes. See the application note for more details.

Apoptotic index using the ImageStream

DNA condensation and fragmentation are hallmarks of apoptosis. By measuring the area and the intensities of the brightest portions of the nuclear image, the bright, punctate nuclear imagery of apoptotic cells can be distinguished from the evenly stained nuclear imagery of a normal, healthy nucleus. This makes possible the automated identification of apoptoticWhen cells begin to dye by apoptosis there is fragmentation and condensation of the DNA. By measuring the area and the intensities of the brightest portions of the nuclear image, the bright, punctate nuclear imagery of apoptotic cells can be distinguished from the evenly stained nuclear imagery of a normal, healthy nucleus. This makes possible the automated identification of apoptotic nuclear morphology. See the application note for more details.