MINIMALLY INVASIVE CYTOMETRY SYSTEM USING QCL VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY FOR DIFFERENTIATION OF PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS FROM FUNCTIONALLY DIFFERENTIATED CELLS BASED ON INSPECTION OF SINGLE CELLS

摘要

This disclosure concerns a minimally invasive cytometry system including a handling system that presents single cells to at least one QCL laser source. The QCL laser source is configured to deliver light to a cell within the cells in order to induce vibrational bond absorption in one or more analytes within the cell. The cytometry system also includes a detection facility that detects the transmitted mid-infrared wavelength light, wherein the transmitted mid-infrared wavelength light is used to identify the differentiation status of the cell as either pluripotent or functionally differentiated.