Cellular spectroscopy: applications to cancer stem cell characterization

Spectroscopic and light scattering methods were used to gain insight into the existence and characterization of the cancer stem cell. Fundamental technical description of devices used have been reported elsewhere. We included alterations and implementation of these biophotonic instruments as applied to our objectives. We disassociated human tumor and submitted the cells to optical characterization to support our working hypothesis of stem cell origins to cancer and mechanisms. Single cell combined with population based analysis within the Pancreatic cancer system led us to information regarding the polarization state of cells possessing anchor proteins and drug influx pumps. Multispectral imaging combined with flow cytometry enabled us to target rare cells that appear to retain template DNA. rendering them resistant to anti-cancer drug therapy. In this study we describe an optical method that combines high-throughput population pattern and correlates each cell with an individual fluorescent and bright-field image.