Why Stem Cell Research is Best Achieved with the Help of Inverted Fluorescence Microscopy

While stem cell research may be controversial, it is still an inarguable fact that stem cell research can be the key to curing various chronic diseases and this is made even more possible with the help of inverted fluorescence microscopy.

The Importance of Stem Cell Research
All multi-cellular organisms, which automatically include humans, have stem cells within them. These cells are unlike other types of cells found in our bodies because of its ability to renew itself through mitotic cell division and then become something else entirely different from its original cellular form. Canadian scientists like James E. Till and Ernest A. McCulloch have been credited for pioneering stem cell research.

For an accurate definition and identification of stem cells, these are cells that must always possess both the following properties: self-renewal or the ability to go through several processes of cell division while retaining its original state, and unlimited potency or the ability to change into a different kind of cell.

Stem cells have various kinds of potency. Those that are totipotent can develop into either embryonic or extraembryonic cell types. Those that are pluripotent can develop into any of the cells produced from the three germ layers. Multipotent cells are those that can develop into a closely similar group of cells. Lastly, unipotent stem cells can only develop into one other kind of cell but they still possess self-renewal properties, and this sets them apart from other “more ordinary” cell types.

There are three major types of stem cells found in mammals: cord blood stem cells, which are found in a person’s umbilical cord; adult stem cells found in adult tissues; and lastly, embryonic stem cells, which are produced from blastocysts.

In a growing embryo, stem cells reproduce into different kinds of specialized embryonic tissues. In adult human systems, stem cells mainly function as repair cells, reproducing the type of cells that the human body is in particular need of.

Stem cells can be grown and transformed in cell cultures. This can be seen in the way cells are grown and reproduced through in vitro fertilization, particularly through clonogenic assays. The powerful abilities of stem cells have led scientists and researchers to hope that they can be used in medical therapies.

The Use of Inverted Microscopes
Microscopes are typically upright – a person looks down to see the magnified image of the sample or specimen. It’s the opposite with an inverted microscope. With an inverted type of microscope, the condenser and light source are found on top of the microscope’s stage while the microscope’s objectives and its turret are found below and pointing up. Inverted microscopes are commonly used for viewing samples or specimens that are heavier and bigger than usual as well as living organisms or cells placed inside tissue culture flasks and similar containers instead of slides.

The Use of Fluorescence Microscopy in Stem Cell Research
When using a fluorescence microscope, you’re technically studying the light source itself since the specimen is “converted” into fluoresce. Fluorescence microscopes combine optical elements of microscopes with computer technology and digital imagery, enabling scientists to see more in clarity and size.

Fluorescence microscopes work by filtering the light that would be radiating on the sample. Once the radiation reaches the atoms making up your specimen, electrons will become “excited” and jump up to another energy level. When they relax, these electrons will then emit light. A second filter will filter this light, causing the specimen to become visible amidst a dark background. With the help of fluorescence microscopy, scientists and researchers are able to identify more cells and its components with a higher degree of precision.

Live-Cell Imaging – This particular function of fluorescence microscopes is what makes these instruments extremely helpful in stem cell research. With live-cell imaging, tight control of the cell culture environment must be exercised. Ideal temperature, atmospheric conditions, growth medium buffering, and nutritional supplements for the cells among other things must be maintained while the cells are being observed.

Choosing the right design of cell culture chamber is also critical to successful use of fluorescence microscopes in stem cell research. Various techniques ranging from simple to highly sophisticated can be applied to ensure that your stem cells can be observed at high resolution with minimal invasion. Consider other factors as well like specimen viability, image acquisition speed, and detector sensitivity.

Today, there is still much debate going on regarding the ethical issues of stem cell research. This is unfortunate because no matter how much applications of inverted fluorescence microscopy are improving, they won’t amount to anything until stem cell research has been fully approved and supported by the world.