Analysis of cellular response to photodynamic treatment with Radachlorin photosensitizer by means of quantitative phase microscopy using highly coherent and partially coherent light sources

We report investigation of HeLa cells' response to photodynamic treatment in vitro using three realizations of quantitative phase microscopy. Reconstruction of phase images was performed by means of off-axis digital holographic microscopy with coherent HeNe laser source, and two approaches utilizing partially coherent illumination: transport of intensity equation (TIE) and spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM). All of these methods can be successfully used for analysis of optical and morphological characteristics of living cells and cells exposed to photodynamic treatment, however each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages in implementation and data processing.