A NOVEL METHOD OF ASSESSING CARCINOMA CELL-PROLIFERATION BY BIOPHOTONEMISSION

Changes in the emission intensities of ultraweak biophoton emission du ring the cell proliferation of human carcinoma cell culture (TE9 cell line) were detected using a highly sensitive and low noise measurement apparatus coupled with a flow culture system. In the sampling period of 93 h, the biophoton emission intensity from the culture followed a similar course as that of the growth curve. Spectral analysis of the b iophoton emission from the cell culture demonstrated a significant pea k at around 530 nm. Our results suggest that the emission intensity ma inly depends on the cell population and that this noninvasive techniqu e has a potential role in cancer diagnosis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.