Direct observation of mammalian cell growth and size regulation

Nat Methods. 2012 Sep;9(9):910-2. doi: 10.1038/nmeth.2133. Epub 2012 Aug 5.

Abstract

We introduce a microfluidic system for simultaneously measuring single-cell mass and cell cycle progression over multiple generations. We use this system to obtain over 1,000 h of growth data from mouse lymphoblast and pro-B-cell lymphoid cell lines. Cell lineage analysis revealed a decrease in the growth rate variability at the G1-S phase transition, which suggests the presence of a growth rate threshold for maintaining size homeostasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Enlargement*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Size*
  • G1 Phase
  • Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • Mice
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid / cytology*
  • S Phase
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods*