Biomolecular phenotyping and heterogeneity assessment of mesenchymal stromal cells using label-free Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Easy, quantitative measures of biomolecular heterogeneity and high-stratified phenotyping are needed to identify characterise complex disease processes at the single-cell level, as well predict cell fate. Here, we demonstrate how Raman spectroscopy can be used in difficult-to-assess case clonal, bone-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) MSC lines group these according biological function (e.g., differentiation capacity). Biomolecular stratification is achieved using high-precision obtained from representative statistical sampling that also enable quantified assessment. Application primary MSCs human dermal fibroblasts shows use a label-free assay classify sub-types within heterogeneous populations, thus demonstrating potential for therapeutic translation, broad application phenotypic characterisation other cells.