Cell observation apparatus

Abstract

The present invention is a cell observation apparatus whereby a two-dimensional distribution of phase information and intensity information is calculated on the basis of hologram data obtained by a holographic microscope, an image display field (120) in which two image display frames (121, 122) are provided being disposed in an image display screen image (100) displayed in a display unit. In the image display frames (121, 122), a phase image and an intensity image, respectively, corresponding to the same observation range are displayed on a cell culture plate (12) in which cells as an observation object are cultured. In the intensity image, a well on the plate that is almost invisible in the phase image can clearly be identified. By contrast, in the phase image, living cells that are almost invisible in the intensity image can be observed. An observer therefore determines a range to be observed in a well in the intensity image, and magnifies the determined range and observes cells in detail in the phase image. Cells that are present in the range to be observed in a well can thereby be positively observed.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a cell observation device for observing the state of cells, and more specifically, to a method for generating a hologram obtained by a digital holographic microscope and recording interference fringes of an object wave and a reference wave. A cell observation device for phase images, intensity images, etc. of objects. Background technique [0002] In recent years, research using pluripotent stem cells such as iPS cells and ES cells has become popular in the field of regenerative medicine. In general, cells are transparent and difficult to observe with a normal optical microscope, so cells have been widely observed using a phase-contrast microscope in the past. [0003] However, in the case of a phase contrast microscope, focusing is required when taking a microscopic image. Therefore, in the case of acquiring a microscopic image of each small area obtained by finely dividing a wide observation target area, there is a p...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, in the phase information obtained by computational processing such as backlight propagation calculations based on hologram data, only information about objects with a relatively small optical thickness, that is, a low phase difference, such as cells, is reflected, and almost no information is reflected. Information about objects such as containers that have an optical thickness greater than that of cells

This is because, in general holographic microscopes, it is difficult in principle to measure the optical depth only up to the wavelength of the light source used.

[0006] Therefore, for example, even if a phase image of the entire cell culture plate is displayed, it is almost impossible to visually recognize the shape of the storage portion (well) formed on the cell culture plate, so that it is difficult for the observer to grasp which well the observed cell exists in. questions like location

In addition, there is another problem that even if foreign matter such as human hair or dust that is larger than the cell is mixed into the cell culture container, the foreign matter cannot be clearly displayed on the phase image, causing the observer to overlook it.

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