Real time measurement of cellular Oxygen Uptake Rates (OUR) by a fiber optic sensor

Advancements in fiber optic sensors have made it possible for measuring biochemical parameters such as oxygen, glucose, and aminoacids necessary for viable engineered tissue growth. In this study, we have devised an experimental protocol to measure in real-time, the oxygen uptake rate (OUR) values for HEPG2 liver cells when grown a) on cover glass slides; and b) encapsulated within alginate based hydrogel matrices. For both cases, the oxygen uptake rates of HEPG2 cells at selected time points varied in close co-relation with cell proliferation and metabolic activity during the 7-day culture period. Microscopy studies have also been conducted to assess the viability of the encapsulated cells within the alginate matrices. This investigation concludes that OUR can be used as an indicative parameter to assess the metabolic activity of cells encapsulated within the hydrogel matrix. The study also presents a fiber-optic sensing technology as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to monitor cell behavior and activity.