A random laser carrying the scattering information on a biological host is a promising tool for the characterization of biophysical properties. In this work, random lasing from label-free living cells is proposed to achieve rapid cytometry of apoptosis. Random lasing is achieved by adding biocompatible gain medium to a confocal dish containing cells under optically pumped conditions. The random lasing characteristics are distinct at different stages of cell apoptosis after drug treatment. By analyzing the power Fourier transform results of the random lasing spectra, the percentage of apoptotic cells could be distinguished within two seconds, which is more than an order of magnitude faster than traditional flow cytometry. These results provide a label-free approach for rapid cytometry of apoptosis, which is advantageous for further research of random lasers in the biological field.
Keywords: apoptosis; cytometry; label-free; living cells; random lasing.