Optical discrimination of live single cancer cells using reflection-based nanohole array sensor

Abstract

In this research, a reflection-based nanohole array sensor system is presented for discriminating between migration-competent cancer cells that maintain the integrity of the actin cortex and those cells lacking the actin cortex and thus unable to migrate. Unlike previous transmission-based approaches, this configuration allows for more practical integration into in situ diagnostic tools. For the first time, the system performance is analyzed by studying the spectral features of the reflected light by live single cells. We demonstrate that the presence of the actin cortex, needed for cell migration, in different types of cancer cells significantly affect their optical response, enabling high sensitivity and specificity in cell classification. Our results pave the way for reflection-based plasmonic biosensor devices as a compact and efficient platform for developing biomedical application tools.