Comparison of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of individual cells acquired using synchrotron and conventional sources

The ability of infrared (IR) spectroscopy to distinguish and map cancerous and non-cancerous tissue has opened the question of the origin of spectral differences between normal and cancerous cells. Given the size of human cells (about 12-50 mum in diameter), IR micro-spectroscopy (IR-MSP) is an ideal tool for studying individual cells, or fractions thereof. In this contribution, the methodology for collecting IR spectra of individual cells will be explored using spectrometers that employ either synchrotron or conventional (thermal) light sources. Although synchrotron-based measurements are superior to those of conventional instruments, particularly at apertures approaching the diffraction limit, the difference in spectral quality and data acquisition time has been reduced drastically for a new generation of conventional instruments. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.