Monitoring cancer cell proliferation through etched optical fiber sensor

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31349/RevMexFis.72.021301

Keywords:

Cell proliferation, Etched optical fiber, Sensor, Infrared laser, Refractive index

Abstract

In the present work, the real-time monitoring of murine lung cancer cell line proliferation using the evanescent field generated in an etched optical fiber is presented. The sensor was fabricated by removing 1 cm of the cladding from a single-mode optical fiber using hydrofluoric acid, exposing the 10 µm diameter core. Cell proliferation was monitored using a continuous-wave 1550 nm infrared laser by monitoring power transmission variations in the cell culture medium. The cell proliferation results obtained with this technique were compared with those from an automatic quantifier, showing an inverse relationship between cell proliferation and laser transmission. The present study validates the sensor's effectiveness by correlating light transmission with cell density and refractive index changes. This detection method can be used for rapid cell proliferation analysis in laboratories and hospitals, as well as for studying properties such as refractive index and penetration depth of biological media, making these sensors ideal for studying biological compounds in biochemistry and biomedicine.

Author Biographies

C. L. Gomez, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

She received the master’s degree in science with a specialization in materials science from the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico, in 2010, and the Ph.D. degree in materials science and engineering from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico, in 2016. She is currently with Investigadores por México position funded by SECIHTI (formerly CONACYT) at the Instituto de Ciencias, BUAP. She actively participates as a professor at higher education institutions and collaborates on various research projects. She has published scientific articles in high-impact international journals related to these research areas. Her research focuses on characterizing nanostructured materials using spectroscopic techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared, Raman, UV–Vis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and their biomedical applications as electrooptic and biosensors.

L. Hernández Aragón, Instituto de Fisiología. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

Technician at the Cancer and Intercellular Communication Laboratory, BUAP

P. Zaca-Morán, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

He received the master’s degree in electronics and telecommunications from the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Mexico, in 2000, and the Ph.D. degree in optical sciences with a specialization in optical fibers from the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE), Mexico, in 2006. He is currently a full-time Research Professor with the Instituto de Ciencias of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla. He has published over 40 articles in indexed journals and holds several patents related to optical, medical, and biological applications. His research focuses on optical fiber lasers, nonlinear optics, and the development of devices based on nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

F. Galindo Ramírez, Instituto de Fisiología. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla

He is a medical doctor, surgeon, and midwife who graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Mexico. He went on to complete both a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Physiological Sciences at the Instituto de Fisiología, BUAP. Following his doctoral studies, he undertook a postdoctoral research stay at the Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine in Padua, Italy. He is full time researcher professor and head of the Cancer and Intercellular Communication Laboratory at BUAP. His work focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in cancer and intercellular communication, with applications in clinical practice and biomedical research.

O. Zaca Morán, Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología Aplicada, Instituto Politécnico Nacional

Full-time Research Professor at Biosensors and Nanobiotechnolgy Department at Centro de Investigación en Biotecnología Aplicada of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional. He holds a bachelor's degree in Physics, a master's degree in Materials Science, and a Ph.D. in Advanced Technologies. His research focuses on carbon-based materials and biopolymers with applications in health sciences.

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Published

2026-03-09

How to Cite

[1]
C. L. GOMEZ, L. HERNÁNDEZ ARAGÓN, P. ZACA MORÁN, F. GALINDO RAMÍREZ, and O. ZACA MORAN, “Monitoring cancer cell proliferation through etched optical fiber sensor”, Rev. Mex. Fís., vol. 72, no. 2 Mar-Apr, pp. 021301 1–, Mar. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 72 No. 2 Mar-Apr (2026): Revista Mexicana de Física

Section

13 Optics

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Copyright (c) 2026 C. L. Gomez, L. Hernández Aragón, P. Zaca-Morán, F. Galindo Ramírez, O. Zaca Morán

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