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Plasmonic imaging of living pancreatic beta-cell networks

Plasmonic imaging of living pancreatic beta-cell networks
Plasmonic imaging of living pancreatic beta-cell networks

We present a novel plasmonic imaging technique for real-time, label-free tracking of bioelectrical interactions in live pancreatic beta-cell networks. Surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM) is utilized to reveal synchronized glucose-induced intensity oscillations that are suppressed by calcium channel blockers. These oscillations are observed at the subcellular scale with a resolution of 1 μm. The technique can also uncover the extracellular spread of these oscillations beyond the cells. We further combine SPRM with network analysis to quantify coordinated electrical activity within the living cell network using both amplitude and phase-based metrics. Our results demonstrate a new method for studying electrical communication in pancreatic beta-cells, which could be crucial for understanding dysregulation in diabetes and advancing treatment development. This technique holds promise for investigating electrical connectivity in biological cell networks with applications in neuroscience, cardiac science, and bioelectricity in cancer, microbiology, development and regeneration.

Bioelectrical and calcium signalling, Bioelectrical networks, Bioelectricity, Diabetes, Label-free plasmonic microscopy, Pancreatic beta cells
2045-2322
Abayzeed, Sidahmed
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Galvis, Daniel
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Medel, Karen Regules
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Jones, Catarina F.
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Gonzalez, Oscar Barajas
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Setchfield, Kerry
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Moreddu, Rosalia
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Somekh, Michael G.
36e75dea-bc65-4d5e-9bfb-5455a3f67b46
Wedgwood, Kyle C.A.
7695339e-0d99-496f-bbfc-99e358d4a81c
Smith, Paul
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Abayzeed, Sidahmed
fb21dbfb-0402-4f59-b052-7eaa8e0bfb75
Galvis, Daniel
795a4621-2375-4c4c-b6cc-73f8cb95c6a8
Medel, Karen Regules
b934f066-761e-4dfa-a9a0-41c85f6edf73
Jones, Catarina F.
c88ddcff-5d51-4d84-b884-ca6b7f31fa07
Gonzalez, Oscar Barajas
6ed097ef-43bc-4614-b231-47f5fca8561b
Setchfield, Kerry
c2e6a42b-edb4-4f2b-91bb-27c57bd84d4c
Moreddu, Rosalia
8a5d77bc-dac4-4966-baa3-be26c5eec1ef
Somekh, Michael G.
36e75dea-bc65-4d5e-9bfb-5455a3f67b46
Wedgwood, Kyle C.A.
7695339e-0d99-496f-bbfc-99e358d4a81c
Smith, Paul
9059b66a-cef0-424f-a37e-2681a4d4b30a

Abayzeed, Sidahmed, Galvis, Daniel, Medel, Karen Regules, Jones, Catarina F., Gonzalez, Oscar Barajas, Setchfield, Kerry, Moreddu, Rosalia, Somekh, Michael G., Wedgwood, Kyle C.A. and Smith, Paul (2026) Plasmonic imaging of living pancreatic beta-cell networks. Scientific Reports, 16 (1), [3993]. (doi:10.1038/s41598-025-34094-0).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We present a novel plasmonic imaging technique for real-time, label-free tracking of bioelectrical interactions in live pancreatic beta-cell networks. Surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM) is utilized to reveal synchronized glucose-induced intensity oscillations that are suppressed by calcium channel blockers. These oscillations are observed at the subcellular scale with a resolution of 1 μm. The technique can also uncover the extracellular spread of these oscillations beyond the cells. We further combine SPRM with network analysis to quantify coordinated electrical activity within the living cell network using both amplitude and phase-based metrics. Our results demonstrate a new method for studying electrical communication in pancreatic beta-cells, which could be crucial for understanding dysregulation in diabetes and advancing treatment development. This technique holds promise for investigating electrical connectivity in biological cell networks with applications in neuroscience, cardiac science, and bioelectricity in cancer, microbiology, development and regeneration.

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s41598-025-34094-0 - Version of Record
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e-pub ahead of print date: 3 January 2026
Published date: 3 January 2026
Keywords: Bioelectrical and calcium signalling, Bioelectrical networks, Bioelectricity, Diabetes, Label-free plasmonic microscopy, Pancreatic beta cells

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 509132
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/509132
ISSN: 2045-2322
PURE UUID: 4841183f-063b-4ae1-b7b1-c8f1ff64fb0e
ORCID for Rosalia Moreddu: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0332-1606

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 11 Feb 2026 17:55
Last modified: 12 Feb 2026 03:28

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Contributors

Author: Sidahmed Abayzeed
Author: Daniel Galvis
Author: Karen Regules Medel
Author: Catarina F. Jones
Author: Oscar Barajas Gonzalez
Author: Kerry Setchfield
Author: Rosalia Moreddu ORCID iD
Author: Michael G. Somekh
Author: Kyle C.A. Wedgwood
Author: Paul Smith

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