Unravelling cellular anisotropy in human glioblastoma cells via Jones matrix decomposition

Quantitative measurement of the Jones matrix is essential for analyzing the polarization behavior of light, especially in anisotropic and birefringent samples. This study presents a label-free, and non-destructive microscopy technique based on digital holography for the spatially resolved measurement of the 2×2 Jones matrix of human glioblastoma cells (U-87 MG). Our approach enables the complete reconstruction of the complex Jones matrix at each pixel, capturing the complete polarization response of the sample. To extract deeper physical insights, we perform a detailed decomposition of the measured Jones matrix, allowing the retrieval of key polarization parameters such as inhomogeneity, diattenuation, and retardance. This comprehensive set of parameters quantitatively characterizes cellular anisotropy, offering a meaningful interpretation of light–matter interactions in complex biological media. Integrating Jones matrix microscopy with advanced polarization analysis establishes a framework for high-resolution, label-free optical characterization of cellular structures, with possible applications in quantitative imaging. In terms of biomedical diagnostics, this work presents a foundational study, and its translation into broader applications is possible through further comparative investigations across multiple cell lines and tissue samples.