Systems and methods for in vitro and in vivo imaging of cells on a substrate

A computer-implemented method of determining in vitro whether a substrate comprising stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells is acceptable for implantation in an eye, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• directing by a light source light at the substrate;
• obtaining by a detector an image of the substrate;
• determining by a computer system a number of stem cell-derived RPE cells on the substrate;
• determining by the computer system whether the number of stem cell-derived RPE cells is at or above a first pre-stored threshold value;
• detecting by a detector light transmitted through the substrate;
• determining by the computer system a light transmittance level;
• determining by the computer system whether the light transmittance level is at or above a second pre-stored threshold value, wherein the determined light transmittance level indicates pigmentation of the stem cell-derived RPE cells, wherein a certain level of pigmentation of the stem cell-derived RPE cells is an indication of cell functionality sufficient for implantation to the eye;
• and
• generating by the computer system a notification that the substrate is acceptable for implantation to the eye based on the determining of whether the number of stem cell-derived RPE cells is at or above the first threshold value and the determining of whether the light transmittance level is at or above the second threshold value,
• wherein the computer system comprises a computer processor and an electronic storage medium.