%0 Journal Article %A Julia R. Lazzari-Dean %A Anneliese M.M. Gest %A Evan W. Miller %T Optical determination of absolute membrane potential %D 2019 %R 10.1101/519736 %J bioRxiv %P 519736 %X All cells maintain ionic gradients across their plasma membranes, producing transmembrane potentials (Vmem). Mounting evidence suggests a relationship between resting Vmem and the physiology of non-excitable cells with implications in diverse areas, including cancer, cellular differentiation, and body patterning. A lack of non-invasive methods to record absolute Vmem limits our understanding of this fundamental signal. To address this need, we developed a fluorescence lifetime-based approach (VF-FLIM) to visualize and optically quantify Vmem with single-cell resolution. Using VF-FLIM, we report Vmem distributions over thousands of cells, a 100-fold improvement relative to electrophysiological approaches. In human carcinoma cells, we visualize the voltage response to epidermal growth factor stimulation, stably recording a 10-15 mV hyperpolarization over minutes. Using pharmacological inhibitors, we identify the source of the hyperpolarization as the Ca2+-activated K+ channel Kca3.1. The ability to optically quantify absolute Vmem with cellular resolution will allow a re-examination of its roles as a cellular signal. %U https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2019/01/14/519736.full.pdf