This work led in part by Alex Van Grouw entitled “Investigation of MSC potency metrics via integration of imaging modalities with lipidomic characterization” published in Cell Reports shows how the use of label-free differential phase contrast imaging and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) aided in the identification of differences in lipid signatures in morphologically defined MSC subpopulations and of higher abundances of certain lipid classes involved in cellular immune functions.