An overview will be presented of the development and application of Raman microspectroscopy to the study of living cells. A brief history of key events will be succeeded by a description of state-of-the-art instrumentation. An example of a protocol for the conversion of measured data to real data will be discussed. Data-analysis techniques, which are of profound importance to analyse large hyperspectral datasets, will be presented and compared. Data-analysis approaches highlight the potential for data-mining in hyperspectral Raman microscopy and spectral imaging in general. The development of micro-bioreactors, which are efficiently coupled to Raman microspectrometers enable monitoring of the cell- and tissue development under close to in vivo conditions.