NANOSCALE FLUCTUATIONS OF ERYTHROCYTE SUBDOMAINS IMAGED BY FOURIER PHASE MICROS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Fourier Phase Microscopy (FPM) is a novel imaging technique that provides quantitative information about the optical path-length shifts through dynamic biological samples with sub-nanometer sensitivity over extended periods of time. FPM was used to measure nanoscale fluctuations associated with the membrane of live erythrocytes during time intervals ranging from a few seconds to hours. The experimental results demonstrate the existence of dynamic subdomains within the cell, which exhibit oscillations at various frequencies. The non-random nature of these fluctuations suggests that they are driven by deterministic phenomena associated with this living system.