Light scattering characterization of mitochondrial aggregation in single cells

Opt Express. 2009 Aug 3;17(16):13381-8. doi: 10.1364/oe.17.013381.

Abstract

Three dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations are employed to show that light scattering techniques may be used to infer the mitochondrial distributions that exist within single biological cells. Two-parameter light scattering plots of the FDTD light scattering spectra show that the small angle forward scatter can be used to differentiate the case of a random distribution of mitochondria within a cell model from that in which the mitochondria are aggregated to the nuclear periphery. Fourier transforms of the wide angle side scatter spectra show a consistent highest dominant frequency, which may be used for size differentiation of biological cells with distributed mitochondria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Aggregation / physiology
  • Cell Count / methods*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Light
  • Mitochondria / physiology*
  • Mitochondria / ultrastructure*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / methods*
  • Scattering, Radiation