Electromagnetic method for the noninvasive analysis of cell membrane physiology and pharmacology
First Claim
1. A method for noninvasive analysis of cell membrane physiology and pharmacology by measurement of the reflection coefficient with electromagnetic energy in the high frequency band applied to cellular suspensions in order to evaluate the selective permeability thereof comprising the steps of subjecting a sample of cell suspension to two port automatic network analysis step-wise over a plurality of preselected frequencies in the high frequency band and measuring the reflection coefficient thereof for each of the plurality of preselected frequencies and calculating the complex permittivity at each of the plurality of preselected frequencies to determine contrast between the introcellular and extracellular spaces based upon the dispersion of complex permittivity.
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Abstract
A method for electromagnetic analysis of cellular or cell ghost physiology and pharmacology without disrupting the physcial integrity of the cell membrane is described. The method utilizes the technique of multifrequency automatic network analysis and signal processing to derive complex permittivities from the error corrected complex reflection coefficient of cell containing samples at each measured frequency. Complex permittivity at each frequency is then related to the dispersion in dielectric conductivity (a term which includes ohmic and non-ohmic losses) thereby measuring the ion permeability barrier and transport functions of the cell membrane and ion distribution inside of and outside of the cell membrane. The method measures the complex reflection coefficient of a capacitive termination containing a cellular sample as high frequencies are applied. Meaningful data can be developed in the range of frequencies of from 100 KHz to 100 MHz depending upon the exact nature of the cells and the automatic network analyzer used.
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6 Claims
- 1. A method for noninvasive analysis of cell membrane physiology and pharmacology by measurement of the reflection coefficient with electromagnetic energy in the high frequency band applied to cellular suspensions in order to evaluate the selective permeability thereof comprising the steps of subjecting a sample of cell suspension to two port automatic network analysis step-wise over a plurality of preselected frequencies in the high frequency band and measuring the reflection coefficient thereof for each of the plurality of preselected frequencies and calculating the complex permittivity at each of the plurality of preselected frequencies to determine contrast between the introcellular and extracellular spaces based upon the dispersion of complex permittivity.
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