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Study of Intracellular Hydromechanical Properties by Brillouin Scattering (CAT#: STEM-ST-0107-YJL)

Introduction

The interaction between the liquid and solid phases in the cytoplasm regulates the rheological behavior of cells and has a prominent role in determining how cells deform and move. In turn, the hydromechanical properties of cells, such as the viscoelastic modulus and compressibility, influence intracellular water transport, cytoskeletal-network modulation and cell-volume regulation. It is necessary to measure these properties in situ to study how cells regulate intracellular mechanics and how the properties change as cells interact with their microenvironment during aging and injury healing, as well as in the course of disease pathogenesis.




Principle

From a quantum point of view, Brillouin scattering is an interaction of light photons with acoustic or vibrational quanta (phonons), with magnetic spin waves (magnons), or with other low frequency quasiparticles interacting with light. The interaction consists of an inelastic scattering process in which a phonon or magnon is either created (Stokes process) or annihilated (anti-Stokes process). The energy of the scattered light is slightly changed, that is decreased for a Stokes process and increased for an anti-Stokes process. This shift, known as the Brillouin shift, is equal to the energy of the interacting phonon and magnon and thus Brillouin scattering can be used to measure phonon and magnon energies.

Applications

Brillouin scattering is used to determine acoustic velocities and elastic properties of a number of crystalline solids, glasses, and liquids.

Procedure

1. Sample preparation
2. Measurement by scattering detection instrument
3. Data analysis

Materials

Brillouin scattering measurement system (Brillouin spectrometer)