Method of and device for measuring elastic and di-electric properties of the diaphragm of living cells

US4055799A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Kernforschungsanlage Lulich Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung · DE

Inventors

• Hans Gerard Leonard Coster · Sydney, AU
• Gunter Pilwat · Jülich, DE
• Ulrich Zimmermann · Waldbrunn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 22, 1976
• Grant date: Oct 25, 1977
• Expiry date: Jan 22, 1996

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2015/1006
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of and device for ascertaining elastic and di-electric properties f the diaphragm of individual living cells of living beings or of the diaphragms of such living cells in a physiological liquid in suspension or of such living cells in an association in the form of a layer. One or more of such cells or one or more layers of such cells is or are introduced into a physiological liquid which has a temperature of between 0.degree. and 40.degree. C and which is electrically conductive and forms an electrolyte solution. The cell, cells or layer of cells are located between two electrodes in such a way that the flow lines of an electric field provided between the two electrodes penetrate the diaphragm of the cell, cells or layer of cells introduced into the electrolyte solution. Thereupon a succession of voltage pulses with a constant pulse duration of from 1 .mu.s and 10 ms is applied to the electrodes and the amplitude of the voltage pulses between 100 mV and 5V is increased until at the obtainment of the break-down voltage the resulting current pulses greatly increase. The break-down voltage will then be measured by means of two measuring electrodes.