Effects of cellular fine structure on scattered light pattern.

Biological cells are complex in both morphological and biochemical structure. The effects of cellular fine structure on light scattered from cells are studied by employing a three-dimensional code named AETHER which solves the full set of Maxwell equations by using the finite-difference time-domain method. It is shown that changes in cellular fine structure can cause significant changes in the scattered light pattern over particular scattering angles.

A miniaturized wide-angle 2D cytometer.

Background: We present an optical waveguide based cytometer that is capable of simultaneously collecting the light scattered by cells over a wide range of solid angles. Such comprehensive scattering data are a prerequisite for the microstructural characterization of cells.

Methods: We use latex beads as cell mimics, and demonstrate the ability of this new cytometer to collect back-scattered light in two dimensions (2D).

3-D simulation of light scattering from biological cells and cell differentiation.

A 3-D code for solving the set of Maxwell equations with the finite-difference time-domain method is developed for simulating the propagation and scattering of light in biological cells under realistic conditions. The numerical techniques employed in this code include the Yee algorithm, absorbing boundary conditions, the total field/scattered field formulation, the discrete Fourier transformation, and the near-to-far field transform using the equivalent electric and magnetic currents. The code is capable of simulating light scattering from any real cells with complex internal structure at all angles, including backward scattering.