Cell nuclei have lower refractive index and mass density than cytoplasm
Common perception regards the nucleus as a densely packed object with higher refractive index (RI) and mass density than the surrounding cytoplasm. Here, the volume of isolated nuclei is systematically varied by electrostatic and osmotic conditions as well as drug treatments that modify chromatin conformation. The refractive index and dry mass of isolated nuclei is derived from quantitative phase measurements using digital holographic microscopy (DHM). Surprisingly, the cell nucleus is found to have a lower RI and mass density than the cytoplasm in four different cell lines and throughout the cell cycle. This result has important implications for conceptualizing light tissue interactions as well as biological processes in cells.
- Location
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Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
- Extent
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Online-Ressource
- Language
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Englisch
- Bibliographic citation
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Cell nuclei have lower refractive index and mass density than cytoplasm ; volume:9 ; number:10 ; year:2016 ; pages:1068-1076 ; extent:9
Journal of biophotonics ; 9, Heft 10 (2016), 1068-1076 (gesamt 9)
- Creator
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Schürmann, Mirjam
Scholze, Jana
Müller, Paul
Guck, Jochen
Chan, Chii J.
- DOI
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10.1002/jbio.201500273
- URN
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urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022111806404162543868
- Rights
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Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
- Last update
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15.08.2025, 7:22 AM CEST
Data provider
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
Associated
- Schürmann, Mirjam
- Scholze, Jana
- Müller, Paul
- Guck, Jochen
- Chan, Chii J.