Determination of the complex dielectric constant of an epithelial cell monolayer in the terahertz region

作者：Shiraga K^*; Ogawa Y; Suzuki T; Kondo N; Irisawa A; Imamura M

来源：Applied Physics Letters, 2013, 102(5): 053702.

DOI：10.1063/1.4790392

We present a method to determine the complex dielectric constant of a cell monolayer using terahertz time-domain attenuated total reflection spectroscopy combined with a two-interface model. The imaginary part of the dielectric constant of the cell monolayer shows a lower absorption of slow relaxation mode than that of the liquid medium. This result allows us to estimate the intracellular water dynamics on a picosecond time scale, and the existence of weakly hydrated water molecules inside the cell monolayer was indicated. This method will provide a perspective to investigate the intracellular water dynamics in detail.

• 出版日期2013-2-4