| abstract |
Abnormal behavior of mammalian cells is detected in vitro by measuring the fluidity or an associated phenomenon of the lipid layer of the cell surface membrane. Abnormal behavior of cells, in particular if caused by malignant transformations, is associated with increase of fluidity of the liquid layer of the cell membrane, as compared with normal cells. The fluidity can be determined, e.g., by measuring the degree of fluorescence polarization of the radiation emitted from a suspension of cells labelled in the lipid layer with a fluorescent compound. 1,6-Diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene was found to be a suitable fluorescent probe. |