Measurement of Electrical and Mechanical Oscillations of Yeast Cells Membrane in Acoustic Frequency Range

Abstract

Frohlich postulated coherent polar oscillations as a fundamental biophysical property of biological systems. Pelling et al. detected recently mechanical vibrations of yeast cell membrane in the frequency range 0.5-2 kHz with atomic force microscope (AFM). This paper describes the measurement of electric activity of yeast cells at frequencies around 1 kHz and of mechanical vibrations of cell membrane. Synchronized and non- synchronized tubulin mutants of yeast cells were measured. The paper includes a description of the laboratory equipment with a platinum wire point sensor and a spectrum analyzer. Obtained results are in good agreement with AFM findings.