Babesia microti causes emergency human babesiosis. However, little is known about the alterations in B. microti invaded red blood cells (Bm-RBCs) at the individual cell level. Through quantitative phase imaging techniques based on laser interferometry, we present the simultaneous measurements of structural, chemical, and mechanical modifications in individual mouse Bm-RBCs. 3-D refractive index maps of individual RBCs and in situ parasite vacuoles are imaged, from which total contents and concentration of dry mass are also precisely quantified. In addition, we examine the dynamic membrane fluctuation of Bm-RBCs, which provide information on cell membrane deformability.
@article{arxiv.1505.00832,
title = {Characterizations of individual mouse red blood cells parasitized by Babesia microti using 3-D holographic microscopy},
author = {HyunJoo Park and Sung-Hee Hong and Kyoohyun Kim and Shin-Hyeong Cho and Won-Ja Lee and Youngchan Kim and Sang-Eun Lee and YongKeun Park},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1505.00832},
year = {2015}
}