2.2 Holographic Study of Structural and Functional Characteristics …
107
specific structure. Under axon, rough mechanic damage birefringence in the point of
fault disappears, and it becomes dark. The front of the transition from anisotropic state
into isotropic moves from the point of fault at a velocity of 20–40 μ/min that could
be seen in the field of crossed nicoles as the darkening distribution. On undamaged
functioning axons if observed them at the angle close to the brightest, there was seen
central dark longitudinal fringe along the whole length of the axon. Huge axon in the
nerve trunk is also clearly seen in the field of crossed prisms, and the central dark
fringe is seen, and its presence indicates good state of the axon.
At the angles close to the extinction angles (±5°–7°), there were observed frequent
narrow dark transverse fringes with the width of 15–30 μm divided by light space of
20–40 μm. The bigger the axon diameter is, the narrower are the fringes and the less
is the distance between them. If the axon is damaged, they immediately disappear
including its conductivity.
Also, the work [325] should be mentioned, which is dedicated to the optical
studies of the changes in nerve membrane structure during pulsing. Earlier, in the
work [325] using microinterferometer, there was observed volume-elastic wave in
the nerve fiber, which was synchronous to stimulation pulses, but the attempt to
simulate the process failed [329, 330].
Later, the true changes in polarized light of optical characteristics of the nerve
fiber during action potential have been received [330]. It also became known about
the experiments on huge squid axons [331], and due to this, we could see the changes
directly in the membrane of the nerve fiber.
The results of the experiments in the work [325] using huge lobster axon with the
diameter of 60 μm (W /W = 1.3 × 10
−4 , W is the luminous flux and W is its
changes) give birefringence increase by 1.5 × 10
−4 ; the results received using huge
squid axon with the diameter of 1 mm (W /W = 7 × 10
−6 ) [331] give birefringence
increase by 1.4 × 10
−4 . Reference quantity of birefringence according to the information of different authors is about 10
−2 –10
−3 . Fractional increase of membrane
birefringence in all cases is about 1.5–15%.
Optical studies of the nerve fiber allow concluding that during potential action
generation the change of phase difference between ordinary and extraordinary rays
transmitted through nerve fiber of polarized light occurs. Such effect is provided by
the change of membrane optical characteristics of the nerve fiber. With a high degree
of confidence, it should be noted that it is the result of birefringence increase in
membrane (in soldering peak by the value about 1.5 × 10
−4 ). From the experiments
on phospholipidic membranes, the birefringence changes in the living membrane
can be explained by the change of its structure during the transmission under electric
current of liposoluble ions but not by direct influence of the field on lipid or protein
membrane parts.
An important place in organism vital activity is held by optical radiation. Being
an integral factor of the environment, light for living organisms is the energy source
(photosynthesis) of remote information about the environment, one of exchange
reaction product (bioluminescence). In the work [327, 332], biological significance
of this last radiation of remote intercellular interactions is shown. And with it, the
107
specific structure. Under axon, rough mechanic damage birefringence in the point of
fault disappears, and it becomes dark. The front of the transition from anisotropic state
into isotropic moves from the point of fault at a velocity of 20–40 μ/min that could
be seen in the field of crossed nicoles as the darkening distribution. On undamaged
functioning axons if observed them at the angle close to the brightest, there was seen
central dark longitudinal fringe along the whole length of the axon. Huge axon in the
nerve trunk is also clearly seen in the field of crossed prisms, and the central dark
fringe is seen, and its presence indicates good state of the axon.
At the angles close to the extinction angles (±5°–7°), there were observed frequent
narrow dark transverse fringes with the width of 15–30 μm divided by light space of
20–40 μm. The bigger the axon diameter is, the narrower are the fringes and the less
is the distance between them. If the axon is damaged, they immediately disappear
including its conductivity.
Also, the work [325] should be mentioned, which is dedicated to the optical
studies of the changes in nerve membrane structure during pulsing. Earlier, in the
work [325] using microinterferometer, there was observed volume-elastic wave in
the nerve fiber, which was synchronous to stimulation pulses, but the attempt to
simulate the process failed [329, 330].
Later, the true changes in polarized light of optical characteristics of the nerve
fiber during action potential have been received [330]. It also became known about
the experiments on huge squid axons [331], and due to this, we could see the changes
directly in the membrane of the nerve fiber.
The results of the experiments in the work [325] using huge lobster axon with the
diameter of 60 μm (W /W = 1.3 × 10
−4 , W is the luminous flux and W is its
changes) give birefringence increase by 1.5 × 10
−4 ; the results received using huge
squid axon with the diameter of 1 mm (W /W = 7 × 10
−6 ) [331] give birefringence
increase by 1.4 × 10
−4 . Reference quantity of birefringence according to the information of different authors is about 10
−2 –10
−3 . Fractional increase of membrane
birefringence in all cases is about 1.5–15%.
Optical studies of the nerve fiber allow concluding that during potential action
generation the change of phase difference between ordinary and extraordinary rays
transmitted through nerve fiber of polarized light occurs. Such effect is provided by
the change of membrane optical characteristics of the nerve fiber. With a high degree
of confidence, it should be noted that it is the result of birefringence increase in
membrane (in soldering peak by the value about 1.5 × 10
−4 ). From the experiments
on phospholipidic membranes, the birefringence changes in the living membrane
can be explained by the change of its structure during the transmission under electric
current of liposoluble ions but not by direct influence of the field on lipid or protein
membrane parts.
An important place in organism vital activity is held by optical radiation. Being
an integral factor of the environment, light for living organisms is the energy source
(photosynthesis) of remote information about the environment, one of exchange
reaction product (bioluminescence). In the work [327, 332], biological significance
of this last radiation of remote intercellular interactions is shown. And with it, the