6533b824fe1ef96bd12816e9
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Photon scattering as a probe of microviscosity and channel size in gels such as sickle haemoglobin.
Salvatore MusumeciM.u. PalmaGino SchiliròP.l. San BiagioRusso GF. Madoniasubject
MultidisciplinaryChemical PhenomenaScatteringChemistryChemistry PhysicalProtein ConformationViscosityDiffusionLasersKineticsDispersityHemoglobin SickleMicrospheresMicroviscosityDiffusionKineticsBiophysicsPhysical chemistryHumansScattering RadiationSpectroscopyDeoxygenationGelsMacromoleculeProtein Bindingdescription
The aggregation of sickle-cell haemoglobin (HbS) is one of the most physiologically important and widely studied macromolecular gelation processes. Both the thermodynamics and kinetics of the process are important in determining the pathological consequences of deoxygenation of the red cells (and both must be understood if a rational strategy is to be developed for pharmacological intervention). We describe here a new and versatile technique for the study of the structure and formation of the HbS aggregates, that should be widely applicable to gel systems generally. We use laser autocorrelation spectroscopy to observe the diffusion of monodisperse polystyrene latex spheres in the interstices of the gel.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-03-01 | Nature |