Measurement of entropy production in living cells under an alternating electric field. 2013

Changjiang Ding, and Liaofu Luo
Laboratory of Theoretical Biophysics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China.

Entropy is a thermodynamic property toward equilibrium based on the dissipation of energy. Cells constitute such a thermodynamic system, in which entropy production is both inevitable and highly significant. Although the experimental measurement of entropy production in a cell is very difficult, a new method to accomplish this in living cells is reported herein. Through heating the sample by alternating electric fields and recording the heat flow from cells, the entropy production in two normal cell lines, MCF10A and HL-7702, and two cancerous cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and SMMC-7721, was measured and compared. The scaled electroinduced entropy production rate (SEEP) of cancer cells monotonically increases with electric field strength at 5-40 V/cm, while that of normal cells changes nonmonotonically with electric field strength, reaching a peak at 5-30 V/cm. For all cell lines, the cancerous-to-normal ratio of field-induced entropy production is clearly <1 in a large range of field strength from 5 to 25 V/cm. Therefore, this work presents an easy and effective strategy for experimentally investigating the thermodynamic properties of the cell, and gives deeper insight into the physical differences between normal and cancerous cells exposed to electric fields.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008954 Models, Biological Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D002468 Cell Physiological Phenomena Cellular processes, properties, and characteristics. Cell Physiological Processes,Cell Physiology,Cell Physiological Phenomenon,Cell Physiological Process,Physiology, Cell,Phenomena, Cell Physiological,Phenomenon, Cell Physiological,Physiological Process, Cell,Physiological Processes, Cell,Process, Cell Physiological,Processes, Cell Physiological
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000465 Algorithms A procedure consisting of a sequence of algebraic formulas and/or logical steps to calculate or determine a given task. Algorithm
D013816 Thermodynamics A rigorously mathematical analysis of energy relationships (heat, work, temperature, and equilibrium). It describes systems whose states are determined by thermal parameters, such as temperature, in addition to mechanical and electromagnetic parameters. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 12th ed) Thermodynamic
D045744 Cell Line, Tumor A cell line derived from cultured tumor cells. Tumor Cell Line,Cell Lines, Tumor,Line, Tumor Cell,Lines, Tumor Cell,Tumor Cell Lines

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