Lifetime and diffusion of singlet oxygen in a cell.
In time- and spatially resolved experiments, singlet molecular oxygen, O(2)(a(1)Delta(g)), was created in a single nerve cell upon irradiation of a sensitizer incorporated in the cell nucleus using a focused laser beam. The singlet oxygen thus produced was detected by its infrared phosphorescence. Data obtained indicate that, contrary to common perception, this reactive species can be quite long-lived in a cell and, as such, can diffuse over appreciable distances including across the cell membrane into the extra-cellular environment. These results provide a new perspective for mechanistic studies of photoinduced cell death and intracellular signaling.
Skovsen
Esben
E
Department of Chemistry, and Department of Physiology, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Arhus, Denmark.
Snyder
John W
JW
Lambert
John D C
JD
Ogilby
Peter R
PR
D004058:Diffusion; D026082:Singlet Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*
D026082:Singlet Oxygen