title: Measurement of photon statistics with live photoreceptor cells.
abstract: We analyzed the electrophysiological response of an isolated rod photoreceptor of Xenopus laevis under stimulation by coherent and pseudothermal light sources. Using the suction-electrode technique for single cell recordings and a fiber optics setup for light delivery allowed measurements of the major statistical characteristics of the rod response. The results indicate differences in average responses of rod cells to coherent and pseudothermal light of the same intensity and also differences in signal-to-noise ratios and second-order intensity correlation functions. These findings should be relevant for interdisciplinary studies seeking applications of quantum optics in biology.
authors.affiliation: Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science Technology and Research, 117608 Singapore.
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Mei Fun
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Dmitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bessarab
authors.forename: C Michael
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Leonid A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Krivitsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D017785:Photons; D011789:Quantum Theory; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D012243:Rhodopsin