Abstract
A simple, label-free cytometry technique is introduced. It is based on the analysis of the fluctuation of image Gray Level Information Entropy (GLIE) which is shown to reflect intracellular biophysical properties like generalized entropy. In this study, the analytical relations between cellular thermodynamic generalized entropy and diffusivity and GLIE fluctuation measures are explored for the first time. The standard deviation (SD) of GLIE is shown by experiments, simulation and theoretical analysis to be indifferent to microscope system “noise”. Then, the ability of GLIE fluctuation measures to reflect basic cellular entropy conditions of early death and malignancy is demonstrated in a cell model of human, healthy-donor lymphocytes, malignant Jurkat cells, as well as dead lymphocytes and Jurkat cells. Utilization of GLIE-based fluctuation measures seems to have the advantage of displaying biophysical characterization of the tested cells, like diffusivity and entropy, in a novel, unique, simple and illustrative way.
Highlights
This study is an effort to advance our understanding of the thermodynamics of information processing in general, focusing on living systems
For exploration of a possible theoretical relation between cellular image Gray Level Information Entropy (GLIE) fluctuation and cellular thermodynamic generalized entropy state, we chose the simple case of a single intracellular vesicle or organelle and analyzed its random motion in one dimension
Incoherent fraction of motor protein activity on the cytoskeleton create active random forces that cause ”diffusive-like” motion of the cytoskeleton and associated membranous structures like vesicles and organelles [31]. These active (ATP-dependent) random mechanical fluctuations dominate the particle random translocation fluctuations which are reflected by our measurement system during a 1–2 s timescale of rates between 0.5–1 Hz which was chosen based on previous works [31,34,35]
Summary
Background: This study is an effort to advance our understanding of the thermodynamics of information processing in general, focusing on living systems. Emerging fields in biological research, such as system biology, analyze cells and life through a holistic approach According to this view, living forms and processes are considered too complex to be completely defined and, are characterized as a whole, in order to gain significant knowledge on that living system [1]. This perspective of the whole system is at the base of statistical mechanics that enables characterization of thermodynamic macroscopic quantities in complex physical systems. These entropy formulations are based on Entropy 2017, 19, 565; doi:10.3390/e19100565 www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy
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