Light scattering from cells: finite-difference time-domain simulations and goniometric measurements.

We have examined the light-scattering properties of inhomogeneous biological cells through a combination of theoretical simulations and goniometric measurements. A finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique was used to compute intensity as a function of scattering angle for cells containing multiple organelles and spatially varying index of refraction profiles. An automated goniometer was constructed to measure the scattering properties of dilute cell suspensions. Measurements compared favorably with FDTD predictions. FDTD and experimental results indicate that scattering properties are strongly influenced by cellular biochemical and morphological structure.