Determination of cell membrane passive electrical properties using frequency domain dielectric spectroscopy technique. A new approach.

To take into account the highly irregular surface morphology of cell membranes we have analyzed impedance measurements of biological cell suspensions in general terms using a fractal description of the surface roughness of the cell membrane. This analysis has been applied to human erythrocytes in different solutions of alkaline metal salts and to human lymphocytes, since these cells present a different surface irregularity. The passive electrical properties (dielectric constant and electrical conductivity) deduced from conductivity measurements at radiowave frequencies have been discussed on the basis of the fractal dimension of the membrane surface.