Identification of cell asymmetry and orientation by light scattering.

Light scattering from chicken red blood cells has been used as a model system to identify the asymmetry of cells. The histogram for forward angle light scattering for these cells is bimodal, the signal size being dependent on the cell orientation. A dual orthogonal scatter system is used to conclusively demonstrate this orientational variation in signal. A third scattering system, using a single incident beam with two orthogonal detectors, is used to further characterize the orientational variation of the scatter signal. In this third system it is shown that the signal in a detector set 90 degrees from the incident beam collects light reflected from the cell surface. The optical selection of cells in specific orientations using these systems may circumvent the need to physically orient cell in flow systems.