[Use of the disordered total internal reflection effect to study the adhesion of animal cells to glass. I. Results of a theoretical analysis].

Theoretical analysis data have been presented on the effect of frustrated total reflection due to light scatterring on cells situated near the glass surface. A conclusion is made that using this effect it is possible to measure the index of refraction of the cytoplasm, to determine the distance between the glass and the cytoplasmic membrane of monolayer cells, and to study the kinetics of changes in the cell surface on contacting the glass.