March 10, 2011
CHARLESTON -- Membranes exist in most every material, and cells depend heavily on the properties of membranes for oil retention and material strength. Until now, no one had been able to figure out how to measure membrane permeability without destroying the organism’s tissue. Now non-invasive methods, such as probing with an electric current or using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide pertinent data.
Joseph A. Helpern, Ph.D., Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) vice chairman for radiology research and CoEE endowed chair in brain imaging co-authored a study with researchers from New York University School of Medicine on the mathematical relationship between membrane permeability and the movement of water or other molecules.
"Knowledge about cell membrane permeability can help us understand how biological tissues function when they are healthy, and more importantly, when they are not like in diseases such as cancer, stroke and multiple sclerosis, etcetera," stated Helpburn.
The paper was published in advance online March 6. Nature Physics papers published online before they have been allocated to print have a digital object identifier (DOI) number. The DOI for this paper is 10.1038/nphys1936 and can be used to retrieve the full text at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nphys1936.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 11,000 employees, including 1,500 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.7 billion. MUSC operates a 750-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital, the Ashley River Tower (cardiovascular, digestive disease, and surgical oncology), and a leading Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu or www.muschealth.com.
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