An international research team has now developed a novel methodology for the measurement of entropy production at the scale of a nanometer, meaning one-billionth of a meter. The new approach enabled the scientists to measure the heat flow, known as the entropy production rate, of single red blood cells.
"Heat is a symptom of cell health, and this finding could open up new ways to determine tissue health," explains lead researcher Professor Felix Ritort, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Barcelona. He adds:"Characterizing the entropy production in living systems is crucial for understanding the efficiency of energy conversion processes."
In biophysics, the kinetic states of molecules play a determining role in the metabolic and physiological processes in which they take part. Now, a new article specifies for the first time the levels ...