Raman Microspectroscopy of Normal Erythrocytes and Plasmodium Berghei -Infected Erythrocytes

Abstract

Raman spectroscopy was applied to study β-haematin, normal erythrocytes, parasite-infected erythrocytes, and lysed samples of the parasite-infected erythrocytes. Differences were observed between spectra excited by the Ar⁺ laser and those excited by the HeNe laser. The significant difference lies in the fact that with the HeNe laser excitation at 632.8 nm, band absorption is a result of the charge transfer, while laser excitation in Q_v-absorption bands of the active site of the haem¹ occurs for the Ar⁺ laser. Similarity in the spectra of β-haematin and parasite-infected erythrocyte was observed with the HeNe laser. The differences between the normal erythrocyte and the parasite-infected erythrocyte may still be distinguished by the band at 754 cm⁻¹ for the parasite-infected erythrocyte. In addition, with the HeNe laser, the band at 1080 cm⁻¹ may also be used as a reference to whether the erythrocyte has been infected.