Influence of the low-temperature plasma of the atospheric barrier discharge on the structure and properties of the membranes erythrocytes and platelets

The plasma of the atmospheric barrier discharge (PBR) is used to treat various types of diseases and damage to the skin and soft tissues; however, the mechanism of interaction of PBR with biological material has not been precisely established to date. One of the promising methods for estimation changes in the structure and properties of cell membranes at the nanoscale is atomic force microscopy (AFM). In this article the results of the influence of the barrier discharge low-temperature plasma on the structure and properties of erythrocytes and platelets are presented. By the AFM-method, the shape, morphology of membranes, and adhesive forces on the surface of the cells were determined, which is one of the characteristic parameters for assessing changes occurring at the molecular level with the cell membrane. In this work, we used an experimental complex for generating a low-temperature plasma of a dielectric barrier discharge based on a coaxial type device and an adjustable source power from 10 to 30 W. A change in the structure of the erythrocyte membranes without changing the shape of the cells themselves was established. On the non-fixed erythrocytes, the adhesion force is increased after exposure. On the surface of both erythrocytes and platelets, the presence of particles of submicron size was established, which may be due to the release of cell contents or the destructive effect of plasma on the proteins of the outer layer of the membrane. The cells, which are fixed with a 0.5-mm solution of glutaraldehyde on mica substrates, both retain their disk-like shape and membrane structure, which may be due to the formation of covalent cross-links between membrane lipids and glutaraldehyde, and residual liquid content in the cell volume after interaction with a chemical reagent. Red blood cells are more resistant to short-term exposure to PBR (1 minute) compared with platelets. The results of the studies can be used to establish patterns and the biochemical processes under the influence of PBR on blood cells.