Estimation of the energy of cytoplasmic movements by magnetometry: effects of temperature and intracellular concentration of ATP

Ferrimagnetic particles ( gamma -Fe ₂O ₃) were spontaneously phagocytized by pulmonary macrophages obtained from the lungs of hamsters. Changes in the energy of the movements of the intracellular structures and also in the apparent viscosity of the cytoplasm were estimated by means of the magnetometric method. The changes were created by lowering the incubation temperature or by decreasing the intracellular concentration of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Although the low temperature decreased the energy and increased the apparent viscosity, the low concentration of ATP decreased the energy but had little effect on the apparent viscosity. Estimation of these parameters was based on a previously proposed model.