Abstract

As a means of noninvasive and nondestructive measurement of biological functions and processes through biophoton emission, several types of extremely sensitive single-photon counting system have been developed in our research with highly efficient and specially selected photomultiplier tubes. For the purpose of studying the essential roles and fundamental mechanisms of biophoton emission in living systems from a macroscopic point of view, we have also used an electrophysiological technique which does not physically damage the specimen and succeeded in obtaining both photon counting and action potential data at the same time.

© 1988 Optical Society of America