Figure 3. Stopped-flow light scattering measurements of erythrocyte glycerol permeability.

The addition of extracellular glycerol causes a rapid increase in the intensity of scattered light due to the water efflux induced by the osmotic gradient (shrinkage) followed by a slower scattered light decrease (swelling) induced by the osmotic influx of water the accompanies the entry of glycerol into the cells. Glycerol permeability is calculated by measuring the exponential time constant (τ, s) fitted to the cell swelling phase of the 90° light scattering time course associated to the influx of glycerol and water.