We study the influence of an external electromagnetic field of $1.8\mathrm{GHz}$ in the formation or disaggregation of long rouleau of identical erythrocyte cells. In particular we calculate the variation of the transmembrane potential of an individual erythrocyte illuminated by the external field due to the presence of the neighboring erythrocytes in the rouleau, and compare the total electric energy of isolated cells with the total electric energy of the rouleau. We show that the polarization of the external electromagnetic field plays a fundamental role in the total energy variation of the cell system, and consequently in the formation or disaggregation of rouleau.

• Received 31 March 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.72.031913