Investigating effects from restricted diffusion in multi-component diffusion data

We have investigated model systems in which effects from non-Gaussian restricted diffusion could be separated from effects caused by multiple diffusion coefficients. We applied various models to analyze the experimental data. An analysis based on multiexponential models does not account correctly for effects caused by restricted diffusion in a system with multiple compartments. However, separating the components due to differences in dynamic behavior prior to the diffusion analysis, combined with a diffusion analysis based on the second cumulant approximation, was more robust, and was able to handle effects from restricted diffusion in the presence of multi-component diffusion.