Lyotropic liquid crystal as a real-time detector of microbial immune complexes.

AIMS To design a simple method for the detection of microbe-immune complexes exploiting the optical and elastic properties of a biocompatible liquid crystalline material. METHODS AND RESULTS Aqueous solution of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG), a lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal (LCLC), was aligned in a glass cell so as to be optically dark in polarized light. Immune complexes of at least three to four organisms altered the DSCG alignment such that polarized light was subsequently transmitted to reveal the presence of pathogens as optically bright regions around the immune complexes. CONCLUSIONS This work describes the first method to detect viable micro-organisms in real time using LCLC. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This technique provides a powerful tool for the detection of microbes in minutes, exploiting the optical and elastic properties of LC.