The application of the interference microscopy for the refractive index determination of the cell wall and cytoplasm in plant cells

Interference microscopy method has been used for measuring the refractive indices of cell wall and cytoplasm of two plant species: Funaria hygrometrica and Lemna trisulca. The refractive index of the cytoplasm was determined by measuring the centrifuged cells. The mean values obtained for different wavelengths lie in the range 1.41-1.42.