Infrared laser damage to ciliary motion in Phragma topoma

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Abstract
A glass neodymium laser was modified to make it possible to produce small lesions of 1–2 μm size with a quantitatively known amount of energy. The 1·06-μm radiation of this laser is sufficiently absorbed by water to work without the additions of dyes. Ciliary arrest in Phrag- matopoma gills was produced by an amount of energy, sufficient to cause a rise in temperature of 150 °C in an area of 2 μm3. At these low doses the effect was fully reversible. With higher doses of laser energy the cilia stopped permanently, probably because of structural damage of the irradiated cells.