Neutron fiber diffraction of frog muscle with the contrast variation measurements

Neutron scattering and diffraction has a unique ability that information on variation of scattering length density of a particle can be obtained by applying the 'contrast variation' method. Here we applied this method to fiber diffraction. Neutron fiber diffraction patterns of 'live' frog muscle, perfused with Ringer's solution containing a various amount of D2O, were measured with the small-angle scattering instrument, SANS-J, of JAERI. Analysis of the contrast dependence of the amplitude of each reflection showed that there is definite variation of the scattering length density within the fibrous protein complexes in muscle. (author)