Selective study of the electron transport chain components in living mitochondria is essential for fundamental biophysical research and for the development of new medical diagnostic methods. However, many important details of inter-and intramembrane mitochondrial processes have remained in shadow due to the lack of non-invasive techniques. Here we suggest a novel label-free approach based on the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to monitor the redox state and conformation of cytochrome c in the electron transport chain in living mitochondria. We demonstrate that SERS spectra of living mitochondria placed on hierarchically structured silver-ring substrates provide exclusive information about cytochrome c behavior under modulation of inner mitochondrial membrane potential, proton gradient and the activity of ATP-synthetase. Mathematical simulation explains the observed enhancement of Raman scattering due to high concentration of electric nearfield and large contact area between mitochondria and nanostructured surfaces.Mitochondria are organelles of fundamental importance for cellular energy production, metabolic regulation, aging and cell survival under stress [1][2][3] . Normal function of mitochondria and their pathological changes, including production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), are heavily dependent on the redox state of the electron transport chain (ETC) cytochromes and cytochrome c in particular 4,5 . At present, most of the studies of isolated mitochondria and mitochondria in cells are performed by fluorescent microscopy, absorption spectroscopy and measurements of O 2 consumption 3,[6][7][8] . The fluorescent microscopy with small fluorescent dyes (rhodamin and MitoTracker-family, etc.) or fluorescent proteins (GFP, YFP, RFP) can provide general information about changes in the potential of the inner mitochondrial membrane (Δ Φ ), the mitochondrial volume, and the co-localization of certain mitochondrial components with a molecule of interest

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Single exposure of white outbred rats to electromagnetic radiation with a frequency 905 MHz (GSM frequency) for 2 h increased anxiety, reduced locomotor, orientation, and exploration activities in females and orientation and exploration activities in males. Glucocorticoid levels and antioxidant system activity increased in both males and females. In addition to acute effects, delayed effects of radiation were observed in both males and females 1 day after the exposure. These results demonstrated significant effect of GSM-range radiation on the behavior and activity of stress-realizing and stress-limiting systems of the body.