On the ability of cells to distinguish the coherence of optical radiation

The role of coherent optical radiation in photoregulatory processes caused by chemiluminescence of living cells is discussed. The effect of low and highly coherent quasi-monochromatic light on a dynamic 'host—parasite' system is studied. It is shown that plant organisms can distinguish the statistical order of irradiation. A significant increase in the functional activity was observed only for cells that were completely located within the coherence volume of the electromagnetic field. It is concluded that the cell size in living organisms is the discrimination threshold of the statistical properties of radiation and may serve as a specific biological measure of coherence.