Biodegradable microsphere-mediated cell perforation in microfluidic channel using femtosecond laser.

The use of small particles has expanded the capability of ultrashort pulsed laser optoinjection technology toward simultaneous treatment of multiple cells. The microfluidic platform is one of the attractive systems that has obtained synergy with laser-based technology for cell manipulation, including optoinjection. We have demonstrated the delivery of molecules into suspended-flowing cells in a microfluidic channel by using biodegradable polymer microspheres and a near-infrared femtosecond laser pulse.

Evaluation of parameters influencing the molecular delivery by biodegradable microsphere-mediated perforation using femtosecond laser.

The parameters critically influencing the delivery rate on the biodegradable microsphere-mediated femtosecond (fs) laser perforation are investigated in detail with the aim of developing efficient molecular delivery. Cell membrane was perforated by the irradiation of weakly focused fs laser pulses to the spherical polylactic acid microspheres conjugated to the cell membrane. The delivery of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran and fluorescent silica particles to A431 cells is investigated in detail.

Near-infrared femtosecond laser-triggered nanoperforation of hollow microcapsules.

Fabrication of a nanopore in a hollow microcapsule was demonstrated using near-infrared femtosecond laser irradiation. The shape of the irradiated microcapsules was kept spherical except for a pore in the shell owing to the nonthermal processing by a femtosecond laser. The simulation results for the near-field and far-field scattering around a microcapsule revealed that highly-enhanced optical intensity can be generated at a spot on the shell of a microcapsule, which would in turn contribute to localized ablation.

In vitro perforation of human epithelial carcinoma cell with antibody-conjugated biodegradable microspheres illuminated by a single 80 femtosecond near-infrared laser pulse.

Pulsed laser interaction with small metallic and dielectric particles has been receiving attention as a method of drug delivery to many cells. However, most of the particles are attended by many risks, which are mainly dependent upon particle size. Unlike other widely used particles, biodegradable particles have advantages of being broken down and eliminated by innate metabolic processes.