Optical transfection using an endoscope-like system

Nan Ma; Kishan Dholakia; Frank J. Gunn-Moore

doi:10.1117/1.3541781

1 February 2011 Optical transfection using an endoscope-like system

Nan Ma, Kishan Dholakia, Frank J. Gunn-Moore

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Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 028002 (February 2011). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3541781

Abstract

Optical transfection is a powerful method for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to biological cells. A tightly focused pulsed laser beam may transiently change the permeability of a cell membrane to facilitate the delivery of foreign genetic material into cells. We report the first realization of an endoscope-like integrated system for optical transfection. An imaging fiber (coherent optical fiber bundle) with ∼6000 cores (pixels) embedded in a fiber cladding of ∼300 μm in diameter, produces an image circle (area) of ∼270 μm diam. This imaging fiber, with an ordered axicon lens array chemically etched at its exit face, is used for the delivery of a femtosecond laser to the cell membrane for optical transfection along with subcellular resolution imaging. A microcapillary-based microfluidic system for localized drug delivery was also combined in this miniature, flexible system. Using this novel system, a plasmid transfection efficiency up to ∼72% was obtained for CHO-K1 cells. This endoscope-like system opens a range of exciting applications, in particular, in the targeted in vivo optical microsurgery area.

©(2011) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

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Nan Ma, Kishan Dholakia, and Frank J. Gunn-Moore "Optical transfection using an endoscope-like system," Journal of Biomedical Optics 16(2), 028002 (1 February 2011). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3541781

Published: 1 February 2011

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