In Situ Single-Cell Surgery and Intracellular Organelle Manipulation Via Thermoplasmonics Combined Optical Trapping

Abstract

Microsurgery and biopsies on individual cells in a cellular microenvironment are of great importance to better understand the fundamental cellular processes at subcellular and even single-molecular levels. However, it is still a big challenge for in situ surgery without interfering with neighboring living cells. Here, we report a thermoplasmonics combined optical trapping (TOT) technique for in situ single-cell surgery and intracellular organelle manipulation, without interfering with neighboring cells. A selective single-cell perforation was demonstrated via a localized thermoplasmonic effect, which facilitated further targeted gene delivery. Such a perforation was reversible, and the damaged membrane was capable of being repaired. Remarkably, a targeted extraction and precise manipulation of intracellular organelles were realized via the optical trapping. This TOT technique represents a new way for single-cell microsurgery, gene delivery, and intracellular organelle manipulation, and it provides a new insight for a deeper understanding of cellular processes as well as to reveal underlying causes of diseases associated with organelle malfunctions at a subcellular level.

On-Demand Fully Enclosed Superhydrophobic–Optofluidic Devices Enabled by Microstereolithography

“…34 Leveraging the high resolution of stereolithography, the "T-shaped" structures can be fabricated with a smaller dimension for microsurgery while still providing efficient light transmission. 35 We also show that the "T-shaped" microstructures can prevent the wetting of human plasma (Figure S4 in the Supporting Information), which is a huge advantage of reducing biofouling issues for in vivo applications. 36 In the future, microvalves, micropumps, and LED light sources can also be 3-D printed and integrated with our optofluidics system as a single unit for sample loading, sensing, and treatment.…”

“…Different from solid core waveguides, this fully enclosed optofluidic system can efficiently collect the fluorescence signal of the CRISPR cleavage products in the liquid core, holding immense prospect for optogenetic therapy to deliver reagents locally or within specific tissues to treat various diseases such as sepsis, cancer, and neurological diseases . Leveraging the high resolution of stereolithography, the “T-shaped” structures can be fabricated with a smaller dimension for microsurgery while still providing efficient light transmission . We also show that the “T-shaped” microstructures can prevent the wetting of human plasma (Figure S4 in the Supporting Information), which is a huge advantage of reducing biofouling issues for in vivo applications .…”

On-Demand Fully-Enclosed Superhydrophobic-Optofluidic Device Enabled by High Precision Microstereolithography

“…Different from solid core waveguides 26 , this fully-enclosed optofluidic system can efficiently collect the fluorescence signal of the CRISPR cleavage products in the liquid core, holding immense prospect for optogenetic therapy to deliver reagents locally or within specific tissues to treat various diseases such as sepsis 27 , cancer 28 , and neurological diseases 29 . Leveraging the high resolution of stereolithography, the "T-shape" structures can be fabricated with a smaller dimension for microsurgery while still providing efficient light transmission 30 . In the future, microvalves, micropumps, and LED light sources can also be 3-D printed and integrated with our optofluidics system as a single unit for sample loading, sensing, and treatment 31,32 Negative control (without target) is labeled as NTC.…”

A Designed Twist Sensor Based on the SPR Effect in the Thin-Gold-Film-Coated Helical Microstructured Optical Fibers

“…Optical fiber sensors based on the SPR effect have the advantages of high sensitivity, no trace, convenient to operate, and have been widely studied and applied in the fields of biosensing, environmental monitoring, food safety, and medical diagnosis [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. In recent years, the SPR phenomenon has also been used in frontier fields such as biomedicine, cell research, and measurement of weak magnetic fields [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”