The theory of dielectrophoresis and its applications on medical and materials research

Abstract

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) utilizes the polarizability of dielectric colloidal scale objects to drive their motions under a non-uniform AC electric field. It enables a non-invasive, reversible approach to manipulating colloidal particles. DEP requires particles to have the size within the range between hundreds of nanometers to tens of micrometers and a dielectric constant opposite to the liquid medium, which then could allow relatively sophisticated manipulation of a wide variety of colloidal scale objects, such as cells, microorganisms, polymeric colloids, and many more. Such unique ability has made DEP a great tool for applications in fields such as biomedical research and materials science. For example, DEP can be applied to sort cells based on their different dielectric constants and morphologies. It could also be applied for cell viability monitoring and stem cell fate prediction. Provoking colloidal crystallization is another good example of the DEP application. Unlike small molecules, the unique "colloidal scale" renders these particles visible by optical microscopy. As a result, the combination of DEP and optical microscopy has become a powerful tool for materials scientists to investigate the phenomenon of colloidal crystal nucleation and growth directly. In this review, recent works regarding DEP's application on 2D colloidal crystallization will be discussed in detail. This review is intended to provide DEP's critical functions on two different research fields and demonstrate interdisciplinary potential of DEP.

Peptide Conjugated Lipid Nanoparticles for Anti-Cancer Drug Delivery

“…The purpose of peptide conjugated nanoparticles is hence more efficient in treatment delivery and effects. Tumor targeting ability as tested with a xenograft model supports this assessment 36,37 .…”

The Effectiveness of Combined Drug Delivery Systems

“…It is observed that the co-delivery therapy for cancer is a promising mechanism as the undesirable toxicity is eliminated. Administration of the two drugs -fluorouracil and paclitaxel can improve efficiency in the treatment of MDR cancer [34][35][36][37][38] .…”

Peptide-based Drug Delivery for Curing Cancer

“…Both Dox and 5-Fu will have to be loaded into micelles, and they improve hydrogen bond and electrostatic interactions. The co-delivery of 5-Fu and Dox is found to reduce the duration of tumor in the body and also minimize cancercausing agents 37,38 . The enhanced process of drug release is found to target the affected cells and induce the toxics that can help achieve a reduced cancer effect.…”