Biophysical response to pulsed laser microbeam-induced cell lysis and molecular delivery

An Optical System for Cellular Mechanostimulation in 3D Hydrogels

We introduce a method utilizing single laser-generated cavitation bubbles to stimulate cellular mechanotransduction in dermal fibroblasts embedded within 3D hydrogels. We demonstrate that fibroblasts embedded in either amorphous or fibrillar hydrogels engage in Ca2+ signaling following exposure to an impulsive mechanical stimulus provided by a single 250µm diameter laser-generated cavitation bubble. We find that the spatial extent of the cellular signaling is larger for cells embedded within a fibrous collagen hydrogel as compared to those embedded within an amorphous polyvinyl alcohol polymer (SLO-PVA) hydrogel. Additionally, for fibroblasts embedded in collagen, we find an increased range of cellular mechanosensitivity for cells that are polarized relative to the radial axis as compared to the circumferential axis. By contrast, fibroblasts embedded within SLO-PVA did not display orientation-dependent mechanosensitivity. Fibroblasts embedded in hydrogels and cultured in calcium-free media did not show cavitation-induced mechanotransduction; implicating calcium signaling based on transmembrane Ca2+ transport. This study demonstrates the utility of single laser-generated cavitation bubbles to provide local non-invasive impulsive mechanical stimuli within 3D hydrogel tissue models with concurrent imaging using optical microscopy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Currently, there are limited methods for the non-invasive real-time assessment of cellular sensitivity to mechanical stimuli within 3D tissue scaffolds. We describe an original approach that utilizes a pulsed laser microbeam within a standard laser scanning microscope system to generate single cavitation bubbles to provide impulsive mechanostimulation to cells within 3D fibrillar and amorphous hydrogels. Using this technique, we measure the cellular mechanosensitivity of primary human dermal fibroblasts embedded in amorphous and fibrillar hydrogels, thereby providing a useful method to examine cellular mechanotransduction in 3D biomaterials. Moreover, the implementation of our method within a standard optical microscope makes it suitable for broad adoption by cellular mechanotransduction researchers and opens the possibility of high-throughput evaluation of biomaterials with respect to cellular mechanosignaling.

Experimental investigation of nanosecond laser-induced shock waves in water using multiple excitation beams

Revealing the expansion and interaction dynamics of multiple shock waves induced by a nanosecond laser is important for controlling laser surgery. However, the dynamic evolution of shock waves is a complex and ultrafast process, making it difficult to determine the specific laws. In this study, we conducted an experimental investigation into the formation, propagation, and interaction of underwater shock waves that are induced by nanosecond laser pulses. The effective energy carried by the shock wave is quantified by the Sedov-Taylor model fitting with experimental results. Numerical simulations with an analytic model using the distance between adjacent breakdown locations as input and effective energy as fit parameters provide insights into experimentally not accessible shock wave emission and parameters. A semi-empirical model is used to describe the pressure and temperature behind the shock wave taking into account the effective energy. The results of our analysis demonstrate that shock waves exhibit asymmetry in both their transverse and longitudinal velocity and pressure distributions. In addition, we compared the effect of the distance between adjacent excitation positions on the shock wave emission process. Furthermore, utilizing multi-point excitation offers a flexible approach to delve deeper into the physical mechanisms that cause optical tissue damage in nanosecond laser surgery, leading to a better comprehension of the subject.

Water treatment by cavitation: Understanding it at a single bubble - bacterial cell level

Cavitation is a potentially useful phenomenon accompanied by extreme conditions, which is one of the reasons for its increased use in a variety of applications, such as surface cleaning, enhanced chemistry, and water treatment. Yet, we are still not able to answer many fundamental questions related to efficacy and effectiveness of cavitation treatment, such as: "Can single bubbles destroy contaminants?" and "What precisely is the mechanism behind bubble's cleaning power?". For these reasons, the present paper addresses cavitation as a tool for eradication and removal of wall-bound bacteria at a fundamental level of a single microbubble and a bacterial cell. We present a method to study bubble-bacteria interaction on a nano- to microscale resolution in both space and time. The method allows for accurate and fast positioning of a single microbubble above the individual wall-bound bacterial cell with optical tweezers and triggering of a violent microscale cavitation event, which either results in mechanical removal or destruction of the bacterial cell. Results on E. coli bacteria show that only cells in the immediate vicinity of the microbubble are affected, and that a very high likelihood of cell detachment and cell death exists for cells located directly under the center of a bubble. Further details behind near-wall microbubble dynamics are revealed by numerical simulations, which demonstrate that a water jet resulting from a near-wall bubble implosion is the primary mechanism of wall-bound cell damage. The results suggest that peak hydrodynamic forces as high as 0.8 μN and 1.2 μN are required to achieve consistent E. coli bacterial cell detachment or death with high frequency mechanical perturbations on a nano- to microsecond time scale. Understanding of the cavitation phenomenon at a fundamental level of a single bubble will enable further optimization of novel water treatment and surface cleaning technologies to provide more efficient and chemical-free processes.

On the application of hydrodynamic cavitation on a chip in cellular injury and drug delivery

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) is a phase change phenomenon, where energy release in a fluid occurs upon the collapse of bubbles, which form due to the low local pressures. During recent years, due to advances in lab-on-a-chip technologies, HC-on-a-chip (HCOC) and its potential applications have attracted considerable interest. Microfluidic devices enable the performance of controlled experiments by enabling spatial control over the cavitation process and by precisely monitoring its evolution. In this study, we propose the adjunctive use of HC to induce distinct zones of cellular injury and enhance the anticancer efficacy of Doxorubicin (DOX). HC caused different regions (lysis, necrosis, permeabilization, and unaffected regions) upon exposure of different cancer and normal cells to HC. Moreover, HC was also applied to the confluent cell monolayer following the DOX treatment. Here, it was shown that the combination of DOX and HC exhibited a more pronounced anticancer activity on cancer cells than DOX alone. The effect of HC on cell permeabilization was also proven by using carbon dots (CDs). Finally, the cell stiffness parameter, which was associated with cell proliferation, migration and metastasis, was investigated with the use of cancer cells and normal cells under HC exposure. The HCOC offers the advantage of creating well-defined zones of bio-responses upon HC exposure simultaneously within minutes, achieving cell lysis and molecular delivery through permeabilization by providing spatial control. In conclusion, micro scale hydrodynamic cavitation proposes a promising alternative to be used to increase the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs.

Novel opto-fluidic drug delivery system for efficient cellular transfection

Intracellular drug delivery is at the heart of many diagnosis procedures and a key step in gene therapy. Research has been conducted to bypass cell barriers for controlled intracellular drug release and made consistent progress. However, state-of-the-art techniques based on non-viral carriers or physical methods suffer several drawbacks, including limited delivery yield, low throughput or low viability, which are key parameters in therapeutics, diagnostics and drug delivery. Nevertheless, gold nanoparticle (AuNP) mediated photoporation has stood out as a promising approach to permeabilize cell membranes through laser induced Vapour NanoBubble (VNB) generation, allowing the influx of external cargo molecules into cells. However, its use as a transfection technology for the genetic manipulation of therapeutic cells is hindered by the presence of non-degradable gold nanoparticles. Here, we report a new optofluidic method bringing gold nanoparticles in close proximity to cells for photoporation, while avoiding direct contact with cells by taking advantage of hydrodynamic focusing in a multi-flow device. Cells were successfully photoporated with [Formula: see text] efficiency with no significant reduction in cell viability at a throughput ranging from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. This optofluidic approach provides prospects of translating photoporation from an R &D setting to clinical use for producing genetically engineered therapeutic cells.

Fundamentals, biomedical applications and future potential of micro-scale cavitation-a review

Thanks to the developments in the area of microfluidics, the cavitation-on-a-chip concept enabled researchers to control and closely monitor the cavitation phenomenon in micro-scale. In contrast to conventional scale, where cavitation bubbles are hard to be steered and manipulated, lab-on-a-chip devices provide suitable platforms to conduct smart experiments and design reliable devices to carefully harness the collapse energy of cavitation bubbles in different bio-related and industrial applications. However, bubble behavior deviates to some extent when confined to micro-scale geometries in comparison to macro-scale. Therefore, fundamentals of micro-scale cavitation deserve in-depth investigations. In this review, first we discussed the physics and fundamentals of cavitation induced by tension-based as well as energy deposition-based methods within microfluidic devices and discussed the similarities and differences in micro and macro-scale cavitation. We then covered and discussed recent developments in bio-related applications of micro-scale cavitation chips. Lastly, current challenges and future research directions towards the implementation of micro-scale cavitation phenomenon to emerging applications are presented.

Zones of cellular damage around pulsed-laser wounds

After a tissue is wounded, cells surrounding the wound adopt distinct wound-healing behaviors to repair the tissue. Considerable effort has been spent on understanding the signaling pathways that regulate immune and tissue-resident cells as they respond to wounds, but these signals must ultimately originate from the physical damage inflicted by the wound. Tissue wounds comprise several types of cellular damage, and recent work indicates that different types of cellular damage initiate different types of signaling. Hence to understand wound signaling, it is important to identify and localize the types of wound-induced cellular damage. Laser ablation is widely used by researchers to create reproducible, aseptic wounds in a tissue that can be live-imaged. Because laser wounding involves a combination of photochemical, photothermal and photomechanical mechanisms, each with distinct spatial dependencies, cells around a pulsed-laser wound will experience a gradient of damage. Here we exploit this gradient to create a map of wound-induced cellular damage. Using genetically-encoded fluorescent proteins, we monitor damaged cellular and sub-cellular components of epithelial cells in living Drosophila pupae in the seconds to minutes following wounding. We hypothesized that the regions of damage would be predictably arrayed around wounds of varying sizes, and subsequent analysis found that all damage radii are linearly related over a 3-fold range of wound size. Thus, around laser wounds, the distinct regions of damage can be estimated after measuring any one. This report identifies several different types of cellular damage within a wounded epithelial tissue in a living animal. By quantitatively mapping the size and placement of these different types of damage, we set the foundation for tracing wound-induced signaling back to the damage that initiates it.

Review of Microfluidic Methods for Cellular Lysis

Cell lysis is a process in which the outer cell membrane is broken to release intracellular constituents in a way that important information about the DNA or RNA of an organism can be obtained. This article is a thorough review of reported methods for the achievement of effective cellular boundaries disintegration, together with their technological peculiarities and instrumental requirements. The different approaches are summarized in six categories: chemical, mechanical, electrical methods, thermal, laser, and other lysis methods. Based on the results derived from each of the investigated reports, we outline the advantages and disadvantages of those techniques. Although the choice of a suitable method is highly dependent on the particular requirements of the specific scientific problem, we conclude with a concise table where the benefits of every approach are compared, based on criteria such as cost, efficiency, and difficulty.

Single-shot interferometric measurement of cavitation bubble dynamics

We demonstrate an interferometric method to provide direct, single-shot measurements of cavitation bubble dynamics with nanoscale spatial and temporal resolution with results that closely match theoretical predictions. Implementation of this method reduces the need for expensive and complex ultra-high speed camera systems for the measurement of single cavitation events. This method can capture dynamics over large time intervals with sub-nanosecond temporal resolution and spatial precision surpassing the optical diffraction limit. We expect this method to have broad utility for examination of cavitation bubble dynamics, as well as for metrology applications such as optorheological materials characterization. This method provides an accurate approach for precise measurement of cavitation bubble dynamics suitable for metrology applications such as optorheological materials characterization.

Laser cavitation rheology for measurement of elastic moduli and failure strain within hydrogels

We introduce laser cavitation rheology (LCR) as a minimally-invasive optical method to characterize mechanical properties within the interior of biological and synthetic aqueous soft materials at high strain-rates. We utilized time-resolved photography to measure cavitation bubble dynamics generated by the delivery of focused 500 ps duration laser radiation at λ = 532 nm within fibrin hydrogels at pulse energies of Ep = 12, 18 µJ and within polyethylene glycol (600) diacrylate (PEG (600) DA) hydrogels at Ep = 2, 5, 12 µJ. Elastic moduli and failure strains of fibrin and PEG (600) DA hydrogels were calculated from these measurements by determining parameter values which provide the best fit of the measured data to a theoretical model of cavitation bubble dynamics in a Neo-Hookean viscoelastic medium subject to material failure. We demonstrate the use of this method to retrieve the local, interior elastic modulus of these hydrogels and both the radial and circumferential failure strains.

Design of an automated capillary electrophoresis platform for single-cell analysis

Single-cell analysis of cellular contents by highly sensitive analytical instruments is known as chemical cytometry. A chemical cytometer typically samples one cell at a time, quantifies the cellular contents of interest, and then processes and reports that data. Automation adds the potential to perform this entire sequence of events with minimal intervention, increasing throughput and repeatability. In this chapter, we discuss the design considerations for an automated capillary electrophoresis-based instrument for assay of enzymatic activity within single cells. We describe the key requirements of the microscope base and capillary electrophoresis platforms. We also provide detailed protocols and schematic designs of our cell isolation, lysis, sampling, and detection strategies. Additionally, we describe our signal processing and instrument automation workflows. The described automated system has demonstrated single-cell throughput at rates above 100cells/h and analyte limits of detection as low as 10^-20mol.

Automated adherent cell elimination by a high-speed laser mediated by a light-responsive polymer

Conventional cell handling and sorting methods require manual labor, which decreases both cell quality and quantity. To purify adherent cultured cells, cell purification technologies that are high throughput without dissociation and can be utilized in an on-demand manner are expected. Here, we developed a Laser-induced, Light-responsive-polymer-Activated, Cell Killing (LiLACK) system that enables high-speed and on-demand adherent cell sectioning and purification. This system employs a visible laser beam, which does not kill cells directly, but induces local heat production through the trans-cis-trans photo-isomerization of azobenzene moieties. Using this system in each passage for sectioning, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) maintained their pluripotency and self-renewal during long-term culture. Furthermore, combined with deep machine-learning analysis on fluorescent and phase contrast images, a label-free and automatic cell processing system has been developed by eliminating unwanted spontaneously differentiated cells in undifferentiated hiPSC culture conditions.

Yohei Hayashi et al. present a method for high-speed adherent cell sectioning and purification, along with a label-free and automatic cell processing system. They show that this method is able to section human induced pluripotent stem cells without losing pluripotency and viability.

Advanced physical techniques for gene delivery based on membrane perforation

Gene delivery as a promising and valid tool has been used for treating many serious diseases that conventional drug therapies cannot cure. Due to the advancement of physical technology and nanotechnology, advanced physical gene delivery methods such as electroporation, magnetoporation, sonoporation and optoporation have been extensively developed and are receiving increasing attention, which have the advantages of briefness and nontoxicity. This review introduces the technique detail of membrane perforation, with a brief discussion for future development, with special emphasis on nanoparticles mediated optoporation that have developed as an new alternative transfection technique in the last two decades. In particular, the advanced physical approaches development and new technology are highlighted, which intends to stimulate rapid advancement of perforation techniques, develop new delivery strategies and accelerate application of these techniques in clinic.

Experimental investigation on multiple breakdown in water induced by focused nanosecond laser

Multiple breakdowns in liquids still remains obscure for its complex, non-equilibrium and transient dynamic process. We introduced three methods, namely, plasma imaging, light-scattering technique, and acoustic detection, to measure the multiple breakdown in water induced by focused nanosecond laser pulses simultaneously. Our results showed that linear dependence existed among the cavitation-bubble lifetime, the far-field peak pressure of the initial shock wave, and the corresponding plasma volume. Such a relationship can be used to evaluate the ideal size and energy of each bubble during multiple breakdown. The major bubble lifetime was hardly affected by the inevitable coalescence of cavitation bubbles, thereby confirming the availability of light-scattering technique on the estimation of bubble size during multiple breakdown. Whereas, the strength of collapse-shock-wave and the subsequent rebound of bubbles was strongly influenced, i.e., the occurrence of multiple breakdown suppressed the cavitation-bubble energy being converted into collapse-shock-wave energy but enhanced conversion into rebound-bubble energy. This study is a valuable contribution to research on the rapid mixing of microfluidics, damage control of microsurgery, and photoacoustic applications.

Intracellular Delivery by Membrane Disruption: Mechanisms, Strategies, and Concepts

Intracellular delivery is a key step in biological research and has enabled decades of biomedical discoveries. It is also becoming increasingly important in industrial and medical applications ranging from biomanufacture to cell-based therapies. Here, we review techniques for membrane disruption-based intracellular delivery from 1911 until the present. These methods achieve rapid, direct, and universal delivery of almost any cargo molecule or material that can be dispersed in solution. We start by covering the motivations for intracellular delivery and the challenges associated with the different cargo types-small molecules, proteins/peptides, nucleic acids, synthetic nanomaterials, and large cargo. The review then presents a broad comparison of delivery strategies followed by an analysis of membrane disruption mechanisms and the biology of the cell response. We cover mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical, and chemical strategies of membrane disruption with a particular emphasis on their applications and challenges to implementation. Throughout, we highlight specific mechanisms of membrane disruption and suggest areas in need of further experimentation. We hope the concepts discussed in our review inspire scientists and engineers with further ideas to improve intracellular delivery.

Cell reprogramming by 3D bioprinting of human fibroblasts in polyurethane hydrogel for fabrication of neural-like constructs

3D bioprinting is a technique which enables the direct printing of biodegradable materials with cells into 3D tissue. So far there is no cell reprogramming in situ performed with the 3D bioprinting process. Forkhead box D3 (FoxD3) is a transcription factor and neural crest marker, which was reported to reprogram human fibroblasts into neural crest stem-like cells. In this study, we synthesized a new biodegradable thermo-responsive waterborne polyurethane (PU) gel as a bioink. FoxD3 plasmids and human fibroblasts were co-extruded with the PU hydrogel through the syringe needle tip for cell reprogramming. The rheological properties of the PU hydrogel including the modulus, gelation time, and shear thinning were optimized for the transfection effect of FoxD3 in situ. The corresponding shear rate and shear stress were examined. Results showed that human fibroblasts could be reprogrammed into neural crest stem-like cells with high cell viability during the extrusion process under an average shear stress ∼190 Pa. We further translated the method to the extrusion-based 3D bioprinting, and demonstrated that human fibroblasts co-printed with FoxD3 in the thermo-responsive PU hydrogel could be reprogrammed and differentiated into a neural-tissue like construct at 14 days after induction. The neural-like tissue construct produced by 3D bioprinting from human fibroblasts may be applied to personalized drug screening or neuroregeneration.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

There is no study so far on cell reprogramming in situ with 3D bioprinting. In this manuscript, a new thermoresponsive polyurethane bioink was developed and employed to deliver FoxD3 plasmid into human fibroblasts by the extrusion-based bioprinting. When the polyurethane gel was extruded through the syringe tip, the shear stress generated may have caused the transient membrane permeability for transfection. The shear stress was optimized for transfection in situ by 3D bioprinting. We demonstrated that human fibroblasts could be reprogrammed into neural crest-like stem cells by 3D bioprinting with the gel, and the reprogrammed cells underwent neural differentiation in the printed structure after induction. The neural-like tissue engineering constructs fabricated by 3D bioprinting from human fibroblasts may be applied for neuroregeneration or further developed as mini-brain for basic research and drug screening.

Multiple Mechanisms Drive Calcium Signal Dynamics around Laser-Induced Epithelial Wounds

Epithelial wound healing is an evolutionarily conserved process that requires coordination across a field of cells. Studies in many organisms have shown that cytosolic calcium levels rise within a field of cells around the wound and spread to neighboring cells, within seconds of wounding. Although calcium is a known potent second messenger and master regulator of wound-healing programs, it is unknown what initiates the rise of cytosolic calcium across the wound field. Here we use laser ablation, a commonly used technique for the precision removal of cells or subcellular components, as a tool to investigate mechanisms of calcium entry upon wounding. Despite its precise ablation capabilities, we find that this technique damages cells outside the primary wound via a laser-induced cavitation bubble, which forms and collapses within microseconds of ablation. This cavitation bubble damages the plasma membranes of cells it contacts, tens of microns away from the wound, allowing direct calcium entry from extracellular fluid into damaged cells. Approximately 45 s after this rapid influx of calcium, we observe a second influx of calcium that spreads to neighboring cells beyond the footprint of cavitation. The occurrence of this second, delayed calcium expansion event is predicted by wound size, indicating that a separate mechanism of calcium entry exists, corresponding to cell loss at the primary wound. Our research demonstrates that the damage profile of laser ablation is more similar to a crush injury than the precision removal of individual cells. The generation of membrane microtears upon ablation is consistent with studies in the field of optoporation, which investigate ablation-induced cellular permeability. We conclude that multiple types of damage, including microtears and cell loss, result in multiple mechanisms of calcium influx around epithelial wounds.

An optothermally generated surface bubble and its applications

Under laser illumination, a solid-state surface or nanostructure can turn into a micro/nano heating source with the so-called optothermal effect. This effect allows for non-invasive control of heat at the micro/nanoscale. In the presence of a liquid, a surface bubble can be generated on top of the solid surface or nanostructure at a temperature much higher than the boiling point of the liquid. The high temperature and the fluid flow associated with the optothermally generated surface bubble enable many intriguing applications, ranging from the micro/nano-manipulation of fluids, particles, cells, and light to the synthesis of micro/nano-structures under ambient conditions. In this review article, we present the fundamentals, recent developments, and future perspectives in this emerging field.

Localized Single-Cell Lysis and Manipulation Using Optothermally-Induced Bubbles

Localized single cells can be lysed precisely and selectively using microbubbles optothermally generated by microsecond laser pulses. The shear stress from the microstreaming surrounding laser-induced microbubbles and direct contact with the surface of expanding bubbles cause the rupture of targeted cell membranes. High-resolution single-cell lysis is demonstrated: cells adjacent to targeted cells are not lysed. It is also shown that only a portion of the cell membrane can be punctured using this method. Both suspension and adherent cell types can be lysed in this system, and cell manipulation can be integrated for cell–cell interaction studies.

A Review on Macroscale and Microscale Cell Lysis Methods

The lysis of cells in order to extract the nucleic acids or proteins inside it is a crucial unit operation in biomolecular analysis. This paper presents a critical evaluation of the various methods that are available both in the macro and micro scale for cell lysis. Various types of cells, the structure of their membranes are discussed initially. Then, various methods that are currently used to lyse cells in the macroscale are discussed and compared. Subsequently, popular methods for micro scale cell lysis and different microfluidic devices used are detailed with their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, a comparison of different techniques used in microfluidics platform has been presented which will be helpful to select method for a particular application.

Cell viability and shock wave amplitudes in the endothelium of porcine cornea exposed to ultrashort laser pulses

PURPOSE

Some forms of keratoplasty assisted by ultrashort-pulse lasers require performing laser cuts close to the endothelium, which requires the knowledge of "safe" values concerning incision depth and pulse energy preserving endothelial cell viability. Our study aims to determine the thresholds for cell death in porcine corneas exposed to ultrashort laser pulses, in terms of laser pulse energy and nearness of the impacts to the endothelium.

METHODS

Using a laboratory laser set-up, lamellar cuts were induced while varying pulse energies and distances from the endothelium. A fluorescent staining protocol was used to determine the percentage of surviving endothelial cells. Numerical simulations of the Euler equations for compressible fluids provided pressure level and axial and radial pressure gradient estimates at the endothelium.

RESULTS

Ninety percent of the endothelial cells survived when using 16.5 μJ pulses no closer than 200 μm to the endothelium, or pulses not exceeding 2 μJ at a distance of 50 μm. The comparison of the observed percentage of surviving cells with the estimates of the shock wave amplitudes and gradients generated by the laser pulses yielded cell death thresholds at amplitudes in the megapascal range, or gradients of the order of 10⁸ Pa/m.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide limits in terms of pulse energy and distance of the incision from the endothelium within which endothelial cell viability is preserved. Current forms of corneal laser surgery are compatible with these limits. However, these limits will need to be considered for the development of future laser routines working in close proximity to the endothelium.

Light-induced microbubble poration of localized cells

Molecular delivery into localized NIH/3T3 cells was achieved with microbubbles produced by laser pulses focused on an optically absorbent substrate. The laser-induced bubble expansion and contraction resulted in cell poration. The microbubbles are localized at the laser focal point, so molecular delivery can be directed at specific localized cells. This was demonstrated with the delivery of 3-kDa FITC-Dextran. Single-cell molecular delivery was achieved, even in the presence of nearby cells. The efficiency of the cell poration was up to 95%, with a corresponding cell viability of 98%.

Efficient single-cell poration by microsecond laser pulses

Payloads including FITC-Dextran dye and plasmids were delivered into NIH/3T3 fibroblasts using microbubbles produced by microsecond laser pulses to induce pores in the cell membranes. Two different operational modes were used to achieve molecular delivery. Smaller molecules, such as the FITC-Dextran dye, were delivered via a scanning-laser mode. The poration efficiency and the cell viability were both 95.1 ± 3.0%. Relatively larger GFP plasmids can be delivered efficiently via a fixed-laser mode, which is a more vigorous method that can create larger transient pores in the cell membrane. The transfection efficiency of 5.7 kb GFP plasmid DNA can reach to 86.7 ± 3.3%. Using this cell poration system, targeted single cells can be porated with high resolution, and cells can be porated in arbitrary patterns.

High-throughput optical screening of cellular mechanotransduction

We introduce an optical platform for rapid, high-throughput screening of exogenous molecules that affect cellular mechanotransduction. Our method initiates mechanotransduction in adherent cells using single laser-microbeam generated micro-cavitation bubbles (μCBs) without requiring flow chambers or microfluidics. These μCBs expose adherent cells to a microTsunami, a transient microscale burst of hydrodynamic shear stress, which stimulates cells over areas approaching 1mm². We demonstrate microTsunami-initiated mechanosignalling in primary human endothelial cells. This observed signalling is consistent with G-protein-coupled receptor stimulation resulting in Ca²⁺ release by the endoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, we demonstrate the dose-dependent modulation of microTsunami-induced Ca²⁺ signalling by introducing a known inhibitor to this pathway. The imaging of Ca²⁺ signalling, and its modulation by exogenous molecules, demonstrates the capacity to initiate and assess cellular mechanosignalling in real-time. We utilize this capability to screen the effects of a set of small molecules on cellular mechanotransduction in 96-well plates using standard imaging cytometry.

Low-density plasma formation in aqueous biological media using sub-nanosecond laser pulses

We demonstrate the formation of low- and high-density plasmas in aqueous media using sub-nanosecond laser pulses delivered at low numerical aperture (NA = 0.25). We observe two distinct regimes of plasma formation in deionized water, phosphate buffered saline, Minimum Essential Medium (MEM), and MEM supplemented with phenol red. Optical breakdown is first initiated in a low-energy regime and characterized by bubble formation without plasma luminescence with threshold pulse energies in the range of E_p ≈ 4-5 μJ, depending on media formulation. The onset of this regime occurs over a very narrow interval of pulse energies and produces small bubbles (R_max = 2-20 μm) due to a tiny conversion (η < 0.01%) of laser energy to bubble energy E_B. The lack of visible plasma luminescence, sharp energy onset, and low bubble energy conversion are all hallmarks of low-density plasma (LDP) formation. At higher pulse energies (E_p = 11-20 μJ), the process transitions to a second regime characterized by plasma luminescence and large bubble formation. Bubbles formed in this regime are 1-2 orders of magnitude larger in size [Formula: see text] due to a roughly two-order-of-magnitude increase in bubble energy conversion (η ≳ 3%). These characteristics are consistent with high-density plasma formation produced by avalanche ionization and thermal runaway. Additionally, we show that supplementation of MEM with fetal bovine serum (FBS) limits optical breakdown to this high-energy regime. The ability to produce LDPs using sub-nanosecond pulses focused at low NA in a variety of cell culture media formulations without FBS can provide for cellular manipulation at high throughput with precision approaching that of femtosecond pulses delivered at high NA.

Hydrodynamic determinants of cell necrosis and molecular delivery produced by pulsed laser microbeam irradiation of adherent cells

Time-resolved imaging, fluorescence microscopy, and hydrodynamic modeling were used to examine cell lysis and molecular delivery produced by picosecond and nanosecond pulsed laser microbeam irradiation in adherent cell cultures. Pulsed laser microbeam radiation at λ = 532 nm was delivered to confluent monolayers of PtK2 cells via a 40×, 0.8 NA microscope objective. Using laser microbeam pulse durations of 180-1100 ps and pulse energies of 0.5-10.5 μJ, we examined the resulting plasma formation and cavitation bubble dynamics that lead to laser-induced cell lysis, necrosis, and molecular delivery. The cavitation bubble dynamics are imaged at times of 0.5 ns to 50 μs after the pulsed laser microbeam irradiation, and fluorescence assays assess the resulting cell viability and molecular delivery of 3 kDa dextran molecules. Reductions in both the threshold laser microbeam pulse energy for plasma formation and the cavitation bubble energy are observed with decreasing pulse duration. These energy reductions provide for increased precision of laser-based cellular manipulation including cell lysis, cell necrosis, and molecular delivery. Hydrodynamic analysis reveals critical values for the shear-stress impulse generated by the cavitation bubble dynamics governs the location and spatial extent of cell necrosis and molecular delivery independent of pulse duration and pulse energy. Specifically, cellular exposure to a shear-stress impulse J≳0.1 Pa s ensures cell lysis or necrosis, whereas exposures in the range of 0.035≲J≲0.1 Pa s preserve cell viability while also enabling molecular delivery of 3 kDa dextran. Exposure to shear-stress impulses of J≲0.035 Pa s leaves the cells unaffected. Hydrodynamic analysis of these data, combined with data from studies of 6 ns microbeam irradiation, demonstrates the primacy of shear-stress impulse in determining cellular outcome resulting from pulsed laser microbeam irradiation spanning a nearly two-orders-of-magnitude range of pulse energy and pulse duration. These results provide a mechanistic foundation and design strategy applicable to a broad range of laser-based cellular manipulation procedures.

Hierarchical silicon nanospikes membrane for rapid and high-throughput mechanical cell lysis

This letter reports an efficient and compatible silicon membrane combining the physical properties of nanospikes and microchannel arrays for mechanical cell lysis. This hierarchical silicon nanospikes membrane was created to mechanically disrupt cells for a rapid process with high throughput, and it can be assembled with commercial syringe filter holders. The membrane was fabricated by photoelectrochemical overetching to form ultrasharp nanospikes in situ along the edges of the microchannel arrays. The intracellular protein and nucleic acid concentrations obtained using the proposed membrane within a short period of time were quantitatively higher than those obtained by routine, conventional acoustic and chemical lysis methods.

Laser-induced microbubble poration of localized single cells

Laser-induced microbubbles were used to porate the cell membranes of localized single NIH/3T3 fibroblasts. Microsecond laser pulses were focused on an optically absorbent substrate, creating a vapour microbubble that oscillated in size at the laser focal point in a fluidic chamber. The shear stress accompanying the bubble size oscillation was able to porate nearby cells. Cell poration was demonstrated with the delivery of FITC-dextran dye with various molecular weights. Under optimal poration conditions, the cell poration efficiency was up to 95.2 ± 4.8%, while maintaining 97.6 ± 2.4% cell viability. The poration system is able to target a single cell without disturbing surrounding cells.

Emerging microfluidic devices for cell lysis: a review

Intracellular components containing information about genetic and disease characteristics are key substances to clinical diagnostics. Cell lysis is therefore a crucial step for efficient extraction and the subsequent analysis of intracellular components. With the advent of advanced manufacturing techniques, a number of micro systems have been proposed and applied for manipulating cells on chips. In this paper, we review emerging microfluidic devices for cell lysis. Different lysis mechanisms and related techniques are compared. The technical details, advantages, and limitations of various microfluidic devices are discussed.

Time-resolved digital holographic microscopy of laser-induced forward transfer process

We develop a method for time-resolved digital holographic microscopy to obtain time-resolved 3-D deformation measurements of laser induced forward transfer (LIFT) processes. We demonstrate nanometer axial resolution and nanosecond temporal resolution of our method which is suitable for measuring dynamic morphological changes in LIFT target materials. Such measurements provide insight into the early dynamics of the LIFT process and a means to examine the effect of laser and material parameters on LIFT process dynamics.

Optofluidic cell manipulation for a biological microbeam

This paper describes the fabrication and integration of light-induced dielectrophoresis for cellular manipulation in biological microbeams. An optoelectronic tweezers (OET) cellular manipulation platform was designed, fabricated, and tested at Columbia University's Radiological Research Accelerator Facility (RARAF). The platform involves a light induced dielectrophoretic surface and a microfluidic chamber with channels for easy input and output of cells. The electrical conductivity of the particle-laden medium was optimized to maximize the dielectrophoretic force. To experimentally validate the operation of the OET device, we demonstrate UV-microspot irradiation of cells containing green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged DNA single-strand break repair protein, targeted in suspension. We demonstrate the optofluidic control of single cells and groups of cells before, during, and after irradiation. The integration of optofluidic cellular manipulation into a biological microbeam enhances the facility's ability to handle non-adherent cells such as lymphocytes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that OET cell handling is successfully implemented in a biological microbeam.

Dynamics of primary and secondary microbubbles created by laser-induced breakdown of an optically trapped nanoparticle

Laser-induced breakdown of an optically trapped nanoparticle is a unique system for studying cavitation dynamics. It offers additional degrees of freedom, namely the nanoparticle material, its size, and the relative position between the laser focus and the center of the optically trapped nanoparticle. We quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of the cavitation and secondary bubbles created in this system and use hydrodynamic modeling to quantify the observed dynamic shear stress of the expanding bubble. In the final stage of bubble collapse, we visualize the formation of multiple submicrometer secondary bubbles around the toroidal bubble on the substrate. We show that the pattern of the secondary bubbles typically has its circular symmetry broken along an axis whose unique angle rotates over time. This is a result of vorticity along the jet towards the boundary upon bubble collapse near solid boundaries.

Impact of release dynamics of laser-irradiated polymer micropallets on the viability of selected adherent cells

We use time-resolved interferometry, fluorescence assays and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to examine the viability of confluent adherent cell monolayers to selection via laser microbeam release of photoresist polymer micropallets. We demonstrate the importance of laser microbeam pulse energy and focal volume position relative to the glass-pallet interface in governing the threshold energies for pallet release as well as the pallet release dynamics. Measurements using time-resolved interferometry show that increases in laser pulse energy result in increasing pallet release velocities that can approach 10 m s(-1) through aqueous media. CFD simulations reveal that the pallet motion results in cellular exposure to transient hydrodynamic shear stress amplitudes that can exceed 100 kPa on microsecond timescales, and which produces reduced cell viability. Moreover, CFD simulation results show that the maximum shear stress on the pallet surface varies spatially, with the largest shear stresses occurring on the pallet periphery. Cell viability of confluent cell monolayers on the pallet surface confirms that the use of larger pulse energies results in increased rates of necrosis for those cells situated away from the pallet centre, while cells situated at the pallet centre remain viable. Nevertheless, experiments that examine the viability of these cell monolayers following pallet release show that proper choices for laser microbeam pulse energy and focal volume position lead to the routine achievement of cell viability in excess of 90 per cent. These laser microbeam parameters result in maximum pallet release velocities below 6 m s(-1) and cellular exposure of transient hydrodynamic shear stresses below 20 kPa. Collectively, these results provide a mechanistic understanding that relates pallet release dynamics and associated transient shear stresses with subsequent cellular viability. This provides a quantitative, mechanistic basis for determining optimal operating conditions for laser microbeam-based pallet release systems for the isolation and selection of adherent cells.

Imaging the cellular response to transient shear stress using stroboscopic digital holography

We use stroboscopic quantitative phase microscopy to study cell deformation and the response to cavitation bubbles and transient shear stress resulting from laser-induced breakdown of an optically trapped nanoparticle. A bi-directional transient displacement of cytoplasm is observed during expansion and collapse of the cavitation bubble. In some cases, cell deformation is only observable at the microsecond time scale without any permanent change in cell shape or optical thickness. On a time scale of seconds, the cellular response to shear stress and cytoplasm deformation typically leads to retraction of the cellular edge most exposed to the flow, rounding of the cell body and, in some cases, loss of cellular dry mass. These results give a new insight into the cellular response to cavitation induced shear stress and related plasma membrane permeabilization. This study also demonstrates that laser-induced breakdown of a nanoparticle offers localized cavitation, which interacts with a single cell but without causing cell lysis.

Dynamic study of PLGA/CS nanoparticles delivery containing drug model into phantom tissue using CO₂ laser for clinical applications

In this study, cationic nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by coating chitosan (CS) on the surface of PLGA NPs. To our knowledge most of the work in the field of drug delivery systems using lasers has been performed using short pulses with micron and submicron durations. We carried out an experiment using superlong PLS-R (10 ms) and CW CO₂ laser modes on simulated drug-biogelatin model where drug was encapsulated by PLGA/CS NPs. Maximum depth of drug containing cavitation was achieved faster at higher powers and shorter irradiation time in CWC mode. We believe that the main mechanism at work with superlong pulses is both photothermal due to vaporization and photomechanical due to photophoresis and cavitation collapse. In the case of CW, however, it is purely photothermal. Thus, drug molecules can be transported into tissue bulk by thermal waves which can be described by the Fick's law in 3-D model for a given cavity geometry and the mechanical waves, unlike only by pure photomechanical waves (i.e. photoacoustically) as with short pulses. Therefore, our studies could offer an alternative for currently existing method for drug delivery.

Photothermal nanoblade for large cargo delivery into mammalian cells

It is difficult to achieve controlled cutting of elastic, mechanically fragile, and rapidly resealing mammalian cell membranes. Here, we report a photothermal nanoblade that utilizes a metallic nanostructure to harvest short laser pulse energy and convert it into a highly localized explosive vapor bubble, which rapidly punctures a lightly contacting cell membrane via high-speed fluidic flows and induced transient shear stress. The cavitation bubble pattern is controlled by the metallic structure configuration and laser pulse duration and energy. Integration of the metallic nanostructure with a micropipet, the nanoblade generates a micrometer-sized membrane access port for delivering highly concentrated cargo (5 × 10(8) live bacteria/mL) with high efficiency (46%) and cell viability (>90%) into mammalian cells. Additional biologic and inanimate cargo over 3-orders of magnitude in size including DNA, RNA, 200 nm polystyrene beads, to 2 μm bacteria have also been delivered into multiple mammalian cell types. Overall, the photothermal nanoblade is a new approach for delivering difficult cargo into mammalian cells.

Photothermal nanoblade for patterned cell membrane cutting

We report a photothermal nanoblade that utilizes a metallic nanostructure to harvest short laser pulse energy and convert it into a highly localized and specifically shaped explosive vapor bubble. Rapid bubble expansion and collapse punctures a lightly-contacting cell membrane via high-speed fluidic flows and induced transient shear stress. The membrane cutting pattern is controlled by the metallic nanostructure configuration, laser pulse polarization, and energy. Highly controllable, sub-micron sized circular hole pairs to half moon-like, or cat-door shaped, membrane cuts were realized in glutaraldehyde treated HeLa cells.

Examination of axonal injury and regeneration in micropatterned neuronal culture using pulsed laser microbeam dissection

We describe the integrated use of pulsed laser microbeam irradiation and microfluidic cell culture methods to examine the dynamics of axonal injury and regeneration in vitro. Microfabrication methods are used to place high purity dissociated central nervous system neurons in specific regions that allow the axons to interact with permissive and inhibitory substrates. Acute injury to neuron bundles is produced via the delivery of single 180 ps duration, lambda = 532 nm laser pulses. Laser pulse energies of 400 nJ and 800 nJ produce partial and complete transection of the axons, respectively, resulting in elliptical lesions 25 mum and 50 mum in size. The dynamics of the resulting degeneration and regrowth of proximal and distal axonal segments are examined for up to 8 h using time-lapse microscopy. We find the proximal and distal dieback distances from the site of laser microbeam irradiation to be roughly equal for both partial and complete transection of the axons. In addition, distinct growth cones emerge from the proximal neurite segments within 1-2 h post-injury, followed by a uniform front of regenerating axons that originate from the proximal segment and traverse the injury site within 8 h. We also examine the use of EGTA to chelate the extracellular calcium and potentially reduce the severity of the axonal degeneration following injury. While we find the addition of EGTA to reduce the severity of the initial dieback, it also hampers neurite repair and interferes with the formation of neuronal growth cones to traverse the injury site. This integrated use of laser microbeam dissection within a micropatterned cell culture system to produce precise zones of neuronal injury shows potential for high-throughput screening of agents to promote neuronal regeneration.

Current techniques for single-cell lysis

Owing to the small quantities of analytes and small volumes involved in single-cell analysis techniques, manipulation strategies must be chosen carefully. The lysis of single cells for downstream chemical analysis in capillaries and lab-on-a-chip devices can be achieved by optical, acoustic, mechanical, electrical or chemical means, each having their respective strengths and weaknesses. Selection of the most appropriate lysis method will depend on the particulars of the downstream cell lysate processing. Ultrafast lysis techniques such as the use of highly focused laser pulses or pulses of high voltage are suitable for applications requiring high temporal resolution. Other factors, such as whether the cells are adherent or in suspension and whether the proteins to be collected are desired to be native or denatured, will determine the suitability of detergent-based lysis methods. Therefore, careful selection of the proper lysis technique is essential for gathering accurate data from single cells.

Characterization and use of laser-based lysis for cell analysis on-chip

We demonstrate the use of a pulsed laser microbeam for cell lysis followed by electrophoretic separation of cellular analytes in a microfluidic device. The influence of pulse energy and laser focal point within the microchannel on the threshold for plasma formation was measured. The thickness of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) layer through which the beam travelled was a critical determinant of the threshold energy. An effective optical path length, Leff, for the laser beam can be used to predict the threshold for optical breakdown at different microchannel locations. A key benefit of laser-based cell lysis is the very limited zone (less than 5 microm) of lysis. A second asset is the rapid cell lysis times (approx. microseconds). These features enable two analytes, fluorescein and Oregon Green, from a cell to be electrophoretically separated in the channel in which cell lysis occurred. The resolution and efficiency of the separation of the cellular analytes are similar to those of standards demonstrating the feasibility of using a pulsed laser microbeam in single-cell analysis.