Proposal for Alzheimer’s diagnosis using molecular buffer and bus network (original) (raw)

From microfluidics to nanofluidics and signal wave-guiding for nanophotonics, biophotonics resolution and drug delivery applications

Frontiers in Drug, Chemistry and Clinical Research, 2019

The aim of this Review was to show based on recent microfluidics developments how it could be incorporated within new Advanced Clinical Research for Future Nanomedicine treatments the design of versatile Micro and Nanodevices. These developments were done by a control of the Nanoscale for applications from Nanophotonics to Genomics, Biophotonics and Drug Delivery studies accompanied with enhanced Imaging resolutions and faster diagnosis and treatments. In addition, it was discussed the last Noble Prize in Physics 2018 related with Laser phenomena and development of instrumentation for Medical applications as individual Biostructure trapping and eye chirurgical interventions. By this manner the main goal of this short Review was to give an opinion about the state of the Art of Microfluidics to Nanofluidics with incorporation of Lasers in different optical approaches, applications and Future perspectives.

Cell permeabilization and molecular transport by laser microirradiation

Optical Investigations of Cells In Vitro and In Vivo, 1998

Highly focused pulsed laser microbeams can be used to precisely dissect, inactivate, or perturb cells and subcellular targets. Here we introduce a new technique which employs pulsed microbeams to transiently penneabilize the plasma cell membrane and affect the delivery of molecules from the extracellular environment into the cell. This optically produced cell permeabilization can be applied using non-specific or specific modalities. In the non-specific modality, which we term 'optoporation', the pulsed microbeam is focused onto the glass coverslip on which the cells are plated. The generation of mechanical transients in connection with irradiation of the glass achieves molecular delivery to a number of cells proximal to the irradiation site. In the specific modality, termed 'optoinjection', the microbeam is focused direcly onto the plasma cell membrane and achieves molecular delivery into that cell alone. To quantify the irradiation geometry involved in these and other microbeam processes, as well as examine the possibility of certain non-linear effects, we have developed a system using photochromic polymer films to characterize microbeam propagation and its effects within microirradiated targets. These photochromic polymers confirm that the laser microbeam are indeed focused to submicron dimensions within the targets in our systems. In addition the behavior of such polymers at higher pulse energies and irradiances indicate that multiphoton absorption and/or plasma formation may mediate some laser microirradiation processes.

Optically driven transport into a living cell

Applied Physics Letters, 2003

We report a method for transporting foreign substances into a desired living cell through the use of laser trapping. A single giant DNA molecule can be delivered into a cytoplasmic space if the DNA is folded into a compact state. We also find that microparticles of zeolite are very effective as a vehicle for transferring foreign compounds into a living cell by optical manipulation.

Microfluidic Platforms to Unravel Mysteries of Alzheimer’s Disease: How Far Have We Come?

Life

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a significant health concern with enormous social and economic impact globally. The gradual deterioration of cognitive functions and irreversible neuronal losses are primary features of the disease. Even after decades of research, most therapeutic options are merely symptomatic, and drugs in clinical practice present numerous side effects. Lack of effective diagnostic techniques prevents the early prognosis of disease, resulting in a gradual deterioration in the quality of life. Furthermore, the mechanism of cognitive impairment and AD pathophysiology is poorly understood. Microfluidics exploits different microscale properties of fluids to mimic environments on microfluidic chip-like devices. These miniature multichambered devices can be used to grow cells and 3D tissues in vitro, analyze cell-to-cell communication, decipher the roles of neural cells such as microglia, and gain insights into AD pathophysiology. This review focuses on the applications and ...

Micro and nanotechnology for biological and biomedical applications

This special issue contains some of the current state-of-the-art development and use of micro and nanotechnological tools, devices and techniques for both biological and biomedical research and applications. These include nanoparticles for bioimaging and biosensing, optical and biophotonic techniques for probing diseases at the nanoscale, micro and nano-fabricated tools for elucidating molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in cell and molecular biology and cell separation microdevices and techniques for isolating and enriching targeted cells for disease detection and diagnosis. Although some of these works are still at the research stage, there is no doubt that some of the important outcomes will eventually see actual biomedical applications in the not too distant future.

Quantitative analysis of axonal transport by using compartmentalized and surface micropatterned culture of neurons

ACS chemical neuroscience, 2012

Mitochondria, synaptic vesicles, and other cytoplasmic constituents have to travel long distance along the axons from cell bodies to nerve terminals. Interruption of this axonal transport may contribute to many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been recently shown that exposure of cultured neurons to β-amyloid (Aβ) resulted in severe impairment of mitochondrial transport. This Letter describes an integrated microfluidic platform that establishes surface patterned and compartmentalized culture of neurons for studying the effect of Aβ on mitochondria trafficking in full length of axons. We have successfully quantified the trafficking of fluorescently labeled mitochondria in distal and proximal axons using image processing. Selective treatment of Aβ in the somal or axonal compartments resulted in considerable decrease in mitochondria movement in a location dependent manner such that mitochondria trafficking slowed down more significantly proximal...

Dielectrophoresis of Amyloid-Beta Proteins as a Microfluidic Template for Alzheimer’s Research

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2019

We employed dielectrophoresis to a yeast cell suspension containing amyloid-beta proteins (Aβ) in a microfluidic environment. The Aβ was separated from the cells and characterized using the gradual dissolution of Aβ as a function of the applied dielectrophoretic parameters. We established the gradual dissolution of Aβ under specific dielectrophoretic parameters. Further, Aβ in the fibril form at the tip of the electrode dissolved at high frequency. This was perhaps due to the conductivity of the suspending medium changing according to the frequency, which resulted in a higher temperature at the tips of the electrodes, and consequently in the breakdown of the hydrogen bonds. However, those shaped as spheroidal monomers experienced a delay in the Aβ fibril transformation process. Yeast cells exposed to relatively low temperatures at the base of the electrode did not experience a positive or negative change in viability. The DEP microfluidic platform incorporating the integrated microt...

Minimally invasive molecular delivery into the brain using optical modulation of vascular permeability

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 2011

Systemic delivery of bioactive molecules in the CNS is hampered by the blood-brain barrier, which has bottlenecked noninvasive physiological study of the brain and the development of CNS drugs. Here we report that irradiation with an ultrashort pulsed laser to the blood vessel wall induces transient leakage of blood plasma without compromising vascular integrity. By combining this method with a systemic injection, we delivered target molecules in various tissues, including the brain cortex. This tool allows minimally invasive local delivery of chemical probes, nanoparticles, and viral vectors into the brain cortex. Furthermore, we demonstrated astrocyte-mediated vasodilation in vivo without opening the skull, using this method to load a calcium indicator in conjunction with label-free photoactivation of astrocytes.

Optofluidic cell manipulation for a biological microbeam

Review of Scientific Instruments, 2013

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.