Photoacoustic targeting with micropipette electrodes
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
InventorsBarbara Smith, Christopher Miranda
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Abstract
Photoacoustic targeting systems for intracellular recording. In one embodiment, the photoacoustic targeting system includes a light source, a micropipette electrode, an acoustic transducer, and a controller. The light source is configured to emit pulsed light. The micropipette electrode is configured to deliver the pulsed light to a target cell. The acoustic transducer is configured to receive photoacoustic signals generated due to optical absorption of light energy by the target cell. The controller is configured to determine a position of the micropipette electrode relative to the target cell based on the photoacoustic signals.
Claims14
A photoacoustic targeting system, comprising
- a light source configured to emit pulsed light;
- a micropipette electrode configured to deliver the pulsed light to a target cell, wherein the micropipette electrode includes a hollow tubular body and a tapered tip at a distal end of the hollow tubular body, wherein the tapered tip decreases in width as it extends from the hollow tubular body, and wherein the tapered tip includes an opening to a hollow interior of the hollow tubular body;
- an acoustic transducer configured to receive photoacoustic signals generated due to optical absorption of light energy by the target cell;
- and
- a controller configured to
- determine a position of the micropipette electrode relative to the target cell based on the photoacoustic signals, wherein the target cell is a neuron, and
- following movement of the micropipette electrode toward the target cell, capture electrophysiological intracellular recordings of the neuron through the micropipette electrode using patch clamp methods.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.