Method to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize cells
AssigneeUniversiteit Gent
InventorsKevin Braeckmans, Stefaan De Smedt, Félix Sauvage, Aranit Harizaj, Ranhua Xiong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize cells. A structure comprising a material and particles able to absorb electromagnetic radiation and cells are brought at close distance from each other. Part of the particles embedded in the structure are exposed to the free surface of the structure. The structure and, in particular, the particles in the structure are irradiated with electromagnetic radiation to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize the cells. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a structure for use in a photothermal process to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize cells.
Claims15
An in vitro or ex vivo method to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize cells, the method comprising:
- providing a structure comprising a material and comprising particles able to absorb electromagnetic radiation, the structure defining a volume V and a free surface S, the free surface S having a free surface area AS, at least a portion of the particles being partially exposed to the free surface S, each of the particles partially exposed to the free surface S defining a particle-free surface P, the particle-free surface P has a particle-free surface area AP, the particles being embedded in the structure in such a way that the sum of the particle-free surface area AP of all particles ranges between 0.0001% and 50% of the free surface area AS;
- providing at least one cell;
- bringing the structure and the at least one cell at a distance d less than 100 μm from each other, the distance d being the shortest distance between the at least one cell and the free surface S of the structure;
- and
- irradiating the structure with electromagnetic radiation.
A photothermal process to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize cells, which photothermal process utilizes a structure, the structure comprising a material and comprising particles able to absorb electromagnetic radiation, the structure comprising a material and comprising particles able to absorb electromagnetic radiation, the structure defining a volume V and a free surface S, the free surface S having a free surface area AS, at least a portion of the particles being partially exposed to the free surface S, each of the particles partially exposed to the free surface S defining a particle-free surface P, the particle-free surface P has a particle-free surface area AP, the particles being embedded in the structure in such a way that the sum of the particle-free surface area AP of all particles ranges between 0.0001 and 50% of the free surface area AS, the photothermal process comprising:
- bringing the structure and the at least one cell at a distance d less than 100 μm from each other, the distance d being the shortest distance between the at least one cell and the free surface area As of the structure;
- and
- irradiating the structure with electromagnetic radiation to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize the at least one cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.