Biolistic apparatus for delivering substances into cells and tissues in a non-lethal manner

An apparatus for the delivery of a substance into living cells and tissues comprising:

• housing means defining a vacuum chamber therein and having a top wall;
• a horizontally disposed partition in said vacuum chamber dividing said chamber into an upper vacuum chamber and a lower vacuum chamber and having an aperture therein;
• support means for horizontally supporting said partition in said chamber;
• shelf means in said lower chamber for holding a biological sample below said partition;
• aperture means defining an aperture in said top wall of said housing;
• impelling means connected to said housing means and extending into said aperture means for imparting an impelling force to a substance;
• impact receiving means mounted in said aperture in said partition for directing the substance into the biological sample in said lower vacuum chamber while dissipating forces generated by said impelling means in said upper vacuum chamber;
• surge tank means connected to a source of vacuum;
• first conduit means having first shut off valve means interconnected between said surge tank means and said upper vacuum chamber;
• and
• second conduit means having second shut off valve means interconnected between said surge tank means and said lower vacuum chamber, such that when said first shut off valve means and said second shut off valve means are in an open position, said upper and lower vacuum chambers and said surge tank means are evacuated and when said first shut off valve means is in an open position and said second shut off valve means is in a closed position the forces generated by the impelling means are dissipated to said surge tank means.