Methods to regulate polarization of excitable cells
OwnerGholam A. Peymaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Minimally invasive delivery with intercellular and/or intracellular localization of nano- and micro-particle solar cells within and among excitable biological cells to controllably regulate membrane polarization of such cells. The cells include retinal and other sensory cells, muscle cells, and nerve cells.
Claims12
A method to controllably regulate plasma membrane polarization of a biological cell excitable by an electromagnetic energy source, the method comprising
- administering a plurality of biocompatible, tunable quantum dots to an individual having a degenerative disease, the quantum dots selected from the group consisting essentially of organic solar cell particles, inorganic solar cell particles, and a combination of organic and inorganic particles, to a patient at an intracellular location, intercellular location, or at both intracellular and intercellular locations to at least one excitable biological cell having a plasma membrane in an individual, and
- applying an energy source to the quantum dots under conditions sufficient for controllably activating the quantum dots using an electromagnetic energy source to activate the quantum dots with sufficient energy to controllably regulate plasma membrane polarization of the excitable biological cell, such that controllably regulating plasma membrane polarization of the biological cell at least ameliorates the degenerative disease, wherein the quantum dots are tunable to absorb light at a selected wavelength, or range of wavelengths, over the spectrum from visible to infrared.
A method of controllably regulating polarization of a plasma membrane in at least one partially functioning retinal cone or rod cell excitable by an electromagnetic energy source in an individual, the method comprising
- providing a plurality of quantum dots to a vitreous cavity of an eye, the eye also having a plurality of biological cells comprising a retina, the quantum dots provided in a fluid carrier sufficient to diffusively disseminate the quantum dots substantially throughout the retinal cells, and
- applying an energy source to the quantum dots under conditions sufficient for controllably activating the quantum dots using an energy source providing electromagnetic radiation to activate the quantum dots with sufficient variable electromagnetic energy to regulate plasma membrane polarization of the partially functioning retinal cell in the individual.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.