Issue |
J. Eur. Opt. Soc.-Rapid Publ.
Volume 6, 2011
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | 11042 | |
Number of page(s) | 6 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.2971/jeos.2011.11042 | |
Published online | 24 August 2011 |
Regular papers
Neuronal chemotaxis by optically manipulated liposomes
1
CNR, Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC, Area Science Park-Basovizza, S.S. 14, Km 163.5, 34149, Trieste, Italy
2
International School for Advanced Studies (ISAS-SISSA), Neurobiology Sector, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
3
CNR, Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), Laboratorio TASC Ed. MM, Area Science Park-Basovizza, S.S. 14, Km 163.5, 34149, Trieste, Italy
Received:
14
March
2011
We probe chemotaxis of single neurons, induced by signalling molecules which were optically delivered from liposomes in the neighbour-hood of the cells. We implemented an optical tweezers setup combined with a micro-dissection system on an inverted microscope platform. Molecules of Netrin-1 protein were encapsulated into micron-sized liposomes and manipulated to micrometric distances from a specific growth cone of a hippocampal neuron by the IR optical tweezers. The molecules were then released by breaking the liposomes with UV laser pulses. Chemotaxis induced by the delivered molecules was confirmed by the migration of the growth cone toward the liposome position. Since the delivery can be manipulated with high temporal and spatial resolution and the number of molecules released can be controlled quite precisely by tuning the liposome size and the solution concentration, this technique opens new opportunities to investigate the effect of physiological active compounds as Netrin-1 to neuronal signalling and guidance, which represents an important issue in neurobiology.
Key words: Neuronal guidance / drug delivery / optical tweezers / laser micro-dissection
© The Author(s) 2011. All rights reserved.
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