UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS

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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2010 Meeting


Section: Biophysics and Medical Physics;Electricity and Magnetism


Title:
Biomedical applications of optical tweezers


Authors:
Daniel Dumitru Banciu (1,3), Beatrice Mihaela Radu (1), Adela Marin (1), Mihai Radu (2), Tudor Savopol (3)


Affiliation:
(1) Department of Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Center of Neurobiology and Molecular Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei, 91-95, Bucharest, 050095, Romania

(2) Department of Health and Environmental Physics, ‘Horia Hulubei’ National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Atomistilor, 407, Măgurele, 077125, Romania

(3) Department of Biophysics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy ‘Carol Davila’, Bvd Eroilor Sanitari, Bucharest, Romania


E-mail
beatrice_macri@yahoo.com


Keywords:
optical tweezers, cell manipulation, sensory neurons, micro-dissection


Abstract:
Optical tweezers use light to manipulate microscopic objects as small as a single atom. The radiation pressure from a focused laser beam is able to trap small particles. In the biological sciences, these instruments have been used to apply forces in the pN-range and to measure displacements in the nm range of objects. The miniscule forces that light exerts on micron-size particles have empowered scientists, particularly those in biomedicine, enabling them to perform important studies on single molecules, cells and colloids without inflicting damage. Optical tweezers are used to trap dielectric spheres, viruses, bacteria, living cells, organelles, small metal particles, and even strands of DNA. Applications include confinement and organization (i.e. cell sorting), tracking of movement (i.e. bacteria), application and measurement of small forces, and altering of larger structures (such as cell membranes). New technologies based on laser microdissection can isolate tissue, single cells, or even submolecular structures (i.e. chromosomes), and the isolated material can be prepared for genomic or proteomic analysis. Our study is focused on using optical tweezers for neurite growth in sensory neurons and to construct synapses. Adult Wistar rats (150-200 g) have been used to extract dorsal root ganglia and to prepare primary sensory neuron cultures. It is a very important application with high output in clinical neuroregeneration. This study was financed by PNCDI2 61-011/2007