Photocatalyst coated capillary increases efficiency of membranepenetration process of microinjection

摘要

The microinjection process has been improved by pinpoint use ofthe photosensitizing (PS) effect to degenerate cell membranes prior toinjection. This avoids mechanical perforation of the membrane when thepipette tip makes contact with the cell. Titanium oxide was used as aphotocatalytic coating for capillaries in this experiment. It catalyzesreactive oxygen species under UV light and degenerates cell membranes byoxidation. This process was evaluated by injecting water-solublefluorescent Lucifer Yellow (LY) CH dye into rat pheochromocytoma PC12cells. The injections were automated by a programmable motorizedmanipulator. The success rate was 57% for injections done using an 180nm-thick titanium-oxide coated capillary under UV light and 43% for acapillary with a costing 120 nm thick. Without UV light, the successrates dropped to 20% for the capillary with the 180 nm coating, and 6%for the capillary with the 120 nm coating. These results suggest thatusing the PS-effect with microinjections increases injection-successrates and reduces the rate of cell injury caused by injection