Microbubbles Reforming Endothelium

摘要

Ultrasound contrast microbubbles have the ability to enhance cell permeability and thus may be used as a new way to deliver drugs inter-vascular. It facilitates the transfer of extracellular molecules into cells through ultrasound-activated microbubbles. The present study is designed to correlate the relationship between microbubble induced cell deformation and enhanced cell membrane permeability. Propidium Iodide was used as a membrane integrity probe. Using high-speed imaging of vibrating microbubbles against endothelial cells and imaging transport of Propidium Iodide into these cells showed a direct correlation between cell deformation and resulting cell membrane permeability. The membrane permeabilization lasted for a short period without affecting aortic endothelial cells viability. We identified that microbubbles are crucial to enhance transient cell membrane permeability.