Lab-on-chip microscope platform for electro-manipulation of a dense microtubules network

0567065 - ÚFE 2023 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Havelka, Daniel - Zhernov, I. - Teplan, M. - Lánský, Z. - Chafai, Djamel Eddine - Cifra, Michal
Lab-on-chip microscope platform for electro-manipulation of a dense microtubules network.
Scientific Reports. Roč. 12, č. 1 (2022), č. článku 2462. ISSN 2045-2322. E-ISSN 2045-2322
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA18-23597S
Institutional support: RVO:67985882
Keywords : kinesin motors * tubulin * migration * alignment * cells
OECD category: Electrical and electronic engineering
Impact factor: 4.6, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06255-y

Pulsed electric field (PEF) technology is promising for the manipulation of biomolecular components and has potential applications in biomedicine and bionanotechnology. Microtubules, nanoscopic tubular structures self-assembled from protein tubulin, serve as important components in basic cellular processes as well as in engineered biomolecular nanosystems. Recent studies in cell-based models have demonstrated that PEF affects the cytoskeleton, including microtubules. However, the direct effects of PEF on microtubules are not clear. In this work, we developed a lab-on-a-chip platform integrated with a total internal reflection fluorescence microscope system to elucidate the PEF effects on a microtubules network mimicking the cell-like density of microtubules. The designed platform enables the delivery of short (microsecond-scale), high-field-strength (<= 25 kV/cm) electric pulses far from the electrode/electrolyte interface. We showed that microsecond PEF is capable of overcoming the non-covalent microtubule bonding force to the substrate and translocating the microtubules. This microsecond PEF effect combined with macromolecular crowding led to aggregation of microtubules. Our results expand the toolbox of bioelectronics technologies and electromagnetic tools for the manipulation of biomolecular nanoscopic systems and contribute to the understanding of microsecond PEF effects on a microtubule cytoskeleton
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0338327