Nanoneedles will speed up the delivery of molecules to cells. Free Technical Library News

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Nanoneedles will speed up the delivery of molecules to cells

06.11.2018

Nanostructures with tiny needle-like protrusions can make tiny holes in cell walls for convenient and fast delivery of "cargo" - molecules specially designed for gene editing, cancer treatment or monitoring the development of stem cells in the body.

The idea of transporting chemicals into a cell through its membrane is not new: there are several methods of delivery today, but they have their drawbacks. One method is electroporation. Its essence is that with the help of an electric current in the cell membrane, they create pores through which molecules - for example, DNA or protein - can penetrate, but this method is inaccurate and can kill many cells that the researchers "aimed at".

Another way is to deliver molecules to the cell wall with the help of viruses. This method also does not inspire full confidence - like the viruses themselves, carriers of diseases. In addition, these strategies are not suitable for working with immune cells.

The new method, developed by a team of scientists from Stanford University, uses, like the first, an electric current, but works with it much more delicately. When the current is turned on, nanostructures with thin "needles" leave tiny "holes" on cell membranes, through which a molecule can pass and which will not cause damage. At the same time, the current is concentrated in a specific place and, moreover, directs the molecule to the desired "input", which ensures the accuracy and speed of the process: delivery of the molecule to the cell takes only 20 seconds.

The method was tested on mouse brain cells and on three trips of human cells, with positive results in both cases. Now the authors of the development are planning to test their method on immune cells. If they succeed, it will take immunotherapy a few steps forward.

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