Nanoshprits for the egg

MEMS-nanoinjector – the world's smallest medical syringe
for carrying out genetic modifications

DailyTechInfo based on AIP Publishing: MEMS Nanoinjector for Genetic Modification of CellsCurrently, gene transplantation or injection of artificial DNA molecules into living cells is carried out using a tiny glass pipette filled with a solution with genetic material.

This method, called microinjection, has one significant drawback: together with the genetic material, a sufficient amount of excess fluid enters the cell, which in 25 percent of cases leads to cell bloating, rupture of the cell membrane and its death. Thanks to the work of researchers from Brigham Young University, scientists have a way to avoid the destruction of cells by introducing synthetic DNA into them.

These researchers have developed and created a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) that injects DNA into the egg directly, without the use of additional fluids. (Article by Aten et al. A self-reconfiguring metamorphic nanoinjector for injection into mouse zygotes is published in the journal Review of Scientific Instruments – VM.)

"We use the forces of electrical nature in order to hold and repel DNA molecules on the tip of a tiny electrically conductive "spear", which is an injection tool," says Professor Brian Jensen, "Using a positive electrical potential, we force DNA molecules to fix on the tip of the needle, which is then injected into a living cells, piercing its membrane. The negative electric potential repels DNA molecules that enter the inner volume of the cell nucleus."

The needle of the nanoinjector is so small that piercing the membrane with its help does not affect the cell itself in any way. And with the help of such a device, all cells that have undergone the injection procedure remain fully viable. In addition, the use of forces of electrical nature, which are easy enough to control using traditional methods, will allow you to fully automate the injection procedure, removing painstaking manual work and the influence of an unpredictable human factor from it.

The next step that scientists intend to take is the creation of a complex microelectromechanical system with many "copies" of nanoinjectors, with which it will be possible to perform genetic modification of hundreds of thousands of cells at a time. "Don't be afraid, it won't be used to create animals or mutant humans. In this way, we will be able to carry out gene therapy using cell cultures removed directly from the patient's body," says Professor Brian Jensen.

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