title: Internalization and cytotoxicity analysis of silicon-based microparticles in macrophages and embryos.
abstract: Microchips can be fabricated, using semiconductor technologies, at microscopic level to be introduced into living cells for monitoring of intracellular parameters at a single cell level. As a first step towards intracellular chips development, silicon and polysilicon microparticles of controlled shape and dimensions were fabricated and introduced into human macrophages and mouse embryos by phagocytosis and microinjection, respectively. Microparticles showed to be non-cytotoxic for macrophages and were found to be localized mainly inside early endosomes, in tight association with endosomal membrane, and more rarely in acidic compartments. Embryos with microinjected microparticles developed normally to the blastocyst stage, confirming the non-cytotoxic effect of the particles. In view of these results silicon and polysilicon microparticles can serve as the frame for future intracellular chips development and this technology opens the possibility of real complex devices to be used as sensors or actuators inside living cells.
authors.affiliation: Departament Biologia Cel.lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández-Rosas
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ibañez
authors.forename: Lleonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duch
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esteve
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Plaza
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nogués
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008863:Microspheres; D012825:Silicon / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D012825:Silicon