title: Thermal evaluation of laser exposures in an in vitro retinal model by microthermal sensing.
abstract: A temperature detection system using a micropipette thermocouple sensor was developed for use within mammalian cells during laser exposure with an 8.6-μm beam at 532 nm. We have demonstrated the capability of measuring temperatures at a single-cell level in the microscale range by inserting micropipettebased thermal sensors of size ranging from 2 to 4 μm into the membrane of a live retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell subjected to a laser beam. We setup the treatment groups of 532-nm laser-irradiated single RPE cell and in situ temperature recordings were made over time. Thermal profiles are given for representative cells experiencing damage resulting from exposures of 0.2 to 2 s. The measured maximum temperature rise for each cell ranges from 39 to 73°C; the RPE cells showed a signature of death for all the cases reported herein. In order to check the cell viability, real-time fluorescence microscopy was used to identify the transition of pigmented RPE cells between viable and damaged states due to laser exposure.
authors.affiliation: University of North Texas, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, 3940 N. Elm Street Denton, Texas 76207, United States.
authors.forename: Tae Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: TASC, Inc., Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, 4141 Petroleum Road, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234, United States.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Denton
authors.affiliation: TASC, Inc., Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, 4141 Petroleum Road, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234, United States.
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Noojin
authors.affiliation: Conceptual MindWorks, Inc., 4141 Petroleum Road, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234, United States.
authors.forename: Larry E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Estlack
authors.affiliation: University of North Texas, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, 3940 N. Elm Street Denton, Texas 76207, United States.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: 711th Human Performance Wing, Bioeffects Division, Optical Radiation Bioeffects Branch, 4141 Petroleum Road, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234, United States.
authors.forename: Benjamin A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rockwell
authors.affiliation: 711th Human Performance Wing, Bioeffects Division, Optical Radiation Bioeffects Branch, 4141 Petroleum Road, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234, United States.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: POSTECH, Department of Mechanical Engineering, San 31 Hyoja-Dong, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyungbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dongsik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008954:Models, Biological; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*