title: A novel electroporation system for efficient molecular delivery into Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with a 3-dimensional microelectrode.
abstract: Electroporation is one of the most widely used transfection methods because of its high efficiency and convenience among the various transfection methods. Previous micro-electroporation systems have some drawbacks such as limitations in height and design, time-consuming and an expensive fabrication process due to technical constraints. This study fabricates a three dimensional microelectrode using the 3D printing technique. The interdigitated microstructure consisting of poly lactic acid was injected by a 3D printer and coated with silver and aluminum with a series of dip-coatings. With the same strength of electric field (V cm(-1)), a higher efficiency for molecular delivery and a higher cellular viability are achieved with the microelectrode than with a standard cuvette. In addition, this study investigates chemicophysical changes such as Joule heating and dissolved metal during electroporation and showed the micro-electroporation system had less chemicophysical changes. It was concluded that the proposed micro-electroporation system will contribute to genetic engineering as a promising delivery tool, and this combination of 3D printing and electroporation has many potential applications for diverse designs or systems.
authors.affiliation: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seongsu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwon-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D016825:Chlamydomonas reinhardtii / Q000235:genetics*; D018274:Electroporation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods