Photothermal activation of astrocyte cells using localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanorods.
Although it has been revealed that astrocytes, generally known as star-shaped glial cells, play critical roles in the functions of central nervous system, there have been few efforts to directly modulate their activities and responses. In this study, an optical stimulation strategy for producing intracellular Ca2+transients of astrocytes is demonstrated using near-infrared (NIR) light and localized surface plasmon resonance. It is presented that NIR stimulation of micro-second duration combined with gold nanorods (GNRs) efficiently produces stronger Ca2+transients of astrocytes, which seems to be associated with a local heat generation by photothermal effects of GNRs. Since the proposed scheme can directly activate astrocytes with a high reliability, it is expected that GNR-mediated NIR stimulation could be utilized to facilitate minimally invasive physiological studies on the astrocyte functions. Photos of intracellular Ca2+transient of astrocytes with membrane-bound GNRs after optical stimulation at 30 s.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
Kyungsik
K
Eom
Department of Electronics Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, South Korea.
Seoyoung
S
Hwang
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
Seunghyeon
S
Yun
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104, South Korea.
Kyung Min
KM
Byun
Department of Electronics Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, South Korea.|Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, South Korea.
Sang Beom
SB
Jun
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.
Sung June
SJ
Kim
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006046:Gold; D006358:Hot Temperature; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D007834:Lasers; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D043942:Nanotubes; D061848:Optical Imaging; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods*
C000614142:Gfap protein, rat; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D006046:Gold; D002118:Calcium
astrocyte cells; gold nanorods; intracellular calcium signaling; localized surface plasmon resonance; near-infrared laser stimulation