Effective Cell Transfection in An Ultrasonically Levitated Droplet for Sustainable Technology

Abstract

The levitation methodology, which enables us to operate a contactless reaction without a container, is likely to be a revolutionary technology in the fields of chemistry and biology to reduce the plastic waste in life science laboratories. Here, the authors show that plasmid DNA can be effectively transfected into animal cells in a floating droplet of culture medium levitated using ultrasonic standing waves. The data indicate that there is no significant damage to the plasmid and cells during the levitating transfection time, and the transgene expression efficiency and cellular uptake in the droplet are significantly higher than those in the conventional tube, with and without shaking. These results suggest the consolidation of the endocytic uptake pathway into macropinocytosis, indicating that ultrasonic levitation induced a change in cell characteristics. This study suggests that transfection methodology using ultrasonic levitation has the potential to advance the current experimental procedures in the field of cell engineering, in addition to presenting a revolutionary containerless reactor for sustainable technology.

Programmable‐Modulated Ultrasonic Transducer Array for Contactless Detection of Viral RNAs

“…Si-multaneously, the introduced ultrasonic vortex did not induce the decomposition of DNA or RNA during the detection. [15] Figure 3j shows the temperature change in a stable confinement of the microdroplet, and the variation of temperature is 0.24 °C during the 30-min continuous monitoring, indicating no obvious change. Constant temperature and enclosed space provide a strong guarantee for stable RPA reaction.…”

An investigative study into an oscillatory reaction in acoustically levitated droplets

“…Furthermore, the use of levitated droplets can reduce laboratory plastic waste, which is currently estimated to be about a thousand kilograms per researcher per year. 9,10 Levitation of droplets requires an upward force sufficient to counteract the downward gravitational force. 11 This upward force can be generated using light, 12 electric 13 or magnetic 14 elds, aerodynamics, 12 and acoustics.…”

“…Furthermore, the use of levitated droplets can reduce laboratory plastic waste, which is currently estimated to be about a thousand kilograms per researcher per year. 9,10…”