23.05.2024

Researchers led by Rumiana Dimova at the Max Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces have developed a technique that uses light to understand and control the inner dynamics of cells.

By employing lights of different colors, they can alter the interactions within cellular components, offering a precise and non-invasive method to administer drugs directly into the cells.

Image: Man sitting before a monitor showing data from a microscope in the foreground while a woman in the background is looking through a microscope; Copyright: MPIKG

Mina Aleksanyan and Agustín Mangiarotti recording the membrane response at the confocal microscope.

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Innovative approach to cell simulation

The Dimova group's research focuses on the interaction between these condensates and cellular membranes, particularly through the process of endocytosis—how cells engulf nutrients or pathogens. The team has created lab-made models of cells, known as giant vesicles, to simulate and study these processes under a microscope. These vesicles are integrated with photoswitchable lipids that react distinctly to different light colors, causing the membranes to expand or contract and thereby changing their interaction with the condensates.

Dynamic light-controlled experiments

Agustín Mangiarotti and Mina Aleksanyan, key researchers in the group, demonstrated how ultraviolet light causes the membrane to grow and engulf the condensates. Conversely, switching to blue light makes the membrane shrink, releasing the condensates. These changes are observable in real-time using fluorescence microscopy, showcasing the vesicles' reactions to light adjustments.

Therapeutic potential and sustainability

This method holds significant potential for medical applications. The ability to control cellular processes with light is not only cost-effective but also sustainable, making it an attractive option for non-invasive treatments. The use of synthetic giant vesicles allows for detailed study without the ethical concerns or logistical challenges of using living cells. These vesicles are biomimetic, composed of molecules like those found in human cells, making them ideal carriers for drug delivery.

The research underscores a novel way to sculpt cellular environments from within, using light to direct the behavior of vesicles. This could lead to innovative treatments for various cellular disorders, expanding the capabilities of medical biotechnology.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces

More about the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces at: www.mpikg.mpg.de/en