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Related Concept Videos

Introduction to Membrane Traffic01:44

Introduction to Membrane Traffic

The ER, Golgi apparatus, endosomes, and lysosomes work in tandem to modify, sort, and package proteins and lipids. An integrated membrane trafficking network facilitates the back and forth shuttling of molecules within different organelles in the same cell or across the cell membrane.
The transport of soluble and membrane proteins is mediated by transport vesicles that collect cargo from one cellular compartment and deliver it to another by fusing with the target organelle membrane. The Rab...
Introduction to Membrane Traffic01:44

Introduction to Membrane Traffic

The ER, Golgi apparatus, endosomes, and lysosomes work in tandem to modify, sort, and package proteins and lipids. An integrated membrane trafficking network facilitates the back and forth shuttling of molecules within different organelles in the same cell or across the cell membrane.
The transport of soluble and membrane proteins is mediated by transport vesicles that collect cargo from one cellular compartment and deliver it to another by fusing with the target organelle membrane. The Rab...
Types of Signaling Molecules01:32

Types of Signaling Molecules

In multicellular organisms, many molecules transmit signals between cells to pass information. These signals vary in complexity and include small peptides, nucleotides, steroids, fatty acid derivatives, and dissolved gases such as nitric oxide. Some signaling molecules diffuse through the plasma membrane to act locally between neighboring cells or travel long distances. Others remain attached to the cell surface, transmitting information to other cells only when they make contact. In some...
Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport01:24

Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport

Drugs must traverse multiple biological barriers, such as multi-layered skin, single-layered intestinal epithelium, and the plasma membrane, to reach their target sites within the body. The plasma membrane, a highly structured composite of phospholipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, is the cell's protective boundary, facilitating selective substance exchange.
Phospholipids arrange themselves into a bilayer, with hydrophilic heads oriented outward and hydrophobic tails facing inward.
Endocytosis01:16

Endocytosis

Eukaryotic cells acquire nutrients for growth and proliferation. Nutrients and other molecules that require degradation are internalized from the extracellular space by a process called endocytosis. The term ‘endocytosis' was first coined by Christian de Duve in 1963.
Endocytosis always begins with the plasma membrane enclosing an incoming molecule to form a transport vesicle which, in some cases, can be coated with a protein called ‘clathrin.' Endocytosed material is either sorted through...
Mechanisms of Drug Absorption: Paracellular, Transcellular, and Vesicular Transport01:23

Mechanisms of Drug Absorption: Paracellular, Transcellular, and Vesicular Transport

Drugs need to permeate cell membranes to reach their target sites after administration. Orally administered drugs must transcend intestinal epithelial membrane barriers to infiltrate the systemic circulation. Drugs with a molecular weight of less than 500 Daltons diffuse through gaps between neighboring cells, called paracellular pathways.
However, most drugs use the transcellular route, traversing directly through the cell membranes via two mechanisms: passive and active transport. Passive...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Bead Loading Proteins and Nucleic Acids into Adherent Human Cells
07:28

Bead Loading Proteins and Nucleic Acids into Adherent Human Cells

Published on: June 1, 2021

Direct introduction of molecules into cells.

P L McNeil1

  • 1Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA.

Current Protocols in Cell Biology
|January 30, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Cell-loading techniques enable researchers to introduce large molecules into living cells. Methods like scrape, scratch, bead, and syringe loading offer rapid, high-throughput alternatives to microinjection for cell biology studies.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Introducing macromolecules into living cells is crucial for various cell biology applications.
  • Microinjection is a common method but can be time-consuming and costly.
  • Alternative techniques offer faster and more accessible cell loading.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe and compare alternative cell-loading techniques.
  • To highlight methods that facilitate rapid loading of macromolecules into mammalian cells.
  • To provide options for quantitative analysis of molecular loading effects.

Main Methods:

  • Scrape loading
  • Scratch loading
  • Bead loading
  • Syringe loading

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Internalization and Observation of Fluorescent Biomolecules in Living Microorganisms via Electroporation
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Internalization and Observation of Fluorescent Biomolecules in Living Microorganisms via Electroporation

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Cell Squeezing as a Robust, Microfluidic Intracellular Delivery Platform
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Cell Squeezing as a Robust, Microfluidic Intracellular Delivery Platform

Published on: November 7, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Bead Loading Proteins and Nucleic Acids into Adherent Human Cells
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Bead Loading Proteins and Nucleic Acids into Adherent Human Cells

Published on: June 1, 2021

Internalization and Observation of Fluorescent Biomolecules in Living Microorganisms via Electroporation
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Internalization and Observation of Fluorescent Biomolecules in Living Microorganisms via Electroporation

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Cell Squeezing as a Robust, Microfluidic Intracellular Delivery Platform
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Cell Squeezing as a Robust, Microfluidic Intracellular Delivery Platform

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Main Results:

  • These techniques allow rapid loading of thousands to millions of cells.
  • They rely on resealing mechanically induced plasma membrane disruptions.
  • They provide temporary access to the cell cytosol for macromolecule delivery.

Conclusions:

  • Scrape, scratch, bead, and syringe loading are efficient alternatives to microinjection.
  • These methods enable high-throughput quantitative analysis of cellular processes.
  • They offer practical solutions for introducing impermeant molecules into diverse mammalian cell types.