Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Holographic tomographic volumetric additive manufacturing.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

HoloTile light engine: new digital holographic modalities and applications.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2024
Same author

Phase-only steerable photonic nanojets.

Optics express·2023
Same author

Optical catapulting of microspheres in mucus models-toward overcoming the mucus biobarrier.

Journal of biomedical optics·2019
Same author

Light-driven micro-tool equipped with a syringe function.

Light, science & applications·2018
Same author

Natural convection induced by an optically fabricated and actuated microtool with a thermoplasmonic disk.

Optics letters·2018
Same journal

Navigating the labyrinth of drugging the disordered.

Biophysical reviews·2026
Same journal

<i>Biophysical Reviews</i>: a forum for publication of review articles from the international biophysics community.

Biophysical reviews·2026
Same journal

Mitochondrial potassium channels: mitochondria-specific mechanism of regulation.

Biophysical reviews·2026
Same journal

Biomolecular condensates in living systems: from function to disease. What to do next.

Biophysical reviews·2026
Same journal

Astrocyte morphology: complex or trivial?

Biophysical reviews·2026
Same journal

Correction to: A quest for greater thermodynamic rigour in the quantitative characterization of protein self-association by direct assessment of sedimentation equilibrium distributions.

Biophysical reviews·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 2, 2026

Microscale Vortex-assisted Electroporator for Sequential Molecular Delivery
10:51

Microscale Vortex-assisted Electroporator for Sequential Molecular Delivery

Published on: August 7, 2014

9.0K

Optically-controlled platforms for transfection and single- and sub-cellular surgery.

Mark Villangca1, Duncan Casey2, Jesper Glückstad1

  • 1DTU Fotonik, Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.

Biophysical Reviews
|May 17, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Highly-focused laser beams enable precise single-cell and sub-cellular manipulation, overcoming limitations of traditional bulk analysis for studying aging and cancer. This biophotonics approach offers new tools for biological research.

Keywords:
Optical trappingOptoporationSingle-cell scienceTransfection

More Related Videos

High efficiency, Site-specific Transfection of Adherent Cells with siRNA Using Microelectrode Arrays MEA
09:14

High efficiency, Site-specific Transfection of Adherent Cells with siRNA Using Microelectrode Arrays MEA

Published on: September 13, 2012

13.9K
Spatiotemporal Subcellular Manipulation of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton in the Living Preimplantation Mouse Embryo using Photostatins
08:13

Spatiotemporal Subcellular Manipulation of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton in the Living Preimplantation Mouse Embryo using Photostatins

Published on: November 30, 2021

2.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 2, 2026

Microscale Vortex-assisted Electroporator for Sequential Molecular Delivery
10:51

Microscale Vortex-assisted Electroporator for Sequential Molecular Delivery

Published on: August 7, 2014

9.0K
High efficiency, Site-specific Transfection of Adherent Cells with siRNA Using Microelectrode Arrays MEA
09:14

High efficiency, Site-specific Transfection of Adherent Cells with siRNA Using Microelectrode Arrays MEA

Published on: September 13, 2012

13.9K
Spatiotemporal Subcellular Manipulation of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton in the Living Preimplantation Mouse Embryo using Photostatins
08:13

Spatiotemporal Subcellular Manipulation of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton in the Living Preimplantation Mouse Embryo using Photostatins

Published on: November 30, 2021

2.9K

Area of Science:

  • Biophotonics
  • Cellular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Traditional biochemical tools analyze bulk populations, losing critical single-cell details essential for understanding stochastic processes in aging and cancer.
  • Research requires tools with single-micron resolution to probe individual cellular structures and functions.
  • Stochastic cellular events, like mutations, can have significant organism-wide consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the application of highly-focused laser beams for single-cell and sub-cellular research.
  • To highlight advancements in biophotonics for precise biological manipulation.
  • To discuss the historical development and recent applications of laser-based cellular tools.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing highly-focused laser beams to achieve precise control at the single-cell and single-micron level.
  • Employing laser-induced focal points for direct interaction with cells and membranes.
  • Integrating optical trapping with laser modalities for advanced cellular surgery.
  • Using lasers for targeted material delivery/removal, fluorescent probe excitation, and localized heating.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated precise control and specificity at the single-cell and sub-cellular scale using focused laser beams.
  • Enabled direct interaction with cellular components for manipulation and analysis.
  • Showcased the versatility of laser-based systems for diverse applications including surgery, imaging, and thermal effects.
  • Highlighted the evolution of biophotonics over 40 years.

Conclusions:

  • Highly-focused laser systems provide essential tools for high-resolution biological research, addressing limitations of traditional methods.
  • Biophotonics advancements offer powerful platforms for single-cell and sub-cellular surgery and analysis.
  • These tuneable laser tools are crucial for understanding complex biological processes and diseases at the cellular level.