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Optical tweezers in biomedical research - progress and techniques
Dharm Singh Yadav1, Tudor Savopol1
1Biophysics and Cellular Biotechnology Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
Journal of Medicine and Life
|January 9, 2025
Summary
Optical tweezers use light forces to precisely manipulate microscopic biological samples. This technology is revolutionizing cellular mechanics, single-molecule studies, and disease diagnostics in biomedical research.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Optical tweezers, developed from Arthur Ashkin's work, use radiation pressure for precise micro- and nanoscale manipulation.
- The technique has evolved significantly, enabling complex manipulation of biological specimens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the foundational principles of optical trapping.
- To elucidate the extensive applications of optical tweezers in the biomedical sciences.
Main Methods:
- The review synthesizes information on optical trapping principles and their integration with advanced techniques.
- Key advancements include integration with holography, fluorescence microscopy, and microfluidics.
Main Results:
- Optical tweezers enable detailed investigation of cellular mechanical properties (e.g., elasticity, stiffness).
- Applications extend to single-molecule studies of DNA, proteins, molecular motors, and pathogen-host interactions.
Conclusions:
- Optical tweezers offer enhanced force sensitivity and positional accuracy for biophysical studies.
- These tools significantly impact cellular mechanics research, drug discovery, and disease diagnostics by revealing biophysical mechanisms in health and disease.
Keywords:
AFM, Atomic Force MicroscopyCCD, Charge-Coupled DeviceDNA stretchingE. Coli, Escherichia coliHOT, Holographic Optical TweezersIVF, In-Vitro FertilizationODS, Optical DNA SupercoilingRBC, Red Blood CellsRNAP, RNA PolymeraseSLM, Spatial Light Modulatorcell manipulationcell stretchingdsDNA, Double-Stranded DNAelastic properties of cellsmembrane tetheringoptical tweezerssingle molecule studies
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