Chemically modified MEMS probe driven by self-alignment mechanism for photooxidative cell membrane perforation

This paper describes a photooxidative cell membrane perforator that can improve intracellular manipulations. The cell membrane perforator was developed as a MEMS interface employing an ultraviolet excitation of a photosensitizer. The perforator consists of a movable planar probe and a suction hole having a self-alignment mechanism to aid manipulation. The tip of the probe modified with α-terthienyl is introduced to the cell clamped at the pre-aligned suction hole (Φ 5 μm in diameter). The α-terthienyl is immobilized using the Au–S bond at the tip of the probe, which is 5 μm wide and 400 nm thick. The cell membrane is perforated by ultraviolet excitation of the α-terthienyl as a photosensitizer. Photooxidative perforation of the cell membrane was successfully performed using PC12 cells with a diameter as small as tens of micrometers.