Gene transfer device utilizing micron-spiked electrodes produced by the self-organization phenomenon of Fe-alloy

Lab Chip. 2008 Jul;8(7):1104-9. doi: 10.1039/b718655j. Epub 2008 May 15.

Abstract

In the diffusional phase transformation of two-phase alloys, the new phase precipitates form the matrix phase at specific temperatures, followed by the formation of a mixed microstructure comprising the precipitate and the matrix. It has been found that by specific chemical-etching treatment, the precipitate in Fe-25Cr-6Ni alloy projects substantially and clusters at the surface. The configuration of the precipitate has an extremely high aspect ratio: it is several microns in width and several tens of microns in length (known as micron-spiked). This study targets the development of a gene transfer device with a micro-spike produced based on the self-organization phenomenon of the Fe-25Cr-6Ni alloy. With this spike-projected device, we tried to efficiently transfer plasmid DNA into adherent cells by electric pulse-triggered gene transfer using a plasmid-loaded electrode (electroporation-based reverse transfection). The spiked structure was applied to a substrate of the device to allow efficient gene transfer into adherent cells, although the general substrate was flat and had a smooth surface. The results suggest that this unique spike-projected device has potential applications in gene transfer devices for the analysis of the human genome in the post-genome period.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Chemical Precipitation
  • Electrodes
  • Electroporation
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Gene Transfer Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Humans
  • Iron / chemistry*
  • Semiconductors
  • Temperature
  • Transfection

Substances

  • fecralloy
  • Iron