Autoenhanced Raman Spectroscopy via Plasmonic Trapping for Molecular Sensing

As a label-free and sensitive biosensor, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a rapidly emerging technique. However, because SERS spectra are obtained in the area of light excitation and the enhancement effect can be varied depending on the position of a substrate, it is important to match the enhanced area with an illuminated spot. Here, in order to overcome such difficulty, we demonstrated a new technique combining SERS with plasmonic trapping. By plasmonic trapping, we can collect gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in the middle of initially fabricated nanobowtie structures where a laser is excited. As a result of trapping GNPs, hot-spots are formed at that area. Because SERS is measured in the area irradiated by a laser, hot-spot can be simultaneously coincided with a detection site for SERS. By using this, we detected Rhodamine 6G to 100 pM. To further verify and improve the reproducibility of our technique, we also calculated the electric field distribution, trapping force and trapping potential

Precise nanoinjection delivery of plasmid DNA into a single fibroblast for direct conversion of astrocyte

<p>Direct conversion is a powerful approach to safely generate mature neural lineages with potential for treatment of neurological disorders. Astrocytes play a crucial role in neuronal homeostasis and their dysfunctions contribute to several neurodegenerative diseases. Using a single-cell approach for precision, we describe here a robust method using optimized DNA amounts for the direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts to astrocytes. Controlled amount of the reprogramming factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and cMyc was directly delivered into a single fibroblast cell. Consequently, 2500 DNA molecules, no more or less, were found to be the optimal amount that dramatically increased the expression levels of the astrocyte-specific markers GFAP and S100b and the demethylation gene TET1, the expression of which was sustained to maintain astrocyte functionality. The converted astrocytes showed glutamate uptake ability and electrophysiological activity. Furthermore, we demonstrated a potential mechanism whereby fibroblast was directly converted into astrocyte at a single-cell level; this was achieved by activating BMP2 pathway through direct binding of Sox2 protein to BMP2 gene. This study suggests that nanotechnology for directly injecting plasmid DNAs into cell nuclei may help understand such a conversion at single-cell level.</p