Cellular probes

• US 20070128440A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Inventors: Luzzi, David
• Application Number:
  US10/582,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20070128440A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/408
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/6925 the form being a microcapsule, nanocapsule, microbubble or nanobubble
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5432 Liposomes or microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/58 involving labelled substances G01N33/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/581 with enzyme label (including co-enzymes, co-factors, enzyme inhibitors or substrates)
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

Probing tools compnsing nanotubes partially coated with a biocompatible coating capable of absorbing or imbibing bio-reactive materials. Also within are probing systems comprising nanoprobes and microscopes. Methods are also provided comprising partially coating a nanotube with a biocompatible coating, contacting a membrane with the resulting nanoprobe, and, in some embodiments, expelling a molecule.

Claims

1. A probing tool comprising a nanotube at least partially coated with a biocompatible coating comprising silica capable of absorbing bioreactive molecules.

2. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said coating comprises a medicament.

3. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said coating is porous.

4. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said silica is spherical colloidal silica particles.

5. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said coating absorbs bio-reactive molecules.

6. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said coating comprises a marking enzyme.

7. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said coating comprises horseradish peroxidase.

8. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said nanotube is a multi-walled nanotube.

9. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said nanotube is a double-walled nanotube.

10. The probing tool of claim 1 wherein said nanotube comprises C₆₀ molecules within its lumen.

11. A probing system comprising a nanotube at least partially coated with a biocompatible coating capable of absorbing bioreactive molecules, a microscope, and micron-resolved mechanical control.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said microscope is a light microscope or an atomic force microscope.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said nanotube is a multi-walled nanotube.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said nanotube is a double-walled nanotube.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said nanotube comprises C₆₀ molecules within its lumen.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein said coating comprises a medicament.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein said coating is porous.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said coating comprises silica.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein said silica is spherical colloidal silica particles.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein said coating absorbs bio-reactive molecules.

21. The system of claim 11 wherein said coating comprises an enzyme.

22. The system of claim 11 wherein said coating comprises horseradish peroxidase.

23. A probing method comprising:

partially coating a nanotube with a biocompatible coating comprising silica to form a bio-fimctional nanoprobe and

contacting a vesicle with said nanoprobe.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said nanotube is a multi-walled nanotube.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said nanotube is a double-walled nanotube.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said nanotube comprises C₆₀ molecules within its sidewalls.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein said coating is porous.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said coating comprises colloidal silica.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein said coating comprises spherical silica particles.

30. The method of claim 23 wherein said coating further comprises a medicament.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein said coating further comprises a marking enzyme.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein said coating further comprises horseradish peroxidase.

33. The method of claim 23 wherein said vesicle is a lipid membrane

34. The method of claim 23 wherein said lipid membrane is a cell or cell nucleus.

35. The method of claim 23 wherein said contacting step is non-destructive to the lipid membrane.

36. The method of claim 23 further comprising penetrating the lipid membrane.

37. The method of claim 23 further comprising attracting a molecule to said coating.

38. A probing method comprising:

partially coating a nanotube with a biocompatible coating comprising silica to form a bio-functional nanoprobe;

absorbing said coating with a bio-reactive molecule;

contacting a vesicle with said nanoprobe; and

expelling said molecule from said coating.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said nanotube is a multi-walled nanotube.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein said nanotube is a double-walled nanotube.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein said nanotube comprises C₆₀ molecules within its sidewalls.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein said coating is porous.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein said coating comprises colloidal silica.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein said coating comprises spherical silica particles.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein said coating comprises a medicament.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein said molecule is a medicament.

47. The method of claim 38 wherein said coating comprises a marking enzyme.

48. The method of claim 38 wherein said coating comprises horseradish peroxidase.

49. The method of claim 38 wherein said contacting step is non-destructive to the vesicle.

50. The method of claim 38 wherein said vesicle a lipid membrane

51. The method of claim 38 wherein said lipid membrane is a cell or cell nucleus.

52. The method of claim 38 wherein said contacting step is non-destructive to the lipid membrane.

53. The method of claim 38 further comprising penetrating the lipid membrane.

54. The method of claim 38 wherein said expulsion step is driven by nanofluidics or molecular transport.