Scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have developed a new micromanipulation technique called isothermal-FLUCS (ISO-FLUCS) that can manipulate cytoplasm in cells and developing embryos with significantly reduced heating effects. The technique involves using nearly isothermal scan sequences to disentangle laser-induced flows and heating, resulting in highly symmetric thermoviscous flow fields. ISO-FLUCS can achieve thermoviscous flows at least 10 times greater than existing methods while minimizing the impact on temperature-sensitive systems. The researchers believe that ISO-FLUCS will become the new standard for optical micromanipulation in biology and materials science. It may also have applications in studying polymeric hydrogels, phase separation, and even laser-assisted human reproductive medicine.
Wed, 19 Jul 2023 13:36:04 GMT | Phys.org