Generation of size controlled ES cell artificial vesicles by inducing shear-like force in micro channel

Abstract

Vesicles secreted by cells are nano-scale compartments enclosed by a lipid bilayer, which contain substances of their origin cells. Due to their advantages of structural stability and high delivery efficiency, several methods for generating artificial vesicles have been studied. However, they have limitations to use as mass delivery compartments to cells

they couldn’t control the size of vesicles and didn’t concern about membrane proteins on vesicles.This study proposes a novel method to generate nano-scale diameter artificial vesicles applying extrusion method in hydrophilic micro channels. We fabricated a PDMS micro channel whose width is similar with diameter of cells. The generated artificial nano-vesicles by extrude embryonic stem cells (ES cells) through fabricated micro channel have the potential to contain membrane proteins in the lipid bilayer structure and have a shape similar to natural vesicles. On varying the length and width of micro channels, the diameter of generated artificial nano-vesicles changed. By measuring the uptake amount of the cells changed with diameter of artificial nano-vesicles, we proved their usability. This novel artificial nano-vesicle generation method is expected to be used in the fields like drug delivery systems due to its similarity to natural vesicles and high cellular uptake.