Holographic optical manipulation of motor-driven membranous structures in living NG-108 cells

Optical tweezer experiments have partially unveiled the mechanical properties of processive motor proteins while driving polystyrene or silica microbeads in vitro. However, the set of forces underlying the more complex transport mechanisms in living samples remains poorly understood. Several studies have shown that optical tweezers are capable of trapping vesicles and organelles in the cytoplasm of living cells, which can be used as handles to mechanically interact with engaged (active) motors, or other components regulating transport. This may ultimately enable the exploration of the mechanics of this trafficking mechanism in vivo. These cell manipulation experiments have been carried out using different strategies to achieve dynamic beam steering capable of trapping these subcellular structures. We report here the first trapping and manipulation, to our knowledge, of such small motor-propelled cargos in living cells using holographic technology. ©2010 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers