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Superficial treatment of mammalian cells using plasma needle

E Stoffels, I E Kieft and R E J Sladek

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Interactions of a small-size, non-thermal plasma (plasma needle) with living cells in culture are studied. We have demonstrated the non-destructive character of the plasma needle: under moderate conditions (low-power and low concentration of molecular species) the plasma needle does not heat biological samples and does not induce cell death. Treatment of living cells is restricted to the cell exterior (membrane). As a result of the interactions of plasma radicals with cell adhesion molecules, cell attachment is temporarily interrupted; the loose cells can be removed, reattached or transferred. This effect may prove very useful in fine surgery, where a part of the tissue must be removed with high-precision, without damage to the adjacent cells and without inflammatory reaction.


PACS

52.77.-j Plasma applications

87.16.D- Membranes, bilayers, and vesicles

87.50.wp Therapeutic applications

87.19.Pp Biothermics and thermal processes in biology

Subjects

Medical physics

Biological physics

Plasma physics

Dates

Issue 23 (7 December 2003)

Received 21 March 2003

Published 19 November 2003



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