Holographic approach for optical poration and trapping of developing embryos

Optical techniques such as poration and trapping can be viable tools toward micromanipulation of living organisms. In embryos, there are two major technical issues that need to be addressed. Injection of fluorophores or genetic constructs into a single cell of an embryo will enable cell-fate mapping and determine timing dependent protein functionality during its development. Furthermore, a non-contact method for orienting the embryo at its later stage of development is desirable for high magnification imaging. In this work, we present a holographic based system that can be utilized for both approaches as shown in our previous work [1]. Using a pulsed Ti:Sapphire femtosecond (fs) laser and a spatial light modulator (SLM), we can demonstrate successful injection of impermeable molecules such as fluorescently labeled dextran molecules and Propidium iodide into Pomatoceros lamarckii embryos. By using the continuous wave output of a Ti:Sapphire laser, we can perform optical trapping of embryos using low numerical aperture (NA) objectives.