Manipulating Cellular Activities Using an Ultrasound–Chemical Hybrid Tool

We
developed an ultrasound–chemical hybrid tool to precisely
manipulate cellular activities. A focused ultrasound coupled with
gas-filled microbubbles was used to rapidly trigger the influx of
membrane-impermeable chemical dimerizers into living cells to regulate
protein dimerization and location without inducing noticeable toxicity.
With this system, we demonstrated the successful modulation of phospholipid
metabolism triggered by a short pulse of ultrasound exposure. Our
technique offers a powerful and versatile tool for using ultrasound
to spatiotemporally manipulate the cellular physiology in living cells.