Development of an Optical Laser Trap for the Study of Biological Media and Cellular Interactions (Resubmission of DIR-9102304)

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The technique of optical laser trapping is, potentially, a powerful tool for studying fundamental interactions of light with biological media on a microscopic scale. The ability to interprete, quantify, and predict the effects of coherent radiation forces, will be key to its effective use and development as an analytical tool in biomedical and surgical applications. Herein, we describe the development of a single beam, infrared optical trapping system, and its use, as a micromanipulation tool and a noncontact force transducer, in the study of biological media and cellular interactions, The system, consisting of a tunable laser source, a high resolution microforce transducer, forward scattering detector, and data acquisition system, is to be used in the (1) quantification of trap generated forces and thermal contributions to the confinement process; and (2) basic study of red blood cell, chromosome, and organelle micromanipulation behavior in a single beam optical potential. Other potential applications for the optical trapping system to be developed herein are also described. An artificially engineered organic liposome model is presented as a way of determining, in a controlled fashion, the physical and optical characteristics of cell and cell membrane samples, and their effect on optical trapping performance. In addition, a light scattering model, and set of experimental measurements, is to be used in the correlation of theoretical and experimental results. This quantitative theory is applied, in one case, to the cell biology study of transport mechanisms along microtubules. A working knowledge of the physical parameters that are responsible for generating and maintaining an optical trap, and their effect on host biological samples, should be useful to both researchers and practitioners of optical trapping systems.