Cell wall cutting tool and nano-net fabrication by FIB-CVD for subcellular operations and analysis

Our group wants to achieve subcellular manipulations and analysis in nano-space. Highly functional bio nano-tools are required to achieve this. Thus, it is necessary to make these tools three-dimensional nano-structure devices with focused-ion-bearn chemical-vapor-deposition (FIB-CVD) to optimize their performance. FIB-CVD is a key technology for fabricating three-dimensional structures. Two kinds of bio nano-tools were developed for subcellular manipulations and analysis. The first was a cell wall cutting tool (CWCT) to selectively cut cell walls in local areas. That is, cell walls could be removed without damaging subcellular organelles with CWCT. We succeeded in doing this. We also fabricated a filtering tool with a nano-net structure on a glass capillary to capture subcellular organelles. We conducted a successful experiment on capturing chloroplasts in a cell with the filtering tool. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.