In vivo optical monitoring of transcutaneous delivery of calcium carbonate microcontainers

We have developed a method for delivery of biocompatible CaCO3 microcontainers (4.0 +/- 0.8 mu m) containing Fe3O4 nanoparticles (14 +/- 5 nm) into skin in vivo using fractional laser microablation (FLMA) provided by a pulsed Er: YAG laser system. Six laboratory rats have been used for the microcontainer delivery and weekly monitoring implemented using an optical coherence tomography and a standard histological analysis. The use of FLMA allowed for delivery of the microcontainers to the depth about 300 mu m and creation of a depot in dermis. On the seventh day we have observed the dissolving of the microcontainers and the release of nanoparticles into dermis. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America