Sonoporation

Sonoporation, or cellular sonication, is the use of sound in the ultrasonic range for increasing the permeability of the cell plasma membrane.

Measurement of the acoustics used in sonoporation is listed in terms of mechanical index, which quantifies the likelihood that exposure to diagnostic ultrasound will produce an adverse biological effect by a non-thermal action based on pressure.

[7] The physical mechanisms supposedly involved with microbubble-enhanced sonoporation have been referred to as push, pull, microstreaming, translation, and jetting.

In contrast, dextran molecules of 155 and 500 kDa were predominantly found in vesicle-like structures, likely indicating the mechanism of endocytosis.

These observed reactionary phenomena include ion exchange, hydrogen peroxide, and cell intracellular calcium concentration.

Studies have used patch clamping techniques to monitor membrane potential ion exchange for the role of endocytosis in sonoporation.

These findings act as support for ultrasound application inducing calcium-mediated uncoating of clathrin-coated pits seen in traditional endocytosis pathways.

Multiple studies examining membrane wounds note observing resealing behavior, a process dependent on recruitment of ATP and intracellular vesicles.

This method is being used to deliver therapeutic drugs or genes to treat a variety of diseases including: Stroke, Cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's...[13] The preclinical utility of sonoporation is well illustrated through past tumor radiation treatments which have reported a more than 10-fold cellular destruction when ionizing radiation is coupled with ultrasound-mediated microbubble vascular disruption.