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Sonoporation
Sonoporation is the formation of small pores in cell membranes using ultrasound. It is used for transfering DNA/RNA into cells.
The ultrasound produces microscopic cavitation bubbles in the mixure of cells. These cavitation bubbles can then implode producing a shockwave while on or near the surface of a cell membrane. The tiny shockwave produces pores in the cell membrane allowing for DNA/RNA to diffuse into the cell.
Sources/references:
- Sonoporation: Mechanical DNA Delivery by Ultrasonic Cavitation
- Transfection of a reporter plasmid into cultured cells by sonoporation in vitro
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavitation
- sonochemistry
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very basically tiny bubbles form that produce shock waves which produce pores that allow genetic material to enter a cell.
image: R.Conan-Davies