'Nano-needle' operates on cell

[pascal]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4078125.stm

'Nano-needle' operates on cell
Scientists have performed a delicate surgical operation on a single living cell, using a needle that is just a few billionths of a metre wide.

Impressive
I remenber my father talking about the first time he listened to a valve radio (1920´s) and now we are working with nanoscale technology. This 21 century will be wonderfull from a technology perspective

 

[London Geezer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4078125.stm

'Nano-needle' operates on cell
Scientists have performed a delicate surgical operation on a single living cell, using a needle that is just a few billionths of a metre wide.

Impressive
I remenber my father talking about the first time he listened to a valve radio (1920´s) and now we are working with nanoscale technology. This 21 century will be wonderfull from a technology perspective

:? How old is your dad? How old are you?!

Sorry, anyway, GREAT news, but, and this is a genuine question, what's the use of operating on a single cell? In practical terms...

 

[pascal]

My father died and I am 41

One more link: http://www.nature.com/news/2004/041213/full/041213-2.html

Using microscopic lances to remove material from fertilized eggs is now a routine technique. But these microcapillaries are still quite clumsy and difficult to control precisely without damaging the cell. As they press through the cell wall, it is often deformed so badly that the cell dies.

Now, Japanese researchers have turned an atomic force microscope (AFM) into a surgical tool for cells that could add or remove molecules from precise locations inside a cell without harming it.

The needle will allow researchers to inject molecules into specific regions of a cell, says Saul Tendler, a biophysicist at Nottingham University, UK, who uses AFM to investigate biological systems. For example, strands of DNA could be inserted directly into the nucleus to test new gene therapy techniques.

Ian Hall, who researches molecular medicine also at Nottingham University, says the tool could be particularly useful for studying human cells in diseases such as asthma or cystic fibrosis. Because such cells are often in short supply, a reliable way to monitor the chemistry of just one diseased cell could be invaluable, he says: "The key problem for me is a shortage of cells."

 

[Himself]

Once you have modifed one cell, will it propagate on it's own or can you get it to spread somehow?

 

[London Geezer]

*Imagines the poor sould who needs to manipulate 100000000 cells in a .01mg of blood to have any kind of effect*

 

[MuFu]

*Imagines the poor sould who needs to manipulate 100000000 cells in a .01mg of blood to have any kind of effect*

They will outsource such tasks to 3rd world nations.

 

[RussSchultz]

*Imagines the poor sould who needs to manipulate 100000000 cells in a .01mg of blood to have any kind of effect*

They will outsource such tasks to 3rd world nations.

You jest, but its not that far off.

In china, for example, there are PCB assembly factories that use manual labor to do a lot of soldering/assembling because its cheaper than automation.

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

Once you have modifed one cell, will it propagate on it's own or can you get it to spread somehow?

You can modify the cell to replicate like a virus.

Not too sure if we have the knowledge or even the technology to do so.

 

[London Geezer]

People I'm ignoring:
Everyone.

Reason:
My opinions are facts and everyone else is wrong no matter what.

BEST.
SIG.
EVER.

 

[PC-Engine]

In china, for example, there are PCB assembly factories that use manual labor to do a lot of soldering/assembling because its cheaper than automation.

So true. People tend to forget that surface mount technology isn't always required or cheap. Open up an average radio for example, it's full of resistors, capacitors, transistors.

Anyhow regarding cells, ever heard of cell division?