Lateral cavity acoustic transducer (LCAT) for shear-induced cell transfection

1. A system ( 100 ) for intracellular delivery of an exogenous material, the system comprising:

a. a microfluidic platform ( 110 ) comprising a main microfluidic channel ( 120 ), and one or more lateral cavity acoustic transducers (LCATs) ( 130 ), wherein the one or more LCATs ( 130 ) are dead-end side channels coupled to the main microfluidic channel ( 120 ), wherein the microfluidic platform ( 110 ) is coupled to an external acoustic source ( 140 ); and

b. a fluid ( 150 ) disposed through the main microfluidic channel ( 120 ), said fluid ( 150 ) comprising a cell ( 160 ) and an exogenous material ( 170 ), wherein the fluid ( 150 ) intersects the LCATs ( 130 ) to form one or more gas-liquid interfaces ( 180 );

wherein the LCATs ( 130 ) are configured to oscillate the gas-liquid interfaces ( 160 ) to produce a plurality of microstreaming vortices ( 190 ), and wherein the vortices ( 190 ) trap cells ( 160 ) and exogenous material ( 170 ) therein, thereby shear-inducing mechanical deformation of the cells ( 160 ), and allowing for delivery of the exogenous material ( 170 ) into the cell ( 160 ); and

wherein the shear-induced mechanical deformation is configured to deform the cell membrane and cause it to be permeable to the exogenous material.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LCATs ( 130 ) intersect the main channel ( 120 ) at an angle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system ( 100 ) additionally comprises an array of electrodes ( 200 ), the electrodes interdigitated with the microfluidic platform ( 110 ), and wherein the electrodes ( 200 ) are configured to promote enlargement of a plurality of pores of the cell ( 160 ) when a voltage is applied to the electrodes ( 200 ).

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic platform ( 110 ) comprises a portable, automated, and high throughput device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the oscillation is controlled by a piezoelectric transducer (PZT) voltage.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LCAT ( 130 ) is configured to induce pumping of the fluid ( 150 ), thereby eliminating the need for external pumping.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the system has a transfection efficiency of at least about 20%.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the cell ( 160 ) is a human cell, a plant cell, an animal cell, an algae cell, a fungal cell, a bacterial cell, a prokaryotic cell, or a eukaryotic cell.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the exogenous material ( 170 ) comprises DNA, RNA, protein, a carbohydrate, a small molecule, or a combination thereof.