Method and apparatus for sustaining viability of biological cells on a substrate

1. A method for transient biological transformation comprising:

providing at least one living biological cell having an intact cell membrane defining an intracellular domain;

providing an exogenous component;

providing a cellular penetrant structure having a compartment and being dimensioned to extend through the cell membrane into the intracellular domain to position the compartment within the intracellular domain without significantly damaging the cell;

fixing the exogenous component within the compartment of the cellular penetrant structure to produce a compartmentalized exogenous component by loading the exogenous component into the compartment, immobilizing the component within the compartment by forming a covalent bond between the component and a surface within the compartment, such compartment being dimensioned to partially restrict access to the immobilized component within the cell; and

introducing the compartmentalized exogenous component to the intracellular domain of the cell by forcing the cellular penetrant structure and the component immobilized within the compartment into the intracellular domain of the cell, wherein the component is retained within the compartment and wherein the component is expressed by the cell only when the penetrant structure and the component are present within the intracellular domain of the cell.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the immobilizing of the component further comprises forming a linking member interposed between a surface of the compartment of the cellular penetrant structure and the surface of the compartment.

3. A method for transient biological transformation comprising:

providing at least one living biological cell having an intact cell membrane defining an intracellular domain;

providing an exogenous component;

providing a cellular penetrant structure having a compartment and being dimensioned to extend through the cell membrane into the intracellular domain to position the compartment within the intracellular domain without significantly damaging the cell;

fixing the exogenous component within the compartment of the cellular penetrant structure to produce a compartmentalized exogenous component by loading the exogenous component into the compartment, immobilizing the component within the compartment by providing a semipermeable membrane covering the compartment and enclosing the component within the compartment, such compartment being dimensioned to partially restrict access to the immobilized component within the cell; and

introducing the compartmentalized exogenous component to the intracellular domain of the cell wherein the component is retained within the compartment and wherein the component is expressed by the cell only when the penetrant structure and the component are present within the intracellular domain of the cell.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the immobilizing the component further comprises forming a noncovalent interaction between the component and a surface of the compartment within the cellular penetrant structure.

5. A method for transient biological transformation comprising:

providing at least one living biological cell having an intact cell membrane defining an intracellular domain;

providing an exogenous component;

providing a cellular penetrant structure having a compartment and being dimensioned to extend through the cell membrane into the intracellular domain to position the compartment within the intracellular domain without significantly damaging the cell, wherein the providing the cellular penetrant structure comprises providing a nanofiber growth substrate, growing a carbon nanofiber having a tip on the substrate in a substantially orthogonal orientation to the nanofiber growth substrate, and removing at least a portion of the tip of the nanofiber so as to form a partial carbon nanopipe thereby creating the compartment

fixing the exogenous component within the compartment of the cellular penetrant structure to produce a compartmentalized exogenous component; and

introducing the compartmentalized exogenous component to the intracellular domain of the cell wherein the component is retained within the compartment and wherein the component is expressed by the cell only when the penetrant structure and the component are present within the intracellular domain of the cell.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the removing of the at least a portion of the tip comprises removing a metal catalyst particle.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the removing of the at least a portion of the tip comprises removing at least a portion of a carbon core.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing of the cellular penetrant structure further comprises providing a surface of the penetrant with moieties that contain elements selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and oxygen.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the exogenous component comprises a molecule of DNA and a poly-A polymerase enzyme.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the biological cell comprises an auxotrophic cell and wherein the exogenous component comprises a component required by the cell for survival.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

coating the penetrant structure with a blocking agent after the component has been fixed within the compartment;

removing at least a portion of the blocking agent;

fixedly attaching a second exogenous component to the penetrant structure; and

dissolving the remainder of the blocking agent.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein the providing of the cellular penetrant structure further comprises providing a surface of the penetrant with moieties that contain elements selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and oxygen.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein the exogenous component comprises a molecule of DNA and a poly-A polymerase enzyme.

14. The method of claim 3 wherein the biological cell comprises an auxotrophic cell and wherein the exogenous component comprises a component required by the cell for survival.

15. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

coating the penetrant structure with a blocking agent after the component has been fixed within the compartment;

removing at least a portion of the blocking agent;

fixedly attaching a second exogenous component to the penetrant structure; and

dissolving the remainder of the blocking agent.

16. the method of claim 5 , wherein the fixing and introducing steps comprise:

loading the exogenous component into the compartment;

immobilizing the component within the compartment, such compartment being dimensioned to partially restrict access to the immobilized component within the cell; and

forcing the cellular penetrant structure and the component immobilized within the compartment into the intracellular domain of the cell.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the immobilizing of the component further comprises forming a covalent bond between the component and a surface within the compartment of the cellular penetrant structure, or the immobilizing of the component further comprises forming a noncovalent interaction between the component and a surface of the compartment within the cellular penetrant structure.

18. The method of claim 5 wherein the exogenous component comprises a molecule of DNA and a poly-A polymerase enzyme.

19. The method of claim 5 wherein the biological cell comprises an auxotrophic cell and wherein the exogenous component comprises a component required by the cell for survival.