LIVING LASERS · Living cell lasers: intracellular lasing induced by natural and polymeric microscopic resonators

Living cell lasers: intracellular lasing induced by natural and polymeric microscopic resonators

Biological and living laser are a revolutionary new way to perform optical experiments inside living biological cells. However, current limitations are mostly set by the rigid, synthetic and macroscopic nature of external optical resonators, an essential part of any laser device. The aim of the LIVING LASERS project was to explore new ways to develop fully biocompatible lasers by introducing lasing in living cells independent of external resonators. The main idea was based on a conceptual change of the biolaser design, which aims to transfer the optical feedback directly into the cell. Due to the challenging restriction with respect to size of the resonators, one of the main activities was related to the screening and development of new microscopic optical resonators. In a next step, the internalisation of resonators into living cells had to be investigated and optimized. Finally, the principle of intracellular lasing had to be shown for different cell types. The project LIVING LASERS, located at the interface between material sciences, laser physics, photonics and biology, achieved a major breakthrough in demonstrating autonomous single cell lasing for a large variety of cell types. A direct application of this technique is the tagging and tracking of large numbers of cells. In addition, the interaction between the laser light and the cells can reveal intracellular processes in real time and without harming the cells.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union