Blast from the past… “Towards a Neurotransmitter-Based Retinal Prosthesis Using an Inkjet Print-head”. Biomedical Microdevices 5:3, 195- 199, 2003. HA Fishman and co-workers.
This work shows one of the earliest examples (2003 publication from my lab) of drug delivery using micro piezo technology from an ink- jet printer head.
Abstract. Electronic chips that provide a patterned stimulus to cells in the retina may provide a viable treatment for age-related macular degeneration. A surrogate MEMS device, in the form of a print-head from a desktop printer, has been used to eject a pattern ofneurotransmitters(bradykinin)ontolivingratpheochromocy- toma (PC12) cells. Fluorescent calcium imaging was used to measurethepatternedstimulationofindividualcells.Thechemical stimulationofcellsbydirectedmicro ̄uidicdeliverymayhave applications in retinal prosthetic devices, and in other prosthetic implants in the nervous system.
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