We developed an ultrasound-chemical hybrid tool to precisely manipulate cellular activities. A focused ultrasound coupled with gas-filled microbubbles was used to rapidly trigger the influx of membrane-impermeable chemical dimerizers into living cells to regulate protein dimerization and location without inducing noticeable toxicity. With this system, we demonstrated the successful modulation of phospholipid metabolism triggered by a short pulse of ultrasound exposure. Our technique offers a powerful and versatile tool for using ultrasound to spatiotemporally manipulate the cellular physiology in living cells.
Keywords: chemically inducible dimerization; focused ultrasound; mammalian cells; microbubble.