Fig. 1

AuNP mediated photoporation: principle and biological application. AuNP-mediated adherent photoporation. \({70}~{\hbox {nm}}\) gold nanoparticles (AuNP) are attached to the cell membrane during a pre-incubation step of adherent HeLa cells and irradiated with a nanosecond laser pulse. The interaction between the metal electrons and the laser pulse results in Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). Depending on the fluence, the oscillatory movement of the excited electrons causes a rise of temperature or the creation of a Vapour NanoBubble (VNB). In the latter case and as a result to the bubble dynamic and its collapse, transient nanopores are thus generated in the cell membrane through which the exogenous fluorescent probe diffuses inside the cytoplasm. We obtain then FITC-labeled cells with the creation of AuNP debris.