Precise Drug Delivery by Using PLGA-Based Microspheres and Optical Manipulators

The accurate delivery of precise amounts of drugs to a specific location can considerably affect various clinical applications. The precise control of drug amount and position is crucial to a successful drug delivery. This paper proposes the use of poly(lactide-co-glycolicacid) (PLGA)-based microspheres to contain precise amounts of drugs and an optical tweezer manipulator to transport these drug-containing microspheres to their targeted sites in vivo. The drugs were delivered by the PLGA-based microspheres to the yolk sac of zebrafish embryos, and a sustained drug release was observed to examine the anti-angiogenesis and angiogenesis activities. The PLGA-based microspheres degraded in zebrafish, thereby verifying that these microspheres can be used as drug carriers in vivo to ensure good biocompatibility and biodegradation. The proposed precise drug delivery approach can be used in protein tests and drug property characterization in vivo.