Cell ablation (from Latin ''Cellula'' "small chamber" and ''Ablatio'' "removal"). Also known as tissue

ablation Ablation ( la, ablatio – removal) is removal or destruction of something from an object by vaporization, chipping, erosion, erosive processes or by other means. Examples of ablative materials are described below, and include spacecraft materi ...

, cell ablation is a biotechnological tool for studying cell lineage. The process consists of selectively destroying or removing cells in an organism. For example, a laser beam or controllable gene promoter for a toxin gene can be used to destroy a selected amount of cells. Cell ablation can also be used as a tool to produce

transgenic A transgene is a gene that has been transferred naturally, or by any of a number of genetic engineering techniques, from one organism to another. The introduction of a transgene, in a process known as transgenesis, has the potential to change the ...

organisms lacking a cell type, and as a cure for certain diseases such as

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

. The term is not to be confused with

genetic ablation Genetic ablation occurs when a gene is deemed “null” through the homologous genetic recombination of a gene. It is utilized in the selective suppression of a specific cell line or cell type. This genetic engineering technique does not limit grow ...

: a method of modifying DNA in order to disrupt the production of a specific gene. There are multiple different techniques of cell ablation (

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...

ablation, thermal ablation, etc...). Many of which are being utilized in biomedical sciences to study cell functions

Laser cell ablation

Laser was used during the early stages of cell ablation, utilizing the flexibility, precision and heat generated from concentrated light waves (laser). Laser ablation was extremely effective in destroying cells

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in biology an ...

, as intensity of light was easily manipulated to injure cells. Laser ablation is not recommended for

in vivo Studies that are ''in vivo'' (Latin for "within the living"; often not italicized in English) are those in which the effects of various biological entities are tested on whole, living organisms or cells, usually animals, including humans, and ...

, as the potential damage from laser was too high. High cost of operation, and extensive operating time narrowed its accessibility for cell studies. Recently, laser ablation was applied with ICP-MS to develop LA-ICP-MS analysis technique. In which utilizes the precision and ability to change laser intensity to determine elemental distribution of biological samples.

Thermal cell ablation

Thermal ablation is widely used in biomedical science as a form of heat therapy for cancer. Extreme heat are applied to tumors, damaging the tissues to eliminate the tumors from eligible patients. Similarly, cryoablation can also be used as a potential treatment. Sudden drop to freezing temperature can cause crystal formation, puncturing membranes and causing cell death. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) utilizes high frequency sound waves to produce heat as a mean to destroy cells. RFA is frequently used as a minimally-evasive treatment for small tumors.

References

Genetics experiments {{cell-biology-stub