UC Irvine

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external shock causes injury to the brain. The mechanism of the disease is not completely understood yet. Studies have shown that astrocytes play various roles following brain injury. However, the exact functional role of them after TBI is still a matter of debate. Laser-induced shock waves (LIS) can create a precise controllable mechanical force that is capable of injuring or lysing cells to simulate the brain injury at the cellular level. Here, we propose a system that enables us to induce injuries in CNS cells with LIS and observe the whole process under a Quantitative phase microscope (QPM). Our system is also capable of adding another laser for optically trapping the cells to keep them at a certain distance from the center of the shockwave, as this distance is one of the important factors which determines the level of injury.