An Overview of the Microbeam and Its Applications as Probe in Biological Systems

Abstract

A micro beam is a very thin beam carrying usually protons, alpha particles or heavier particles with a size of ranging micrometres or smaller, corresponding to the cell size or the cell with a combination of techniques for locating living cells or sub-cell objectives (cell organelles), allowing the possibility of exposure to continuous radiation of these fast targets. This article basically reviews both technological aspects of modern single-cell micro beams and their applications. The recent concerns about micro beams started with the intrinsic problems in Radom, where the cells are affected by zero or an alpha particle. Micro beams allow the cells to be individually irradiated with precise particles. At the very early age of micro beams, environmental problems related to these radiations was impressed widely, namely by signalling as a result of cell injury. The focus was dedicated to two aspects of micro beams: first, to increase the sensitivity of detection of organelle targets such as the cytoplasm and mitochondria, and second, the exposure of some of the cells to micro beams specifically, allowing to check the conditions directly and identify messages regarding to biological response between irradiated and non-irradiated cells