Remotely and Noninvasively Controlling Genes and Cells in Living Animals

One of the two components of the new system is a natural iron storage particle called ferritin. This particle is tethered to a temperature-sensitive channel protein that controls the flow of calcium into a cell. Together, the two molecules work as a nano-machine that can be used to trigger gene activity, or expression, in cells. When the ferritin particle is exposed to radio waves or a magnetic field, it opens the channel, activating a gene engineered to respond to calcium.

The researchers found that radio waves and magnets may have different ways of causing the calcium channel to open. Low-frequency radio waves cause mild heating of the ferritin’s iron core, tripping a switch that opens the channel, while the tug of a magnetic field most likely causes the ferritin particles to move slightly and nudge the channel open. Calcium then flows into the cell and turns on the calcium-responsive gene.

As proof of principle, the team, led by Jeffrey Friedman  at Rockefeller University and Jonathan Dordick  at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, showed that they could use their system to turn on insulin production and thereby lower blood sugar in diabetic mice. The researchers used genetic techniques to introduce the ferritin-tethered channels into mice along with a calcium-responsive version of the insulin gene.
https://biobeat.nigms.nih.gov/2015/02/remotely-and-noninvasively-controlling-genes-and-cells-in-living-animals/