As cell therapy technologies continue to evolve, there is a growing demand for efficient and universal methods to deliver membrane-impermeable molecules into living cells. To overcome the barrier posed by the selectively permeable cell membrane, we demonstrate that nanosecond-pulsed laser activation of pigmented polymer microfluidic chips induce transient membrane permeabilization, enabling the uptake of exogenous cargo into adherent HeLa cells. This nanoparticle- and carrier-free approach offers precise spatiotemporal control of membrane disruption with minimal cytotoxicity. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate successful intracellular delivery of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran into the K562 suspension cell line.
