A sequence of images illustrating the gentle nature of SLAM-injection.

The uppermost 2 images show a human neutrophil that is loosely adhered and ruffling at the left-hand edge and at the beginning of the microinjection process. The SLAM injector contains lucifer yellow as a fluorescent (non-protein–binding) marker. The middle panel shows 3 fluorescent images (left) at contact between the SLAM-injector tip (in focus and brightly glowing) and then 8 seconds (middle) and 14 seconds (right) later. The transfer of fluorescent material into the cell can be seen. There is no indication of cell damage or response to the SLAM injection as evidenced by cell-shape change or recoiling of the ruffled membrane. The lowest panel shows the phase-contrast images at the end of SLAM injection, when a high level of uniform intracellular fluorescence is seen. (See Hallett and Laffafian9 for a movie of other SLAM injections.)