Abstract: A system and method for processing a lipid membrane bound structure, the method comprising the steps of providing the structure to be processed in a liquid medium; and heating the liquid medium containing the structure at a rate and through a range sufficient to cause a discrete phase transition in at least one of the membranes, such that the membranes fuse. The method may be used to fuse the structure with another structure, or to reduce the integrity of the structure. The apparatus atomizes a medium containing the structure into small droplets and subjects them to an environment containing steam vapor while moving at high velocity, to rapidly increase the droplet temperature to the steam temperature by release of the latent heat of vaporization.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a cells, the method comprising the steps of providing the cells to be processed in a liquid medium; and heating the liquid medium containing the cells at a rate and through a range sufficient to cause an instability in at least one of the cellular membranes. The method may be used to fuse the structure with another membranes, or to reduce the integrity of the membranes. The system atomizes a medium containing the cells into small droplets and subjects them to an environment containing steam vapor while moving at high velocity, to rapidly increase the droplet temperature to the steam temperature by release of the latent heat of vaporization.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a lipid membrane bound structure, the method comprising the steps of providing the structure to be processed in a liquid medium; and beating the liquid medium containing the structure at a rate and through a range sufficient to cause a discrete phase transition in at least one of the membranes, such that the membranes fuse. The method may be used to fuse the structure with another structure, or to reduce the integrity of the structure. The apparatus atomizes a medium containing the structure into small droplets and subjects them to an environment containing steam vapor while moving at high velocity, to rapidly increase the droplet temperature to the steam temperature by release of the latent heat of vaporization.