title: Microfabricated system for parallel single-cell capillary electrophoresis.
abstract: Performing single-cell electrophoresis separations using multiple parallel microchannels offers the possibility of both increasing throughput and eliminating cross-contamination between different separations. The instrumentation for such a system requires spatial and temporal control of both single-cell selection and lysis. To address these problems, a compact platform is presented for single-cell capillary electrophoresis in parallel microchannels that combines optical tweezers for cell selection and electromechanical lysis. Calcein-labeled acute myloid leukemia (AML) cells were selected from an on-chip reservoir and transported by optical tweezers to one of four parallel microfluidic channels. Each channel entrance was manufactured by F2-laser ablation to form a 20- to 10-microm tapered lysis reservoir, creating an injector geometry effective in confining the cellular contents during mechanical shearing of the cell at the 10-microm capillary entrance. The contents of individual cells were simultaneously injected into parallel channels resulting in electrophoretic separation as recorded by laser-induced fluorescence of the labeled cellular contents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2M9.
authors.forename: Nigel R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Munce
authors.forename: Jianzhao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lilge
mesh_terms: D020552:Comet Assay / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D046209:Electrophoresis, Microchip / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000737:chemistry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C007740:fluorexon