The application of on-chip optofluidic microscopy for imaging Giardia lamblia trophozoites and cysts.
The optofluidic microscope (OFM) is a lensless, low-cost and highly compact on-chip device that can enable high-resolution microscopy imaging. The OFM performs imaging by flowing/scanning the target objects across a slanted hole array; by measuring the time-varying light transmission changes through the holes, we can then render images of the target objects at a resolution that is comparable to the holes' size. This paper reports the adaptation of the OFM for imaging Giardia lamblia trophozoites and cysts, a disease-causing parasite species that is commonly found in poor-quality water sources. We also describe our study of the impact of pressure-based flow and DC electrokinetic-based flow in controlling the flow motion of Giardia cysts--rotation-free translation of the parasite is important for good OFM image acquisition. Finally, we report the successful microscopy imaging of both Giardia trophozoites and cysts with an OFM that has a focal plane resolution of 0.8 microns.
Lee
Lap Man
LM
Department of Bioengineering (MC138-78), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. lmlee@caltech.edu
Cui
Xiquan
X
Yang
Changhuei
C
D004867:Equipment Design; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000166:cytology*; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055096:Optical Devices; D011312:Pressure; D053058:Trophozoites / Q000166:cytology*