title: Force-controlled manipulation of single cells: from AFM to FluidFM.
abstract: The ability to perturb individual cells and to obtain information at the single-cell level is of central importance for addressing numerous biological questions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers great potential for this prospering field. Traditionally used as an imaging tool, more recent developments have extended the variety of cell-manipulation protocols. Fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM) combines AFM with microfluidics via microchanneled cantilevers with nano-sized apertures. The crucial element of the technology is the connection of the hollow cantilevers to a pressure controller, allowing their operation in liquid as force-controlled nanopipettes under optical control. Proof-of-concept studies demonstrated a broad spectrum of single-cell applications including isolation, deposition, adhesion and injection in a range of biological systems.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Orane
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Guillaume-Gentil
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Potthoff
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ossola
authors.affiliation: DFG-Center for Functional Nanostructures, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, Wolfgang-Gaede-Strasse 1a, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: Clemens M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: zambelli@biomed.ee.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Tomaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zambelli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: vorholt@micro.biol.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vorholt
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000379:methods*
keywords: atomic force microscopy; fluidic force microscopy; single-cell analysis; single-cell perturbation