title: Self-folding single cell grippers.
abstract: Given the heterogeneous nature of cultures, tumors, and tissues, the ability to capture, contain, and analyze single cells is important for genomics, proteomics, diagnostics, therapeutics, and surgery. Moreover, for surgical applications in small conduits in the body such as in the cardiovascular system, there is a need for tiny tools that approach the size of the single red blood cells that traverse the blood vessels and capillaries. We describe the fabrication of arrayed or untethered single cell grippers composed of biocompatible and bioresorbable silicon monoxide and silicon dioxide. The energy required to actuate these grippers is derived from the release of residual stress in 3-27 nm thick films, did not require any wires, tethers, or batteries, and resulted in folding angles over 100° with folding radii as small as 765 nm. We developed and applied a finite element model to predict these folding angles. Finally, we demonstrated the capture of live mouse fibroblast cells in an array of grippers and individual red blood cells in untethered grippers which could be released from the substrate to illustrate the potential utility for in vivo operations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Malachowski
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jamal
authors.forename: Qianru
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Beril
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gracias
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D010087:Oxides; D017655:Silicon Compounds; C116473:silicon monoxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide