title: Assessment of cell viability after manipulation with insulator-based dielectrophoresis.
abstract: The effects of insulator-based DEP (iDEP) manipulation on cell viability were investigated by varying operating conditions and the shape of the insulating structures. Experiments were conducted with Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells by varying the applied potential (300-1000 V), exposure time (1-4 min), and composition of the suspending medium (0-10% glucose); using devices made from polydimethylsiloxane. Cell viability was quantified employing Trypan blue staining protocols. The results illustrated a strong decrease in cell survival at higher applied electric potentials and exposure times; and an increase in cell viability obtained by increasing suspending medium osmolality. The composition and structure of the cell wall also played a major role on cell survival, where prokaryotic Gram-positive B. subtilis was the most resilient cell strain, while eukaryotic S. cerevisiae had the lowest survival rate. Due to the popularity of iDEP in applications with biological cells, characterizing how iDEP operating conditions affect cell viability is essential.
authors.affiliation: Microscale Bioseparations Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: LaLonde
authors.affiliation: Microscale Bioseparations Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Romero-Creel
authors.affiliation: Microscale Bioseparations Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Blanca H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lapizco-Encinas
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D004566:Electrodes; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Cell viability; Cells; Dielectrophoresis; Electric field; Electrokinetics; Microfluidics