title: Measurement of surface-mediated Ca2+ transients on the single-cell level in a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip environment.
abstract: Understanding the dynamics of signal transduction processes that are induced by cell-cell or cell-surface interactions requires the physical stimulation of the cells of interest on a single-cell level and without any ill-defined contacting of their cell membrane. However, standard cell culture techniques are inapplicable for this task as they do not provide cell and particle handling at sufficiently high spatial and temporal resolution and are limited to ensemble measurements. Here, we present a novel process line for the individual stimulation of single cells with bioactive surfaces, like other cells or particles, and the simultaneous analysis of the induced cytosolic calcium signals. The method is based on a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip environment that allows for contactless cell and particle handling by dielectrophoretic forces.
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirschbaum
authors.forename: Magnus S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duschl
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism*; D046209:Electrophoresis, Microchip / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium