A microfluidic platform for trapping, releasing and super-resolution imaging of single cells.
A multi-layer device, combining hydrodynamic trapping with microfluidic valving techniques, has been developed for on-chip manipulation and imaging of single cells and particles. Such a device contains a flow layer with trapping channels to capture single particles or cells and a control layer with valve channels to selectively control the trap and release processes. Particles and cells have been successfully trapped and released using the proposed device. The device enables the trapping of single particles with a trapping efficiency of greater than 95%, and allows for single particles and cells to be trapped, released and manipulated by simply controlling corresponding valves. Moreover, the trap and release processes are found to be compatible with biological samples like cells. Our device allows stable immobilisation of large numbers of single cells in a few minutes, significantly easing the experiment setup for single-cell characterisation and offering a stable platform for both single-molecule and super-resolution imaging. Proof-of-concept super- resolution imaging experiments with mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) have been conducted by exploiting super-resolution photoactivated localisation microscopy (PALM). Cells and nuclei were stably trapped and imaged. Centromeres of ∼200 nm size could be identified with a localisation precision of <15 nm.
Nanoscience Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 11 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FF, United Kingdom.
Ying
Y
Zhou
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, United Kingdom.
Srinjan
S
Basu
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, United Kingdom.
Kai J
KJ
Wohlfahrt
Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom.
Steven F
SF
Lee
Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom.
David
D
Klenerman
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, United Kingdom.
Ernest D
ED
Laue
Nanoscience Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 11 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FF, United Kingdom.
Ashwin A
AA
Seshia
Embryonic stem cells; Hydrodynamic trapping; Particle manipulation; Single cell analysis; Super-resolution imaging