A planar dielectrophoresis-based chip for high-throughput cell pairing

Abstract

This paper reports the design and fabrication of a planar chip for high-throughput cell trapping and pairing (more than 2400 single cell-cell pairs in a microwell array) in a 1 × 1.5 cm area by positive dielectrophoresis (p-DEP) within only several minutes. The p-DEP was generated by applying an alternating current signal on a novel two-pair interdigitated array (TPIDA) electrode. The TPIDA electrode not only enabled the planar chip to be incorporated with a most often used PDMS microfluidic channel, but also contributed to a high single cell-cell pairing efficiency up to 74.2% by decreasing the induced electric field during consecutive p-DEP trapping of two cell types. Furthermore, the paired cells in each microwell could be "pushed" together into a microbaffle by a liquid flow through a capillary-sized channel, resulting in single cell-cell contact. More importantly, the planar chip could be used repeatedly by a simple water cleaning process. The planar chip offers an effective way for high-throughput single cell-cell pairing, which could provide a facile platform for cell communication and a precise cell pairing step in cell fusion.

Microfluidic Single‐Cell Omics Analysis

“…A gap was introduced to direct cell‐carried fluid streamlines so that single cells could be isolated along with reasonable trap depth. This type of microdam was widely used for single‐cell in situ analysis, culture, transfer, pairing, and fusion . However, this microarray design was compromised by the low efficiency of cell trapping.…”

“…D) Scheme of the planar chip by coupling cell‐trapping microarrays with pDEP for cell trapping and pairing. Reproduced with permission . Copyright 2017, Royal Society of Chemistry.…”

“…Using this strategy, different kinds of cells can be selectively captured and manipulated owing to the distinct dielectric properties. Wu et al reported a planar chip by coupling cell‐trapping microarrays with pDEP, achieving over 70% pairing efficiency of single cells (Figure D) . This device had great potential for further study of cell fusion and cell communication.…”

Microfluidic device embedding electrodes for dielectrophoretic manipulation of cells‐A review

“…Wu et al. designed a novel planar chip for high‐throughput cell/cell pairing (more than 2400 pairs in a 1 × 1.5 cm area) only several minutes at a high pairing efficiency up to 74.2% , as shown in Fig. .…”

“…(B) The p‐DEP trapping of type‐A cells into the microwell‐20 array on pair A‐IDA electrodes. (C) The p‐DEP trapping of type‐B cells into the microwell‐20 array on pair B‐IDA electrodes .…”