An acoustofluidic trap and transfer approach for organizing a high density single cell array

Abstract

We demonstrate a hybrid microfluidic system that combines fluidic trapping and acoustic switching to organize an array of single cells at high density. The fluidic trapping step is achieved by balancing the hydrodynamic resistances of three parallel channel segments forming a microfluidic trifurcation, the purpose of which was to capture single cells in a high-density array. Next, the cells were transferred into adjacent larger compartments by generating an array of streaming micro-vortices to move the cells to the desired streamlines in a massively parallel format. This approach can compartmentalize single cells with efficiencies of ≈67% in compartments that have diameters on the order of ∼100 um, which is an appropriate size for single cell proliferation studies and other single cell biochemical measurements.

Time-resolved microwell cell-pairing array reveals multiple T cell activation profiles

“…43 Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that individual cell behaviours are often more relevant for defining the biological property of the population than the average behaviour. 44 With the goal of isolating and analysing single cells, several approaches have been developed in the past, including hydrodynamic traps, [45][46][47][48][49][50] microwell arrays, 18,19,[51][52][53] droplet encapsulation, 23,24,[54][55][56][57][58][59] dielectrophoretic traps, [60][61][62] digital microfluidics, 63,64 adhesion onto functionalized patterned substrates 47,[65][66][67][68][69] and optical, 70-74 magnetic 64,75 or acoustic 46,[76][77][78] manipulation. Of these methods, only hydrodynamic trapping in a microfluidic chamber, [11][12][13][14][15][16] sedimentation in micro-well arrays [17]…”

Massively parallel quantification of phenotypic heterogeneity in single-cell drug responses

“…Microfluidic chips are fabricated on 6-inch wafers using DRIE to form the channel walls, as previously described ( 41 , 42 ). Photoresist (Shipley 1813) is spun onto the wafers at 500 rpm for 5 s and 4000 rpm for 60 s, baked at 115°C for 60 s, exposed to 80 to 100 mJ/cm 2 in a Karl Suss MA6 mask aligner, and then developed in Microposit MF-319 developer for 30 s. The wafers are then thoroughly cleaned and etched to a depth of 15 to 20 μm in the DRIE (SPTS Pegasus Deep Silicon Etcher).…”

Microfluidic Synthesis, Control, and Sensing of Magnetic Nanoparticles: A Review

“…Microfluidic chips provide great opportunities for manipulating microparticles as well as nanoparticles. There are multiple methods for microfluidic-based nanoparticle sorting, including the ones based on hydrodynamic [ 74 , 75 , 76 ], dielectrophoretic [ 77 , 78 ], optical [ 79 , 80 , 81 ], acoustic [ 82 , 83 ], and magnetic forces. Here, we focus on the methods based on magnetic forces specially designed for manipulating magnetic particles.…”