High-performing hybridization platforms fabricated by reactive microcontact printing of DNA probes are presented. Multishaped PDMS molds are used to covalently bind oligonucleotides over a functional copolymer (DMA-NAS-MAPS) surface. Printed structures with minimum width of about 1.5 μm, spaced by 10 μm, are demonstrated, with edge corrugation lower than 300 nm. The quantification of the immobilized surface probes via fluorescence imaging gives a remarkable concentration of 3.3 × 10(3) oligonucleotides/μm(2), almost totally active when used as probes in DNA-DNA hybridization assays. Indeed, fluorescence and atomic force microscopy show a 95% efficiency in target binding and uniform DNA hybridization over printed areas.
Magnetic cell manipulation utilizing magnetic particles and diamagnetic collagen fibers J. Appl. Phys. 99, 08R906 (2006); 10.1063/1.2175957Superconducting quantum interference device-based magnetic nanoparticle relaxation measurement as a novel tool for the binding specific detection of biological binding reactions (abstract)
SignificanceThis paper presents the magnetic transport of diamagnetic graphite microparticles in water solutions. Given the dominance of viscous drag forces at the microscale, moving a microparticle that is submerged in liquid is comparably as hard as moving a macroparticle within dense honey. While diamagnetism is a weak magnetic property, for graphite it can be exploited to generate useful transport in liquid. The contactless magnetic control of biocompatible micrographite, together with graphite’s unique physical properties, opens up possibilities for applications in sensing, analysis, synthesis, and diagnosis in chemistry, biology, medicine, and physics.
In vitro tests are of fundamental importance for investigating cell mechanisms in response to mechanical stimuli or the impact of the genotype on cell mechanical properties. In particular, the application of controlled forces to activate specific bio-pathways and investigate their effects, mimicking the role of the cellular environment, is becoming a prominent approach in the emerging field of mechanobiology. Here, we present an on-chip device based on magnetic domain wall manipulators, which allows the application of finely controlled and localized forces on target living cells. In particular, we demonstrate the application of a magnetic force in the order of hundreds of pN on the membrane of HeLa cells cultured on-chip, via manipulation of 1 μm superparamagnetic beads. Such a mechanical stimulus produces a sizable local indentation of the cellular membrane of about 2 μm. Upon evaluation of the beads' position within the magnetic field originated by the domain wall, the force applied during the experiments is accurately quantified via micromagnetic simulations. The obtained value is in good agreement with that calculated by the application of an elastic model to the cellular membrane.
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