Single-cell manipulation and analysis using microfluidic devices

Roman, Gregory T.; Chen, Yanli; Viberg, Pernilla; Culbertson, Anne H.; Culbertson, Christopher T.

doi:10.1007/s00216-006-0670-4

Cited by 104 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Copyright 2009 American Chemical Society) the literature, there are not many examples of platforms integrating various sample preparation steps. Many of the problems related to single-cell sample preparation, offering advantages in terms of integration of multiple steps as well as miniaturization, can be solved by employing microfluidics [102][103][104][105][106]. An example of this direction is the study carried out by Wu et al [40]: the authors used a microfluidic chip to address different sample preparation steps, including cell handling, lysis, chemical derivatization, separation, and detection of several amino acids (Fig.…”

Section: Sample Preparation: a Key Challengementioning

confidence: 99%

Analytical techniques for single-cell metabolomics: state of the art and trends

2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Single-cell metabolomics is an emerging field that addresses fundamental biological questions and allows one to observe metabolic phenomena in heterogeneous populations of single cells. In this review, we assess the suitability of different detection techniques and present considerations on sample preparation for single-cell metabolomics. Although targeted analysis of single cells can readily be conducted using fluorescent probes and optical instruments (microscopes, fluorescence detectors), a comprehensive metabolomic approach requires a powerful label-free method, such as mass spectrometry (MS). Mass-spectrometric techniques applied to study small molecules in single cells include electrospray MS, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization MS, and secondary ion MS. Sample preparation is an important aspect to be taken into account during further development of methods for single-cell metabolomics.

show abstract

Section: Sample Preparation: a Key Challengementioning

confidence: 99%

Analytical techniques for single-cell metabolomics: state of the art and trends

2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The technology has already been applied in genomics [138], proteomics [139], sequencing [140] and drug screening [141]. Whilst the implementation of microfluidics in immunological research is still mostly outstanding, working prototypes of the individual components already exist, making it possible to load, sort, culture, image and manipulate individual cells [83]. Microfluidic devices have already been used to monitor T-cell signaling [84] and to study T-cell migration [142].…”

Section: Microfluidicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shine a light: Imaging the immune system

Sarris

Betz

2009

Eur J Immunol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Intra vital microscopy and whole-body imaging promise to revolutionize how we study the immune system. They compel by the intrinsic beauty of the images obtained and the undeniable direct biological relevance of the observations. However, it is important to remember that in many cases, fundamental insights into the underlying biological processes have already been obtained using ex vivo reductionist approaches. Indeed, it is likely that with the advent of microfluidics, new and exciting avenues will open up for ex vivo experimentation. Here, we give a brief but comprehensive overview of the various imaging techniques available, their relative strengths and shortcomings and how these tools have been used to get us to where we are today. The challenge for the future will be to apply the most suitable technology and to integrate the findings across various imaging disciplines to build a unified, comprehensive ''big picture'' of the immune system.Key words: Imaging . Microscopy . Technology During a comparative study of digestive organs, Elie Metchnikoff was intrigued by the fact that certain cells that play no role in digestion, nevertheless have the ability to ingest foreign bodies [1]. The ''model system'' he used to study this phenomenon was the starfish larva, which is transparent enough to observe individual cells moving within. Metchnikoff observed that when he inserted a small splinter into the larvae, some cells accumulated at the point of insult and tried to ingest the foreign body. He had discovered phagocytosis, a phenomenon he demonstrated to be ubiquitous throughout the Animal Kingdom [2]. As higher organisms were not suited to direct microscopic examination, Metchnikoff proceeded to isolate phagocytic cells from the blood of higher organisms and demonstrated that these cells ingest and destroy microorganisms. Based on his observation, he introduced the concept of cellular immunity. Thus, it is fair to say that microscopic imaging has always been at the center of immunological research from its very conception. Initially however, immunologists had no tools with which to observe the cells involved in immune responses in higher organisms in vivo. They could use either tissue sections to reconstitute what had happened from snapshots or they could study specific aspects of the immune response with isolated cell populations ex vivo. The contributions of tissue imaging in immunology over the past century have been recently reviewed [3]. Here, we provide a broad overview of the multitude of imaging approaches that have been applied in immunology, ranging from ex vivo single molecule detection to in vivo whole-body imaging and microfluidic ''lab on a chip'' technology for immunological studies. Ex vivo studiesMany of the functions of the immune system can be mimicked ex vivo using primary cell populations. Early separation techniques relied on the physical characteristics of the cells. Velocity sedimentation was used to sort the cells according to size [4] and differential adherence in order to separate subpop...

show abstract

“…This is a serious limitation, as stochastic processes have been demonstrated to make a substantial if not the dominant role in any number of cellular responses, even amongst supposedly clonal cell cultures [1]. This leads to a significant loss of resolution as a major percentage of a tissue sample or culture must respond similarly in order to be detected, and meaning that outliers and rare cells (such as potentially dangerous cancer precursor cells damaged through oxidative stress) are lost into the noise [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Novel, All-Optical Tool for Controllable and Non-Destructive Poration of Cells with Single-Micron Resolution

Casey

Wylie

Gallo

et al. 2015

Optics in the Life Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:We demonstrate controllable poration within ≈1 µm regions of individual cells, mediated by a near-IR laser interacting with thin-layer amorphous silicon substrates. This technique will allow new experiments in single-cell biology, particularly in neuroscience.As our understanding of the fundamental mechanistic processes underpinning biology expands, so does the need for high-precision tools to allow the dissection of the heterogeneity and stochastic processes that dominate at the single-and sub-cellular level. Here, we demonstrate a highly controllable and reproducible optical technique for inducing poration within specific regions of a target cell's plasma membrane, permitting localized delivery of payloads, depolarization and lysis experiments to be conducted in unprecedented detail. Experiments support a novel mechanism for the process, based upon a thermally-induced change triggered by the interactions of a near-IR laser with a biocompatible thin film substrate at powers substantially below that used in standard optoporation experiments.

show abstract

Single-cell manipulation and analysis using microfluidic devices

Cited by 104 publications

References 24 publications

Analytical techniques for single-cell metabolomics: state of the art and trends

Analytical techniques for single-cell metabolomics: state of the art and trends

Shine a light: Imaging the immune system

A Novel, All-Optical Tool for Controllable and Non-Destructive Poration of Cells with Single-Micron Resolution

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About