Light-induced cell separation in a tailored optical landscape
Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: We demonstrate passive optical sorting of cell populations in the absence of any externally driven fluid flow. Specifically, we report the movement of erythrocytes and lymphocytes in an optical landscape, consisting of a circularly symmetric light pattern created by a Bessel light beam. These distinct cell populations move, spontaneously and differentially, across the underlying periodic optical landscape. Thus, we were able to separate lymphocytes from a mixed population of cells containing erythrocytes and then collect the lymphocytes in a microcapillary reservoir. We also demonstrate an enhanced form of this separation that exploits the polarizability of silica microspheres by attaching spheres coated with antibodies to cell surface markers to a subpopulation of lymphocytes. These techniques may be applied using standard laboratory apparatus.
Source: Applied Physics Letters
DOI: 10.1063/1.2045548
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2018421561