Work

Automatic cell fusion via optically-induced dielectrophoresis and optically-induced locally-enhanced electric field on a microfluidic chip

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Cell fusion technology has been exploited in a wide variety of biomedical applications, and physical, chemical, and biological approaches can all be used to fuse two different types of cells; however, no current technique is adept at inducing both cell pairing and fusion at high efficiencies and yields. Hence, we developed a new method featuring the use of optically induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) in conjunction with an optically induced, locally enhanced electric field for accurate and automatic cell pairing and fusion on a microfluidic device. After pairing cells via ODEP, a locally enhanced electric field generated by "virtual electrodes" by projecting light patterns was enacted to induce a proper transmembrane potential at the cell contact area such that cell fusion could be triggered by white light exposure. As a fusion yield of 9.67% was achieved between Pan1 and A549 cells, we believe that this may be a promising technique for automatically fusing different cell types.

Source: Biomicrofluidics

DOI: 10.1063/1.5028158

Authors: Yu-Chun Hsiao, Chih-Hung Wang, Wen-Bin Lee, Gwo-Bin Lee

Institution: National Tsing Hua University

Language: English

Topic: Microfluidic and Bio-sensing Technologies

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, National Institutes of Health

Award: G3410446741