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Abstract
Electroporation (EP) is a commonly used strategy to increase cell permeability for intracellular cargo delivery or irreversible cell membrane disruption using electric fields. In recent years, EP performance has been improved by shrinking electrodes and device structures to the microscale. Integration with microfluidics has led to the design of devices performing static EP, where cells are fixed in a defined region, or continuous EP, where cells constantly pass through the device. Each device type performs superior to conventional, macroscale EP devices while providing additional advantages in precision manipulation (static EP) and increased throughput (continuous EP). Microscale EP is gentle on cells and has enabled more sensitive assaying of cells with novel applications. In this Review, we present the physical principles of microscale EP devices and examine design trends in recent years. In addition, we discuss the use of reversible and irreversible EP in the development of therapeutics and analysis of intracellular contents, among other noteworthy applications. This Review aims to inform and encourage scientists and engineers to expand the use of efficient and versatile microscale EP technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Eun Choi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Harrison Khoo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Soojung Claire Hur
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, 401 North Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
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2
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Karcz A, Van Soom A, Smits K, Verplancke R, Van Vlierberghe S, Vanfleteren J. Electrically-driven handling of gametes and embryos: taking a step towards the future of ARTs. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1852-1875. [PMID: 35510672 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01160j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Electrical stimulation of gametes and embryos and on-chip manipulation of microdroplets of culture medium serve as promising tools for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). Thus far, dielectrophoresis (DEP), electrorotation (ER) and electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) proved compatible with most laboratory procedures offered by ARTs. Positioning, entrapment and selection of reproductive cells can be achieved with DEP and ER, while EWOD provides the dynamic microenvironment of a developing embryo to better mimic the functions of the oviduct. Furthermore, these techniques are applicable for the assessment of the developmental competence of a mammalian embryo in vitro. Such research paves the way towards the amelioration and full automation of the assisted reproduction methods. This article aims to provide a summary on the recent developments regarding electrically stimulated lab-on-chip devices and their application for the manipulation of gametes and embryos in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Karcz
- Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), Imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Ghent, Belgium.
- Reproductive Biology Unit (RBU), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133 D4 entrance 4, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Ann Van Soom
- Reproductive Biology Unit (RBU), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133 D4 entrance 4, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Katrien Smits
- Reproductive Biology Unit (RBU), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133 D4 entrance 4, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Rik Verplancke
- Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), Imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Sandra Van Vlierberghe
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Campus Sterre, building S4, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Vanfleteren
- Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), Imec and Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Ghent, Belgium.
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3
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Liu X, Zhang W, Farooq U, Rong N, Shi J, Pang N, Xu L, Niu L, Meng L. Rapid cell pairing and fusion based on oscillating bubbles within an acoustofluidic device. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:921-927. [PMID: 35137756 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01074c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cell fusion is an essential event in many biological processes and has gained increasing attention in the field of biotechnology. In this study, we demonstrate an effective and convenient strategy for cell capture, pairing, and fusion based on oscillating bubbles within an acoustofluidic device. Multirectangular structures of the same size were fabricated at the sidewall of polydimethylsiloxane to generate monodisperse microbubbles. These microbubbles oscillated with a similar amplitude under single-frequency acoustic excitation. Cells were simultaneously captured and paired on the surface of the oscillating bubbles within 40 ms, and the efficiency reached approximately 90%. Homotypic or heterotypic cell membrane fusion was achieved within 15 and 20 min, respectively. More importantly, the homotypic fused cells enabled migration and proliferation at 24 h, indicating that the important biological functions were not altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufang Liu
- College of Medicine and Biological information engineering, Northeastern University, Liaoning 110819, China.
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Umar Farooq
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Ning Rong
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Jingyao Shi
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Na Pang
- College of Medicine and Biological information engineering, Northeastern University, Liaoning 110819, China.
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Lisheng Xu
- College of Medicine and Biological information engineering, Northeastern University, Liaoning 110819, China.
| | - Lili Niu
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
| | - Long Meng
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong 518055, China.
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4
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Pendharkar G, Lu YT, Chang CM, Lu MP, Lu CH, Chen CC, Liu CH. A Microfluidic Flip-Chip Combining Hydrodynamic Trapping and Gravitational Sedimentation for Cell Pairing and Fusion. Cells 2021; 10:cells10112855. [PMID: 34831078 PMCID: PMC8616069 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cell–immune cell hybrids and cancer immunotherapy have attracted much attention in recent years. The design of efficient cell pairing and fusion chips for hybridoma generation has been, subsequently, a subject of great interest. Here, we report a three-layered integrated Microfluidic Flip-Chip (MFC) consisting of a thin through-hole membrane sandwiched between a mirrored array of microfluidic channels and saw-tooth shaped titanium electrodes on the glass. We discuss the design and operation of MFC and show its applicability for cell fusion. The proposed device combines passive hydrodynamic phenomenon and gravitational sedimentation, which allows the transportation and trapping of homotypic and heterotypic cells in large numbers with pairing efficiencies of 75~78% and fusion efficiencies of 73%. Additionally, we also report properties of fused cells from cell biology perspectives, including combined fluorescence-labeled intracellular materials from THP1 and A549, mixed cell morphology, and cell viability. The MFC can be tuned for pairing and fusion of cells with a similar protocol for different cell types. The MFC can be easily disconnected from the test setup for further analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Pendharkar
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan; (G.P.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-C.C.)
| | - Yen-Ta Lu
- Chest Department, MacKay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 10449, Taiwan;
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 10449, Taiwan; (C.-M.C.); (M.-P.L.)
| | - Chia-Ming Chang
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 10449, Taiwan; (C.-M.C.); (M.-P.L.)
| | - Meng-Ping Lu
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 10449, Taiwan; (C.-M.C.); (M.-P.L.)
| | - Chung-Huan Lu
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan; (G.P.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-C.C.)
| | - Chih-Chen Chen
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan; (G.P.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-C.C.)
- Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsien Liu
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan; (G.P.); (C.-H.L.); (C.-C.C.)
- Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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5
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Ma Y, Gu M, Chen L, Shen H, Pan Y, Pang Y, Miao S, Tong R, Huang H, Zhu Y, Sun L. Recent advances in critical nodes of embryo engineering technology. Theranostics 2021; 11:7391-7424. [PMID: 34158857 PMCID: PMC8210615 DOI: 10.7150/thno.58799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The normal development and maturation of oocytes and sperm, the formation of fertilized ova, the implantation of early embryos, and the growth and development of foetuses are the biological basis of mammalian reproduction. Therefore, research on oocytes has always occupied a very important position in the life sciences and reproductive medicine fields. Various embryo engineering technologies for oocytes, early embryo formation and subsequent developmental stages and different target sites, such as gene editing, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technologies, have all been established and widely used in industrialization. However, as research continues to deepen and target species become more advanced, embryo engineering technology has also been developing in a more complex and sophisticated direction. At the same time, the success rate also shows a declining trend, resulting in an extension of the research and development cycle and rising costs. By studying the existing embryo engineering technology process, we discovered three critical nodes that have the greatest impact on the development of oocytes and early embryos, namely, oocyte micromanipulation, oocyte electrical activation/reconstructed embryo electrofusion, and the in vitro culture of early embryos. This article mainly demonstrates the efforts made by researchers in the relevant technologies of these three critical nodes from an engineering perspective, analyses the shortcomings of the current technology, and proposes a plan and prospects for the development of embryo engineering technology in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youwen Ma
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Mingwei Gu
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Liguo Chen
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Hao Shen
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yifan Pan
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yan Pang
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Sheng Miao
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ruiqing Tong
- Cardiology, Dushuhu Public Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China
| | - Haibo Huang
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yichen Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Suda Genomic Resource Center, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Lining Sun
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics & Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
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6
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Okanojo M, Okeyo KO, Hanzawa H, Kurosawa O, Oana H, Takeda S, Washizu M. Nuclear transplantation between allogeneic cells through topological reconnection of plasma membrane in a microfluidic system. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2019; 13:034115. [PMID: 31312284 PMCID: PMC6614026 DOI: 10.1063/1.5098829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that somatic cells fused with pluripotent stem cells can be reprogrammed on the basis of reprogramming factors acquired from the latter. However, fusion-reprogrammed cells are deemed unsuitable for therapeutic applications mainly because conventional fusion techniques often yield tetraploid fusants that contain exogenous genes acquired from the fusion partners. Here, we present a novel cell-cell topological reconnection technique and demonstrate its application to nuclear transplantation between a somatic cell and a stem cell without nuclei mixing. As a proof of concept, a microfluidic fusion chip embodied with a microslit (4 μm in width) to prevent nuclei mixing was developed and used to perform one-to-one electrofusion of a target somatic cell (Jurkat cell) with an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell. To extract its cytoplasm, the target cell was first topologically connected to a sacrificial iPS cell by electrofusion via a microslit, followed by shear flow removal of the latter to obtain a cytoplasm-depleted nucleus of the target cell. Then, to replace the lost cytoplasm, topological reconnection to a second iPS cell was performed similarly by electrofusion, followed by shear flow separation of the target cell to enable it acquire most of the iPS cytoplasm, but without nuclei mixing. Microscopic observation of target cells harvested and cultured post hoc in a microwell confirmed that they manifested cell division. Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential application of the cell-cell topological reconnection technique to somatic cell nuclear transplantation for the generation of autologous pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Okanojo
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: or . Tel.: +81-3-5841-6278 or +81-42-323-1111
| | | | - Hiroko Hanzawa
- Center for Exploratory Research, Research and Development Group, Hitachi, Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395, Japan
| | - Osamu Kurosawa
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Hidehiro Oana
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shizu Takeda
- Center for Exploratory Research, Research and Development Group, Hitachi, Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395, Japan
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Choi S, Ko K, Lim J, Kim SH, Woo SH, Kim YS, Key J, Lee SY, Park IS, Lee SW. Non-Linear Cellular Dielectrophoretic Behavior Characterization Using Dielectrophoretic Tweezers-Based Force Spectroscopy inside a Microfluidic Device. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18103543. [PMID: 30347732 PMCID: PMC6210972 DOI: 10.3390/s18103543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Characterization of cellular dielectrophoretic (DEP) behaviors, when cells are exposed to an alternating current (AC) electric field of varying frequency, is fundamentally important to many applications using dielectrophoresis. However, to date, that characterization has been performed with monotonically increasing or decreasing frequency, not with successive increases and decreases, even though cells might behave differently with those frequency modulations due to the nonlinear cellular electrodynamic responses reported in previous works. In this report, we present a method to trace the behaviors of numerous cells simultaneously at the single-cell level in a simple, robust manner using dielectrophoretic tweezers-based force spectroscopy. Using this method, the behaviors of more than 150 cells were traced in a single environment at the same time, while a modulated DEP force acted upon them, resulting in characterization of nonlinear DEP cellular behaviors and generation of different cross-over frequencies in living cells by modulating the DEP force. This study demonstrated that living cells can have non-linear di-polarized responses depending on the modulation direction of the applied frequency as well as providing a simple and reliable platform from which to measure a cellular cross-over frequency and characterize its nonlinear property.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungyeop Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - Kwanhwi Ko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - Jongwon Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - Sung Hoon Kim
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - Sung-Hun Woo
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - Yoon Suk Kim
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - Jaehong Key
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - Sei Young Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
| | - In Su Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
- Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana⁻Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Sang Woo Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea.
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8
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Wu C, Chen R, Liu Y, Yu Z, Jiang Y, Cheng X. A planar dielectrophoresis-based chip for high-throughput cell pairing. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:4008-4014. [PMID: 29115319 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc01082f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
This paper reports the design and fabrication of a planar chip for high-throughput cell trapping and pairing (more than 2400 single cell-cell pairs in a microwell array) in a 1 × 1.5 cm area by positive dielectrophoresis (p-DEP) within only several minutes. The p-DEP was generated by applying an alternating current signal on a novel two-pair interdigitated array (TPIDA) electrode. The TPIDA electrode not only enabled the planar chip to be incorporated with a most often used PDMS microfluidic channel, but also contributed to a high single cell-cell pairing efficiency up to 74.2% by decreasing the induced electric field during consecutive p-DEP trapping of two cell types. Furthermore, the paired cells in each microwell could be "pushed" together into a microbaffle by a liquid flow through a capillary-sized channel, resulting in single cell-cell contact. More importantly, the planar chip could be used repeatedly by a simple water cleaning process. The planar chip offers an effective way for high-throughput single cell-cell pairing, which could provide a facile platform for cell communication and a precise cell pairing step in cell fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- ChunHui Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Lu YT, Pendharkar GP, Lu CH, Chang CM, Liu CH. A microfluidic approach towards hybridoma generation for cancer immunotherapy. Oncotarget 2016; 6:38764-76. [PMID: 26462149 PMCID: PMC4770735 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dendritic cells/tumor fusions have shown to elicit anti-cancer immunity in different cancer types. However, the application of these vaccines for human cancer immunotherapy are limited by the instable quality and insufficient quanity of fusion cells. We present a cell electrofusion chip fabricated using soft lithography technique, which combines the rapid and precise cell pairing microstructures and the high yield electrofusion micro-electrodes to improve the cell fusion. The design uses hydrodynamic trapping in combination with positive dielectrophoretic force (pDEP) to achieve cell fusion. The chip consists of total 960 pairs of trapping channels, which are capable of pairing and fusing both homogeneous and heterogeneous types of cells. The fused cells can be easily taken out of the chip that makes this device a distinguishable from other designs. We observe pairing efficiency of 68% with fusion efficiency of 64%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Ta Lu
- Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | | | - Chung-Huan Lu
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Chia-Ming Chang
- Department of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsien Liu
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C
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A Cell Electrofusion Chip for Somatic Cells Reprogramming. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131966. [PMID: 26177036 PMCID: PMC4503441 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion is a potent approach to explore the mechanisms of somatic cells reprogramming. However, previous fusion methods, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) mediated cell fusion, are often limited by poor fusion yields. In this study, we developed a simplified cell electrofusion chip, which was based on a micro-cavity/ discrete microelectrode structure to improve the fusion efficiency and to reduce multi-cell electrofusion. Using this chip, we could efficiently fuse NIH3T3 cells and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) to induce somatic cells reprogramming. We also found that fused cells demethylated gradually and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) was involved in the demethylation during the reprogramming. Thus, the cell electrofusion chip would facilitate reprogramming mechanisms research by improving efficiency of cell fusion and reducing workloads.
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11
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Dielectrophoresis for bioparticle manipulation. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:18281-309. [PMID: 25310652 PMCID: PMC4227216 DOI: 10.3390/ijms151018281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
As an ideal method to manipulate biological particles, the dielectrophoresis (DEP) technique has been widely used in clinical diagnosis, disease treatment, drug development, immunoassays, cell sorting, etc. This review summarizes the research in the field of bioparticle manipulation based on DEP techniques. Firstly, the basic principle of DEP and its classical theories are introduced in brief; Secondly, a detailed introduction on the DEP technique used for bioparticle manipulation is presented, in which the applications are classified into five fields: capturing bioparticles to specific regions, focusing bioparticles in the sample, characterizing biomolecular interaction and detecting microorganism, pairing cells for electrofusion and separating different kinds of bioparticles; Thirdly, the effect of DEP on bioparticle viability is analyzed; Finally, the DEP techniques are summarized and future trends in bioparticle manipulation are suggested.
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12
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Yoshimura Y, Tomita M, Mizutani F, Yasukawa T. Cell pairing using microwell array electrodes based on dielectrophoresis. Anal Chem 2014; 86:6818-22. [PMID: 24947270 DOI: 10.1021/ac5015996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We report a simple device with an array of 10,000 (100 × 100) microwells for producing vertical pairs of cells in individual microwells with a rapid manipulation based on positive dielectrophoresis (p-DEP). The areas encircled with micropoles which fabricated from an electrical insulating photosensitive polymer were used as microwells. The width (14 μm) and depth (25 μm) of the individual microwells restricted the size to two vertically aligned cells. The DEP device for the manipulation of cells consisted of a microfluidic channel with an upper indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and a lower microwell array electrode fabricated on an ITO substrate. Mouse myeloma cells stained in green were trapped within 1 s in the microwells by p-DEP by applying an alternating current voltage between the upper ITO and the lower microwell array electrode. The cells were retained inside the wells even after switching off the voltage and washing with a fluidic flow. Other myeloma cells stained in blue were then trapped in the microwells occupied by the cells stained in green to form the vertical cell pairing in the microwells. Cells stained in different colors were paired within only 1 min and a pairing efficiency of over 50% was achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Yoshimura
- Graduate School of Material Science, University of Hyogo , 3-2-1 Kouto, Kamigori, Ako, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan
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13
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Hamdi FS, Français O, Subra F, Dufour-Gergam E, Le Pioufle B. Microarray of non-connected gold pads used as high density electric traps for parallelized pairing and fusion of cells. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2013; 7:44101. [PMID: 24404035 PMCID: PMC3716780 DOI: 10.1063/1.4813062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Cell fusion consists of inducing the formation of a hybridoma cell containing the genetic properties of the progenitor cells. Such an operation is usually performed chemically or electrically. The latter method, named electrofusion, is considered as having a strong potential, due to its efficiency and non-toxicity, but deserves further investigations prior to being applicable for key applications like antibody production and cancer immunotherapy. Indeed, to envision such applications, a high amount of hybrid cells is needed. In this context, we present in this paper a device for massive cell pairing and electrofusion, using a microarray of non-connected conductive pads. The electrofusion chamber--or channel--exposes cells to an inhomogeneous electric field, caused by the pads array, enabling the trapping and pairing of cells with dielectrophoresis (DEP) forces prior to electrofusion. Compared to a mechanical trapping, such electric trapping is fully reversible (on/off handling). The DEP force is contactless and thus eases the release of the produced hybridoma. Moreover, the absence of wire connections on the pads permits the high density trapping and electrofusion of cells. In this paper, the electric field mapping, the effect of metallic pads thickness, and the transmembrane potential of cells are studied based on a numerical model to optimize the device. Electric calculations and experiments were conducted to evaluate the trapping force. The structure was finally validated for cell pairing and electrofusion of arrays of cells. We believe that our approach of fully electric trapping with a simple structure is a promising method for massive production of electrofused hybridoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feriel S Hamdi
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, CNRS, SATIE, UMR 8029, Cachan, France ; Univ Paris-Sud, CNRS, Institut d'Electronique Fondamentale, UMR 8622, Orsay, France
| | - Olivier Français
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, CNRS, SATIE, UMR 8029, Cachan, France
| | - Frederic Subra
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, CNRS, LBPA, UMR 8113, Cachan, France
| | | | - Bruno Le Pioufle
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, CNRS, SATIE, UMR 8029, Cachan, France
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14
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Alshareef M, Metrakos N, Juarez Perez E, Azer F, Yang F, Yang X, Wang G. Separation of tumor cells with dielectrophoresis-based microfluidic chip. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2013; 7:11803. [PMID: 24403985 PMCID: PMC3555970 DOI: 10.1063/1.4774312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2012] [Accepted: 12/17/2012] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The present work demonstrates the use of a dielectrophoretic lab-on-a-chip device in effectively separating different cancer cells of epithelial origin for application in circulating tumor cell (CTC) identification. This study uses dielectrophoresis (DEP) to distinguish and separate MCF-7 human breast cancer cells from HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. The DEP responses for each cell type were measured against AC electrical frequency changes in solutions of varying conductivities. Increasing the conductivity of the suspension directly correlated with an increasing frequency value for the first cross-over (no DEP force) point in the DEP spectra. Differences in the cross-over frequency for each cell type were leveraged to determine a frequency at which the two types of cell could be separated through DEP forces. Under a particular medium conductivity, different types of cells could have different DEP behaviors in a very narrow AC frequency band, demonstrating a high specificity of DEP. Using a microfluidic DEP sorter with optically transparent electrodes, MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells were successfully separated from each other under a 3.2 MHz frequency in a 0.1X PBS solution. Further experiments were conducted to characterize the separation efficiency (enrichment factor) by changing experimental parameters (AC frequency, voltage, and flow rate). This work has shown the high specificity of the described DEP cell sorter for distinguishing cells with similar characteristics for potential diagnostic applications through CTC enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Alshareef
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
| | - Nicholas Metrakos
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
| | - Eva Juarez Perez
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
| | - Fadi Azer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Fang Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
| | - Xiaoming Yang
- WJB Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Columbia, South Carolina and Dorn Research Institute, Columbia, South Carolina 29209, USA
| | - Guiren Wang
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA ; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
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15
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Hu N, Yang J, Qian S, Zhang X, Joo SW, Zheng X. A cell electrofusion microfluidic chip using discrete coplanar vertical sidewall microelectrodes. Electrophoresis 2012; 33:1980-6. [PMID: 22806463 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201100579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2023]
Abstract
A novel cell electrofusion microfluidic chip using discrete coplanar vertical sidewall electrodes has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The device contains a serpentine-shaped microchannel with 22 500 pairs of vertical sidewall microelectrodes patterned on two opposing vertical sidewalls of the microchannel. The adjacent microelectrodes on each sidewall are separated by coplanar SiO(2) -Polysilicon-SiO(2) /silicon. This design of coplanar discrete vertical sidewall electrodes eliminates the "dead area" present in previous designs using continuous three-dimensional (3D) protruding sidewall electrodes, and generates uniform electric field along the height of the microchannel, leading to a lower voltage required for cell fusion compared to designs using 2D thin-film electrodes. This device is tested to fuse NIH3T3 cells under a low voltage (∼9 V). Almost 100% cells are aligned to the edge of the discrete microelectrodes, and cell-cell pairing efficiency reaches 70%. The electrofusion efficiency is above 40% of the total cells loaded into the device, which is much higher than traditional fusion methods and existing microfluidic devices using continuous 3D protruding sidewall microelectrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory for Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education Chongqing University, Chongqing, P. R. China
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16
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Development and Prospect of Cell-electrofusion Chip Technology. CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2040(11)60533-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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17
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Hu N, Yang J, Qian S, Joo SW, Zheng X. A cell electrofusion microfluidic device integrated with 3D thin-film microelectrode arrays. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2011; 5:34121-3412112. [PMID: 22662046 PMCID: PMC3364834 DOI: 10.1063/1.3630125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2011] [Accepted: 08/03/2011] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
A microfluidic device integrated with 3D thin film microelectrode arrays wrapped around serpentine-shaped microchannel walls has been designed, fabricated and tested for cell electrofusion. Each microelectrode array has 1015 discrete microelectrodes patterned on each side wall, and the adjacent microelectrodes are separated by coplanar dielectric channel wall. The device was tested to electrofuse K562 cells under a relatively low voltage. Under an AC electric field applied between the pair of the microelectrode arrays, cells are paired at the edge of each discrete microelectrode due to the induced positive dielectrophoresis. Subsequently, electric pulse signals are sequentially applied between the microelectrode arrays to induce electroporation and electrofusion. Compared to the design with thin film microelectrode arrays deposited at the bottom of the side walls, the 3D thin film microelectrode array could induce electroporation and electrofusion under a lower voltage. The staggered electrode arrays on opposing side walls induce inhomogeneous electric field distribution, which could avoid multi-cell fusion. The alignment and pairing efficiencies of K562 cells in this device were 99% and 70.7%, respectively. The electric pulse of low voltage (∼9 V) could induce electrofusion of these cells, and the fusion efficiency was about 43.1% of total cells loaded into the device, which is much higher than that of the convectional and most existing microfluidics-based electrofusion devices.
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18
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Gagnon ZR. Cellular dielectrophoresis: applications to the characterization, manipulation, separation and patterning of cells. Electrophoresis 2011; 32:2466-87. [PMID: 21922493 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201100060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2011] [Revised: 05/30/2011] [Accepted: 06/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade, dielectrophoresis (DEP) has evolved into a powerful, robust and flexible method for cellular characterization, manipulation, separation and cell patterning. It is a field with widely varying disciplines, as it is quite common to see DEP integrated with a host of applications including microfluidics, impedance spectroscopy, tissue engineering, real-time PCR, immunoassays, stem-cell characterization, gene transfection and electroporation, just to name a few. The field is finally at the point where analytical and numerical polarization models can be used to adequately describe and characterize the dielectrophoretic behavior of cells, and there is ever increasing evidence demonstrating that electric fields can safely be used to manipulate cells without harm. As such, DEP is slowly making its way into the biological sciences. Today, DEP is being used to manipulate individual cells to specific regions of space for single-cell assays. DEP is able to separate rare cells from a heterogeneous cell suspension, where isolated cells can then be characterized and dynamically studied using nothing more than electric fields. However, there is need for a critical report to integrate the many new features of DEP for cellular applications. Here, a review of the basic theory and current applications of DEP, specifically for cells, is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary R Gagnon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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Kimura Y, Gel M, Techaumnat B, Oana H, Kotera H, Washizu M. Dielectrophoresis-assisted massively parallel cell pairing and fusion based on field constriction created by a micro-orifice array sheet. Electrophoresis 2011; 32:2496-501. [DOI: 10.1002/elps.201100129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2011] [Revised: 04/22/2011] [Accepted: 04/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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