1
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Bae SJ, Choi SH, Im DJ. 3D Cell Culture Method in Channel-Free Water-in-Oil Droplets. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2301145. [PMID: 38239079 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
A new channel-free water-in-oil (WO) droplet 3D cell culture method is proposed to address the challenges while maintaining the advantages of the conventional 3D cell culture methods. The proposed WO method can fundamentally solve the constraint of spheroids size, a common challenge in conventional 3D culture, by using droplet size controllability. The 3D cell culture performance of the WO method is verified by comparing it with the conventional 3D cell culture methods. A systematic investigation of the culture conditions of the WO method confirms the working range of cell concentration and droplet size, as well as the scalability of spheroid size. Adjusting droplet size and cell concentration enables rapid spheroid formation with large and high cell concentration droplets or fast spheroid growth with small and low cell concentration droplets, providing control over the spheroid size and growth rate according to the purpose. Furthermore, long-term culture is demonstrated for 1 month with the proposed method, showing the largest spheroid culture and demonstrating the possibility that this method can be used not only for spheroid formation but also for organoid studies. Finally, if a WO-based automated 3D cell culture system is developed, it will be a useful tool for organoid research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seo Jun Bae
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, 45, Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan, 48513, South Korea
| | - Seung Hui Choi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, 45, Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan, 48513, South Korea
| | - Do Jin Im
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, 45, Yongso-ro, Nam-Gu, Busan, 48513, South Korea
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2
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Tang Y, Duan F, Zhou A, Kanitthamniyom P, Luo S, Hu X, Jiang X, Vasoo S, Zhang X, Zhang Y. Image-based real-time feedback control of magnetic digital microfluidics by artificial intelligence-empowered rapid object detector for automated in vitro diagnostics. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10428. [PMID: 37476053 PMCID: PMC10354763 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro diagnostics (IVD) plays a critical role in healthcare and public health management. Magnetic digital microfluidics (MDM) perform IVD assays by manipulating droplets on an open substrate with magnetic particles. Automated IVD based on MDM could reduce the risk of accidental exposure to contagious pathogens among healthcare workers. However, it remains challenging to create a fully automated IVD platform based on the MDM technology because of a lack of effective feedback control system to ensure the successful execution of various droplet operations required for IVD. In this work, an artificial intelligence (AI)-empowered MDM platform with image-based real-time feedback control is presented. The AI is trained to recognize droplets and magnetic particles, measure their size, and determine their location and relationship in real time; it shows the ability to rectify failed droplet operations based on the feedback information, a function that is unattainable by conventional MDM platforms, thereby ensuring that the entire IVD process is not interrupted due to the failure of liquid handling. We demonstrate fundamental droplet operations, which include droplet transport, particle extraction, droplet merging and droplet mixing, on the MDM platform and show how the AI rectify failed droplet operations by acting upon the feedback information. Protein quantification and antibiotic resistance detection are performed on this AI-empowered MDM platform, and the results obtained agree well with the benchmarks. We envision that this AI-based feedback approach will be widely adopted not only by MDM but also by other types of digital microfluidic platforms to offer precise and error-free droplet operations for a wide range of automated IVD applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Tang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
| | - Fei Duan
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
| | - Aiwu Zhou
- Singapore Center for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
| | - Pojchanun Kanitthamniyom
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
| | - Shaobo Luo
- School of MicroelectronicsSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Xuyang Hu
- China‐Singapore International Joint Research InstituteGuangzhouChina
| | - Xudong Jiang
- School of Electronic and Electrical EngineeringNanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeSingapore
| | - Shawn Vasoo
- National Center for Infectious DiseaseTan Tock Seng HospitalSingaporeSingapore
| | - Xiaosheng Zhang
- School of Electronic Science and EngineeringUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Yi Zhang
- School of Electronic Science and EngineeringUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
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3
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Huang Y, Sun L, Liu W, Yang L, Song Z, Ning X, Li W, Tan M, Yu Y, Li Z. Multiplex single-cell droplet PCR with machine learning for detection of high-risk human papillomaviruses. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1252:341050. [PMID: 36935138 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) testing can significantly decline the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. Microfluidic technology provides an effective method for accurate detection of high-risk HPV by utilizing multiplex single-cell droplet polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, current strategies are limited by low-integration microfluidic chip, complex reagent system, expensive detection equipment and time-consuming droplet identification. Here, we developed a novel multiplex droplet PCR method that directly detected high-risk HPV sequences in single cells. A multiplex microfluidic chip integrating four flow-focusing structures was designed for one-step and parallel droplet preparation. Using single-cell droplet PCR, multi-target sequences were detected simultaneously based on a monochromatic fluorescence signal. We applied machine learning to automatically identify the large populations of single-cell droplets with 97% accuracy. HPV16, 18 and 45 sequences were sensitively detected without cross-contamination in mixed CaSki and Hela cells. The approach enables rapid and reliable detection of multi-target sequences in single cells, making it powerful for investigating cellular heterogeneity related to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizheng Huang
- State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China; College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Linjun Sun
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Neural Network Intelligent Sensing and Computing Technology, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Wenwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Ling Yang
- State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Zhigang Song
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Superlattices and Microstructures, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xin Ning
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Neural Network Intelligent Sensing and Computing Technology, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Weijun Li
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Neural Network Intelligent Sensing and Computing Technology, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Manqing Tan
- State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China; College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yude Yu
- State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China; College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Genome and Precision Medicine Technologies, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhao Li
- State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China; College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Genome and Precision Medicine Technologies, Beijing, 100101, China.
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4
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Shijo S, Tanaka D, Sekiguchi T, Ishihara JI, Takahashi H, Kobayashi M, Shoji S. Dielectrophoresis-Based Selective Droplet Extraction Microfluidic Device for Single-Cell Analysis. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:706. [PMID: 36985113 PMCID: PMC10058699 DOI: 10.3390/mi14030706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We developed a microfluidic device that enables selective droplet extraction from multiple droplet-trapping pockets based on dielectrophoresis. The device consists of a main microchannel, five droplet-trapping pockets with side channels, and drive electrode pairs appropriately located around the trapping pockets. Agarose droplets capable of encapsulating biological samples were successfully trapped in the trapping pockets due to the difference in flow resistance between the main and side channels. Target droplets were selectively extracted from the pockets by the dielectrophoretic force generated between the electrodes under an applied voltage of 500 V. During their extraction from the trapping pockets, the droplets and their contents were exposed to an electric field for 400-800 ms. To evaluate whether the applied voltage could potentially damage the biological samples, the growth rates of Escherichia coli cells in the droplets, with and without a voltage applied, were compared. No significant difference in the growth rate was observed. The developed device enables the screening of encapsulated single cells and the selective extraction of target droplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seito Shijo
- Major in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 145-0065, Japan; (M.K.)
| | - Daiki Tanaka
- Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Tsurumakicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Sekiguchi
- Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Tsurumakicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
| | - Jun-ichi Ishihara
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 181 Inohana, Chuo, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
| | - Hiroki Takahashi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 181 Inohana, Chuo, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
- Molecular Chirality Research Center, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
- Plant Molecular Science Center, Chiba University, 181 Inohana, Chuo, Chiba 260-8673, Japan
| | - Masashi Kobayashi
- Major in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 145-0065, Japan; (M.K.)
| | - Shuichi Shoji
- Major in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 145-0065, Japan; (M.K.)
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5
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Gencturk E, Kasim M, Morova B, Kiraz A, Ulgen KO. Understanding the Link between Inflammasome and Apoptosis through the Response of THP-1 Cells against Drugs Using Droplet-Based Microfluidics. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:16323-16332. [PMID: 35601322 PMCID: PMC9118214 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c06569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidic devices are used to investigate monocytic THP-1 cells in response to drug administration. Consistent and reproducible droplets are created, each of which acts as a bioreactor to carry out single cell experiments with minimized contamination and live cell tracking under an inverted fluorescence microscope for more than 2 days. Here, the effects of three different drugs (temsirolimus, rifabutin, and BAY 11-7082) on THP-1 are examined and the results are analyzed in the context of the inflammasome and apoptosis relationship. The ASC adaptor gene tagged with GFP is monitored as the inflammasome reporter. Thus, a systematic way is presented for deciphering cell-to-cell heterogeneity, which is an important issue in cancer treatment. The drug temsirolimus, which has effects of disrupting the mTOR pathway and triggering apoptosis in tumor cells, causes THP-1 cells to express ASC and to be involved in apoptosis. Treatment with rifabutin, which inhibits proliferation and initiates apoptosis in cells, affects ASC expression by first increasing and then decreasing it. CASP-3, which has a role in apoptosis and is directly related to ASC, has an increasing level in inflammasome conditioning. Thus, the cell under the effect of rifabutin might be faced with programmed cell death faster. The drug BAY 11-7082, which is responsible for NFκB inhibition, shows similar results to temsirolimus with more than 60% of cells having high fluorescence intensity (ASC expression). The microfluidic platform presented here offers strong potential for studying newly developed small-molecule inhibitors for personalized/precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Gencturk
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Boǧaziçi
University, Biosystems Engineering Laboratory, Istanbul 34342, Turkey
| | - Muge Kasim
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Boǧaziçi
University, Biosystems Engineering Laboratory, Istanbul 34342, Turkey
| | - Berna Morova
- Department
of Physics, Koç University, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alper Kiraz
- Department
of Physics, Koç University, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department
of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Koç University, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Kutlu O. Ulgen
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Boǧaziçi
University, Biosystems Engineering Laboratory, Istanbul 34342, Turkey
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6
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Yan Z, Zhang H, Wang X, Gaňová M, Lednický T, Zhu H, Liu X, Korabečná M, Chang H, Neužil P. An image-to-answer algorithm for fully automated digital PCR image processing. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1333-1343. [PMID: 35258048 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01175h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is an irreplaceable variant of PCR techniques due to its capacity for absolute quantification and detection of rare deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences in clinical samples. Image processing methods, including micro-chamber positioning and fluorescence analysis, determine the reliability of the dPCR results. However, typical methods demand high requirements for the chip structure, chip filling, and light intensity uniformity. This research developed an image-to-answer algorithm with single fluorescence image capture and known image-related error removal. We applied the Hough transform to identify partitions in the images of dPCR chips, the 2D Fourier transform to rotate the image, and the 3D projection transformation to locate and correct the positions of all partitions. We then calculated each partition's average fluorescence amplitudes and generated a 3D fluorescence intensity distribution map of the image. We subsequently corrected the fluorescence non-uniformity between partitions based on the map and achieved statistical results of partition fluorescence intensities. We validated the proposed algorithms using different contents of the target DNA. The proposed algorithm is independent of the dPCR chip structure damage and light intensity non-uniformity. It also provides a reliable alternative to analyze the results of chip-based dPCR systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Yan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Microsystem Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P.R. China.
| | - Haoqing Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Microsystem Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P.R. China.
| | - Xinlu Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Microsystem Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P.R. China.
| | - Martina Gaňová
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 656/123, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Lednický
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 656/123, 612 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hanliang Zhu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Microsystem Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P.R. China.
| | - Xiaocheng Liu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Microsystem Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P.R. China.
| | - Marie Korabečná
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Albertov 4, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Honglong Chang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Microsystem Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P.R. China.
| | - Pavel Neužil
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Microsystem Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P.R. China.
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7
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Abstract
Cell manipulation in droplets has emerged as one of the great successes of microfluidic technologies, with the development of single-cell screening. However, the droplet format has also served to go beyond single-cell studies, namely by considering the interactions between different cells or between cells and their physical or chemical environment. These studies pose specific challenges linked to the need for long-term culture of adherent cells or the diverse types of measurements associated with complex biological phenomena. Here we review the emergence of droplet microfluidic methods for culturing cells and studying their interactions. We begin by characterizing the quantitative aspects that determine the ability to encapsulate cells, transport molecules, and provide sufficient nutrients within the droplets. This is followed by an evaluation of the biological constraints such as the control of the biochemical environment and promoting the anchorage of adherent cells. This first part ends with a description of measurement methods that have been developed. The second part of the manuscript focuses on applications of these technologies for cancer studies, immunology, and stem cells while paying special attention to the biological relevance of the cellular assays and providing guidelines on improving this relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Sart
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France.,Physical Microfluidics and Bioengineering, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Gustave Ronteix
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France.,Physical Microfluidics and Bioengineering, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Shreyansh Jain
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France.,Physical Microfluidics and Bioengineering, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Gabriel Amselem
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France.,Physical Microfluidics and Bioengineering, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Charles N Baroud
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France.,Physical Microfluidics and Bioengineering, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France
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8
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Kerk YJ, Jameel A, Xing X, Zhang C. Recent advances of integrated microfluidic suspension cell culture system. ENGINEERING BIOLOGY 2021; 5:103-119. [PMID: 36970555 PMCID: PMC9996741 DOI: 10.1049/enb2.12015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidic devices with superior microscale fluid manipulation ability and large integration flexibility offer great advantages of high throughput, parallelisation and multifunctional automation. Such features have been extensively utilised to facilitate cell culture processes such as cell capturing and culturing under controllable and monitored conditions for cell-based assays. Incorporating functional components and microfabricated configurations offered different levels of fluid control and cell manipulation strategies to meet diverse culture demands. This review will discuss the advances of single-phase flow and droplet-based integrated microfluidic suspension cell culture systems and their applications for accelerated bioprocess development, high-throughput cell selection, drug screening and scientific research to insight cell biology. Challenges and future prospects for this dynamically developing field are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Jing Kerk
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Aysha Jameel
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial BiocatalysisDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xin‐Hui Xing
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial BiocatalysisDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Chong Zhang
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial BiocatalysisDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
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9
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Cui X, Hu T, Chen Q, Zhao Q, Wu Y, Xie T, Liu P, Su X, Li G. A facile and rapid route to self-digitization of samples into a high density microwell array for digital bioassays. Talanta 2021; 233:122589. [PMID: 34215079 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Digital bioassays are powerful methods to detect rare analytes from complex mixtures and study the temporal processes of individual entities within biological systems. In digital bioassays, a crucial first step is the discretization of samples into a large number of identical independent partitions. Here, we developed a rapid and facile sample partitioning method for versatile digital bioassays. This method is based on a detachable self-digitization (DSD) chip which couples a reversible assembly configuration and a predegassing-based self-pumping mechanism to achieve an easy, fast, and large-scale sample partitioning. The DSD chip consists of a channel layer used for loading the sample and a microwell layer used for holding the sample partitions. Benefitting from its detachability, the chip avoids a lengthy oil flushing process used to remove the excess sample in loading channels and can compartmentalize a sample into more than 100,000 wells of picoliter volume with densities up to 14,000 wells/cm2 in less than 30 s. We also demonstrated the utility of the proposed method by applying it to digital PCR and digital microbial assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Cui
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Tianbao Hu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Institute of Fluid Measurement and Simulation, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Yin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Tengbao Xie
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Pengyong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Xi Su
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Gang Li
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology and Systems, Ministry of Education, Defense Key Disciplines Lab of Novel Micro-Nano Devices and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
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10
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Huang C, Zhang H, Han SI, Han A. Cell Washing and Solution Exchange in Droplet Microfluidic Systems. Anal Chem 2021; 93:8622-8630. [PMID: 34110770 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c01558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Water-in-oil emulsion droplet microfluidic systems have been extensively developed, and currently, almost all cell handling steps can be conducted in this format. An exception is the cell washing and solution exchange step, which is commonly utilized in many conventional cell assays. This paper presents an in-droplet cell washing and solution exchange technology that utilizes dielectrophoretic (DEP) force to move all cells to one side of a droplet, followed by asymmetrical splitting of the droplet to obtain a small daughter droplet that contains all or most of the cells, and then finally merges this cell-concentrated droplet with a new droplet that contains the desired solution. These sequential droplet manipulation steps were integrated into a single platform, where up to 88% of the original solution in the droplet could be exchanged with the new solution while keeping cell loss to less than 5%. Two application examples were demonstrated using the developed technology. In the first example, green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells were manipulated using negative DEP force to exchange the regular culture medium with a nitrogen-limited medium to induce lipid production. In the second example, Salmonella enterica cells were manipulated using positive DEP force to replace fluorescent dye that models fluorescent cell stains that contribute to high background noise in fluorescence-based droplet content detection with fresh buffer solution, significantly improving the droplet content detection sensitivity. Since the cell washing step is one of the most frequently utilized steps in many cell biology assays, we expect that the developed technology can significantly broaden the type of assay that can be conducted in droplet microfluidic format.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Huang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Han Zhang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Song-I Han
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Arum Han
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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11
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Ling SD, Geng Y, Chen A, Du Y, Xu J. Enhanced single-cell encapsulation in microfluidic devices: From droplet generation to single-cell analysis. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:061508. [PMID: 33381250 PMCID: PMC7758092 DOI: 10.1063/5.0018785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell analysis to investigate cellular heterogeneity and cell-to-cell interactions is a crucial compartment to answer key questions in important biological mechanisms. Droplet-based microfluidics appears to be the ideal platform for such a purpose because the compartmentalization of single cells into microdroplets offers unique advantages of enhancing assay sensitivity, protecting cells against external stresses, allowing versatile and precise manipulations over tested samples, and providing a stable microenvironment for long-term cell proliferation and observation. The present Review aims to give a preliminary guidance for researchers from different backgrounds to explore the field of single-cell encapsulation and analysis. A comprehensive and introductory overview of the droplet formation mechanism, fabrication methods of microchips, and a myriad of passive and active encapsulation techniques to enhance single-cell encapsulation efficiency were presented. Meanwhile, common methods for single-cell analysis, especially for long-term cell proliferation, differentiation, and observation inside microcapsules, are briefly introduced. Finally, the major challenges faced in the field are illustrated, and potential prospects for future work are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Da Ling
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuhao Geng
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - An Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yanan Du
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jianhong Xu
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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12
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Samlali K, Ahmadi F, Quach ABV, Soffer G, Shih SCC. One Cell, One Drop, One Click: Hybrid Microfluidics for Mammalian Single Cell Isolation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2002400. [PMID: 32705796 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202002400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Generating a stable knockout cell line is a complex process that can take several months to complete. In this work, a microfluidic method that is capable of isolating single cells in droplets, selecting successful edited clones, and expansion of these isoclones is introduced. Using a hybrid microfluidics method, droplets in channels can be individually addressed using a co-planar electrode system. In the hybrid microfluidics device, it is shown that single cells can be trapped and subsequently encapsulate them on demand into pL-sized droplets. Furthermore, droplets containing single cells are either released, kept in the traps, or merged with other droplets by the application of an electric potential to the electrodes that is actuated through an in-house user interface. This high precision control is used to successfully sort and recover single isoclones to establish monoclonal cell lines, which is demonstrated with a heterozygous NCI-H1299 lung squamous cell population resulting from loss-of-function eGFP and RAF1 gene knockout transfections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenza Samlali
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1M8, Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Fatemeh Ahmadi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1M8, Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Angela B V Quach
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Guy Soffer
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1M8, Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Steve C C Shih
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H3G 1M8, Canada
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, H4B 1R6, Canada
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13
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Chang YJ, Yang HW, Yao LH, Yang WT. Droplet-Based Immunosensor for Simultaneous Immunoassays of Multiplex Histidine-Tagged Proteins. SLAS Technol 2020; 25:132-139. [DOI: 10.1177/2472630319879647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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14
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Danielson C, Pappas G, Phelps L, Melvin AT, Park K. Static microdroplet array generated by spraying and analyzed with automated microscopy and image processing. Anal Biochem 2019; 587:113452. [PMID: 31563443 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.113452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Microdroplets have received increasing interest as practical platforms for high-throughput biochemical analysis. Typically, numerous discrete aqueous microdroplets containing biochemical targets are generated in a continuous oil phase and characterized using a flow-through configuration. Although this approach is capable of extremely high throughput, it is challenging to provide dynamic characterization of time-dependent reaction kinetics. In this paper, we present a practical and affordable method to create and analyze a massive array of static aqueous microdroplets immersed in oil for biochemical analysis. The discrete microdroplets were produced by an air-spray gun, imaged by automated microscopy, and then characterized by image processing. The location, area, and fluorescence intensity of randomly generated individual microdroplets were automatically registered for high-throughput characterization. With this approach, we rapidly produced and characterized a static microdroplet array of over 0.7 million microdroplets with an average volume of 300 fL and a mean population density of 1.5*105 microdroplets/cm2. Using the developed setup, we demonstrated the dependency of the microdroplets' fluorescence intensity on their volume, as well as characterized the time-dependent enzyme reaction kinetics of β-galactosidase-mediated cleavage of the substrate fluorescein di-β-d-galactopyranoside (FDG). The new approach described herein provides an inexpensive alternative solution for high-throughput analysis of dynamic biochemical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Danielson
- Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Gavin Pappas
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Lance Phelps
- Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Adam T Melvin
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Kidong Park
- Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
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15
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Pratt SL, Zath GK, Akiyama T, Williamson KS, Franklin MJ, Chang CB. DropSOAC: Stabilizing Microfluidic Drops for Time-Lapse Quantification of Single-Cell Bacterial Physiology. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2112. [PMID: 31608020 PMCID: PMC6774397 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The physiological heterogeneity of cells within a microbial population imparts resilience to stresses such as antimicrobial treatments and nutrient limitation. This resilience is partially due to a subpopulation of cells that can survive such stresses and regenerate the community. Microfluidic approaches now provide a means to study microbial physiology and bacterial heterogeneity at the single cell level, improving our ability to isolate and examine these subpopulations. Drop-based microfluidics provides a high-throughput approach to study individual cell physiology within bacterial populations. Using this approach, single cells are isolated from the population and encapsulated in growth medium dispersed in oil using a 15 μm diameter drop making microfluidic device. The drops are arranged as a packed monolayer inside a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device. Growth of thousands of individual cells in identical microenvironments can then be imaged using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). A challenge for this approach has been the maintenance of drop stability during extended time-lapse imaging. In particular, the drops do not maintain their volume over time during incubation in PDMS devices, due to fluid transport into the porous PDMS surroundings. Here, we present a strategy for PDMS device preparation that stabilizes drop position and volume within a drop array on a microfluidic chip for over 20 h. The stability of water-in-oil drops is maintained by soaking the device in a reservoir containing both water and oil in thermodynamic equilibrium. This ensures that phase equilibrium of the drop emulsion fluids within the porous PDMS material is maintained during drop incubation and imaging. We demonstrate the utility of this approach, which we label DropSOAC (Drop Stabilization On A Chip), for time-lapse studies of bacterial growth. We characterize growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its Δhpf mutant derivative during resuscitation and growth following starvation. We demonstrate that growth rate and lag time heterogeneity of hundreds of individual bacterial cells can be determined starting from single isolated cells. The results show that the DropSOAC capsule provides a high-throughput approach toward studies of microbial physiology at the single cell level, and can be used to characterize physiological differences of cells from within a larger population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawna L. Pratt
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Geoffrey K. Zath
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Tatsuya Akiyama
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Kerry S. Williamson
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Michael J. Franklin
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Connie B. Chang
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
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16
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Azarmanesh M, Bawazeer S, Mohamad AA, Sanati-Nezhad A. Rapid and Highly Controlled Generation of Monodisperse Multiple Emulsions via a One-Step Hybrid Microfluidic Device. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12694. [PMID: 31481702 PMCID: PMC6722102 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49136-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple Emulsions (MEs) contain a drop laden with many micro-droplets. A single-step microfluidic-based synthesis process of MEs is presented to provide a rapid and controlled generation of monodisperse MEs. The design relies on the interaction of three immiscible fluids with each other in subsequent droplet formation steps to generate monodisperse ME constructs. The design is within a microchannel consists of two compartments of cross-junction and T-junction. The high shear stress at the cross-junction creates a stagnation point that splits the first immiscible phase to four jet streams each of which are sprayed to micrometer droplets surrounded by the second phase. The resulted structure is then supported by the third phase at the T-junction to generate and transport MEs. The ME formation within microfluidics is numerically simulated and the effects of several key parameters on properties of MEs are investigated. The dimensionless modeling of ME formation enables to change only one parameter at the time and analyze the sensitivity of the system to each parameter. The results demonstrate the capability of highly controlled and high-throughput MEs formation in a one-step synthesis process. The consecutive MEs are monodisperse in size which open avenues for the generation of controlled MEs for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Azarmanesh
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Saleh Bawazeer
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Abdulmajeed A Mohamad
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Amir Sanati-Nezhad
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada. .,Center for Bioengineering Research and Education, Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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17
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Heterogeneity Studies of Mammalian Cells for Bioproduction: From Tools to Application. Trends Biotechnol 2019; 37:645-660. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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18
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Safa N, Vaithiyanathan M, Sombolestani S, Charles S, Melvin AT. Population-based analysis of cell-penetrating peptide uptake using a microfluidic droplet trapping array. Anal Bioanal Chem 2019; 411:2729-2741. [PMID: 30854596 PMCID: PMC6472966 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-01713-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have garnered significant attention as a method to introduce reporters and therapeutics into intact cells. While numerous studies have been performed identifying new CPP sequences, relatively little is known about their uptake efficiency at the single-cell level. Here, a droplet microfluidic trapping array was used to characterize CPP uptake across a population of single intact cells. The microfluidic device allowed for facile and rapid isolation and analysis of single-cell fluorescence in a 787-member overhead trapping array with > 99% droplet trapping efficiency. The permeability efficiencies of four different CPPs were studied and compared in HeLa cells. Population analysis was performed using linkage hierarchical cluster analysis by R programming to bin cells into subpopulations expressing very low to very high peptide uptake efficiencies. CPP uptake was observed to be heterogeneous across the population of cells with peptide concentration and sequence both playing important roles in the diversity of CPP uptake, the overall peptide uptake efficiency, and the intracellular homogeneity of peptide distribution. This microfluidic-based analytical approach finds application in personalized medicine and provides new insight in the heterogeneity of CPP uptake which has the potential to affect both biosensor and drug internalization in intact cells. Graphical abstract .
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Safa
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | | | - Shayan Sombolestani
- Craft and Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Seleipiri Charles
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Adam T Melvin
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
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19
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Vaithiyanathan M, Safa N, Melvin AT. FluoroCellTrack: An algorithm for automated analysis of high-throughput droplet microfluidic data. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215337. [PMID: 31042738 PMCID: PMC6493727 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput droplet microfluidic devices with fluorescence detection systems provide several advantages over conventional end-point cytometric techniques due to their ability to isolate single cells and investigate complex intracellular dynamics. While there have been significant advances in the field of experimental droplet microfluidics, the development of complementary software tools has lagged. Existing quantification tools have limitations including interdependent hardware platforms or challenges analyzing a wide range of high-throughput droplet microfluidic data using a single algorithm. To address these issues, an all-in-one Python algorithm called FluoroCellTrack was developed and its wide-range utility was tested on three different applications including quantification of cellular response to drugs, droplet tracking, and intracellular fluorescence. The algorithm imports all images collected using bright field and fluorescence microscopy and analyzes them to extract useful information. Two parallel steps are performed where droplets are detected using a mathematical Circular Hough Transform (CHT) while single cells (or other contours) are detected by a series of steps defining respective color boundaries involving edge detection, dilation, and erosion. These feature detection steps are strengthened by segmentation and radius/area thresholding for precise detection and removal of false positives. Individually detected droplet and contour center maps are overlaid to obtain encapsulation information for further analyses. FluoroCellTrack demonstrates an average of a ~92-99% similarity with manual analysis and exhibits a significant reduction in analysis time of 30 min to analyze an entire cohort compared to 20 h required for manual quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manibarathi Vaithiyanathan
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Nora Safa
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Adam T Melvin
- Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
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20
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Libberton B, Binz M, van Zalinge H, Nicolau DV. Efficiency of the flagellar propulsion of Escherichia coli in confined microfluidic geometries. Phys Rev E 2019; 99:012408. [PMID: 30780339 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.99.012408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial movement in confined spaces is routinely encountered either in a natural environment or in artificial structures. Consequently, the ability to understand and predict the behavior of motile bacterial cells in confined geometries is essential to many applications, spanning from the more classical, such as the management complex microbial networks involved in diseases, biomanufacturing, mining, and environment, to the more recent, such as single cell DNA sequencing and computation with biological agents. Fortunately, the development of this understanding can be helped by the decades-long advances in semiconductor microfabrication, which allow the design and the construction of complex confining structures used as test beds for the study of bacterial motility. To this end, here we use microfabricated channels with varying sizes to study the interaction of Escherichia coli with solid confining spaces. It is shown that an optimal channel size exists for which the hydrostatic potential allows the most efficient movement of the cells. The improved understanding of how bacteria move will result in the ability to design better microfluidic structures based on their interaction with bacterial movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Libberton
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, L69 3GJ Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Marie Binz
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, L69 3GJ Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Harm van Zalinge
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, L69 3GJ Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Dan V Nicolau
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, L69 3GJ Liverpool, United Kingdom
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21
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Wang Z. Detection and Automation Technologies for the Mass Production of Droplet Biomicrofluidics. IEEE Rev Biomed Eng 2018; 11:260-274. [PMID: 29993645 DOI: 10.1109/rbme.2018.2826984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics utilizes two immiscible flows to generate small droplets with the diameter of a few to a few hundred micrometers. These droplets are promising tools for biomedical engineering because of the high throughput and the ease to finely tune the microenvironments. In addition to the great success of droplet biomicrofluidics in the proof-of-concept biosensing, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery, few droplet biomicrofluidic devices have a transformative impact on the industrial and clinical applications. The main issues are the low volume throughput and the lack of proper methods for quality control and automation. This review covers the methodologies for the mass production, detection, and automation of droplet generators. Recent advances in droplet mass production using parallelized devices and modified junction structures are discussed. Detection techniques, including optical and electrical detection methods, are comprehensively reviewed in detail. Newly emerged droplet closed-loop control systems are surveyed to highlight the progress in system integration and automation. Overall, with the advances in parallel droplet generation, highly sensitive detection, and robust closed-loop regulation, it is anticipated that the productivity and reliability of droplet biomicrofluidics will be significantly improved to meet the industrial and clinical needs.
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22
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Sun Y, Cai B, Wei X, Wang Z, Rao L, Meng QF, Liao Q, Liu W, Guo S, Zhao X. A valve-based microfluidic device for on-chip single cell treatments. Electrophoresis 2018; 40:961-968. [PMID: 30155963 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201800213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Assays toward single-cell analysis have attracted the attention in biological and biomedical researches to reveal cellular mechanisms as well as heterogeneity. Yet nowadays microfluidic devices for single-cell analysis have several drawbacks: some would cause cell damage due to the hydraulic forces directly acting on cells, while others could not implement biological assays since they could not immobilize cells while manipulating the reagents at the same time. In this work, we presented a two-layer pneumatic valve-based platform to implement cell immobilization and treatment on-chip simultaneously, and cells after treatment could be collected non-destructively for further analysis. Target cells could be encapsulated in sodium alginate droplets which solidified into hydrogel when reacted with Ca2+ . The size of hydrogel beads could be precisely controlled by modulating flow rates of continuous/disperse phases. While regulating fluid resistance between the main channel and passages by the integrated pneumatic valves, on-chip capture and release of hydrogel beads was implemented. As a proof of concept for on-chip single-cell treatments, we showed cellular live/dead staining based on our devices. This method would have potential in single cell manipulation for biochemical cellular assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Sun
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Bo Cai
- Research Center for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyun Wei
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Zixiang Wang
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Lang Rao
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Qian-Fang Meng
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Qingquan Liao
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Wei Liu
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Shishang Guo
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Xingzhong Zhao
- School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
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23
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Dressler OJ, Casadevall I Solvas X, deMello AJ. Chemical and Biological Dynamics Using Droplet-Based Microfluidics. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2017; 10:1-24. [PMID: 28375703 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-061516-045219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed an increased use of droplet-based microfluidic techniques in a wide variety of chemical and biological assays. Nevertheless, obtaining dynamic data from these platforms has remained challenging, as this often requires reading the same droplets (possibly thousands of them) multiple times over a wide range of intervals (from milliseconds to hours). In this review, we introduce the elemental techniques for the formation and manipulation of microfluidic droplets, together with the most recent developments in these areas. We then discuss a wide range of analytical methods that have been successfully adapted for analyte detection in droplets. Finally, we highlight a diversity of studies where droplet-based microfluidic strategies have enabled the characterization of dynamic systems that would otherwise have remained unexplorable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Dressler
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland;
| | | | - Andrew J deMello
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland;
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24
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Lu H, Caen O, Vrignon J, Zonta E, El Harrak Z, Nizard P, Baret JC, Taly V. High throughput single cell counting in droplet-based microfluidics. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1366. [PMID: 28465615 PMCID: PMC5431057 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01454-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidics is extensively and increasingly used for high-throughput single-cell studies. However, the accuracy of the cell counting method directly impacts the robustness of such studies. We describe here a simple and precise method to accurately count a large number of adherent and non-adherent human cells as well as bacteria. Our microfluidic hemocytometer provides statistically relevant data on large populations of cells at a high-throughput, used to characterize cell encapsulation and cell viability during incubation in droplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Lu
- INSERM UMR-S1147, CNRS SNC5014, Paris Descartes University, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France
| | - Ouriel Caen
- INSERM UMR-S1147, CNRS SNC5014, Paris Descartes University, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France
| | - Jeremy Vrignon
- CNRS, Univ. Bordeaux, CRPP, UPR 8641, 115 Avenue Schweitzer, 33600, Pessac, France
| | - Eleonora Zonta
- INSERM UMR-S1147, CNRS SNC5014, Paris Descartes University, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France
| | - Zakaria El Harrak
- INSERM UMR-S1147, CNRS SNC5014, Paris Descartes University, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Nizard
- INSERM UMR-S1147, CNRS SNC5014, Paris Descartes University, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France
| | | | - Valérie Taly
- INSERM UMR-S1147, CNRS SNC5014, Paris Descartes University, Equipe labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Paris, France.
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25
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Autour A, Ryckelynck M. Ultrahigh-Throughput Improvement and Discovery of Enzymes Using Droplet-Based Microfluidic Screening. MICROMACHINES 2017. [PMCID: PMC6189954 DOI: 10.3390/mi8040128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Enzymes are extremely valuable tools for industrial, environmental, and biotechnological applications and there is a constant need for improving existing biological catalysts and for discovering new ones. Screening microbe or gene libraries is an efficient way of identifying new enzymes. In this view, droplet-based microfluidics appears to be one of the most powerful approaches as it allows inexpensive screenings in well-controlled conditions and an ultrahigh-throughput regime. This review aims to introduce the main microfluidic devices and concepts to be considered for such screening before presenting and discussing the latest successful applications of the technology for enzyme discovery.
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26
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Liu FW, Ding ST, Lin EC, Lu YW, Jang JSR. Automated melting curve analysis in droplet microfluidics for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotyping. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra26484k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An integrated microchip platform with automated analysis capability for DNA melting curves is developed for Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genotyping applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- F.-W. Liu
- Dept. of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering
- National Taiwan University
- Taipei
- Republic of China
| | - S.-T. Ding
- Dept. of Animal Science
- National Taiwan University
- Taipei
- Republic of China
| | - E.-C. Lin
- Dept. of Animal Science
- National Taiwan University
- Taipei
- Republic of China
| | - Y.-W. Lu
- Dept. of Bio-Industrial Mechatronics Engineering
- National Taiwan University
- Taipei
- Republic of China
| | - J.-S. R. Jang
- Dept. of Computer Science and Information Engineering
- National Taiwan University
- Taipei
- Republic of China
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Konry T, Sarkar S, Sabhachandani P, Cohen N. Innovative Tools and Technology for Analysis of Single Cells and Cell-Cell Interaction. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2016; 18:259-84. [PMID: 26928209 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-090215-112735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Heterogeneity in single-cell responses and intercellular interactions results from complex regulation of cell-intrinsic and environmental factors. Single-cell analysis allows not only detection of individual cellular characteristics but also correlation of genetic content with phenotypic traits in the same cell. Technological advances in micro- and nanofabrication have benefited single-cell analysis by allowing precise control of the localized microenvironment, cell manipulation, and sensitive detection capabilities. Additionally, microscale techniques permit rapid, high-throughput, multiparametric screening that has become essential for -omics research. This review highlights innovative applications of microscale platforms in genetic, proteomic, and metabolic detection in single cells; cell sorting strategies; and heterotypic cell-cell interaction. We discuss key design aspects of single-cell localization and isolation in microfluidic systems, dynamic and endpoint analyses, and approaches that integrate highly multiplexed detection of various intracellular species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Konry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; , , ,
| | - Saheli Sarkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; , , ,
| | - Pooja Sabhachandani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; , , ,
| | - Noa Cohen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; , , ,
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Robertson WD, Porto LR, Ip CJX, Nantel MKT, Tellkamp F, Lu Y, Miller RJD. Note: A simple image processing based fiducial auto-alignment method for sample registration. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2015; 86:086105. [PMID: 26329245 DOI: 10.1063/1.4929408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A simple method for the location and auto-alignment of sample fiducials for sample registration using widely available MATLAB/LabVIEW software is demonstrated. The method is robust, easily implemented, and applicable to a wide variety of experiment types for improved reproducibility and increased setup speed. The software uses image processing to locate and measure the diameter and center point of circular fiducials for distance self-calibration and iterative alignment and can be used with most imaging systems. The method is demonstrated to be fast and reliable in locating and aligning sample fiducials, provided here by a nanofabricated array, with accuracy within the optical resolution of the imaging system. The software was further demonstrated to register, load, and sample the dynamically wetted array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley D Robertson
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 27761, Germany
| | - Lucas R Porto
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Candice J X Ip
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Megan K T Nantel
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Friedjof Tellkamp
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 27761, Germany
| | - Yinfei Lu
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 27761, Germany
| | - R J Dwayne Miller
- Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Hamburg 27761, Germany
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Bjork SM, Sjostrom SL, Andersson-Svahn H, Joensson HN. Metabolite profiling of microfluidic cell culture conditions for droplet based screening. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2015; 9:044128. [PMID: 26392830 PMCID: PMC4560712 DOI: 10.1063/1.4929520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the impact of droplet culture conditions on cell metabolic state by determining key metabolite concentrations in S. cerevisiae cultures in different microfluidic droplet culture formats. Control of culture conditions is critical for single cell/clone screening in droplets, such as directed evolution of yeast, as cell metabolic state directly affects production yields from cell factories. Here, we analyze glucose, pyruvate, ethanol, and glycerol, central metabolites in yeast glucose dissimilation to establish culture formats for screening of respiring as well as fermenting yeast. Metabolite profiling provides a more nuanced estimate of cell state compared to proliferation studies alone. We show that the choice of droplet incubation format impacts cell proliferation and metabolite production. The standard syringe incubation of droplets exhibited metabolite profiles similar to oxygen limited cultures, whereas the metabolite profiles of cells cultured in the alternative wide tube droplet incubation format resemble those from aerobic culture. Furthermore, we demonstrate retained droplet stability and size in the new better oxygenated droplet incubation format.
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Abstract
Droplet microfluidics may soon change the paradigm of performing chemical analyses and related instrumentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Yu Basova
- Masaryk University
- CEITEC, Central European Institute Technology
- Brno
- Czech Republic
| | - Frantisek Foret
- Masaryk University
- CEITEC, Central European Institute Technology
- Brno
- Czech Republic
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
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31
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Vasdekis AE, Stephanopoulos G. Review of methods to probe single cell metabolism and bioenergetics. Metab Eng 2015; 27:115-135. [PMID: 25448400 PMCID: PMC4399830 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2014.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2014] [Revised: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Single cell investigations have enabled unexpected discoveries, such as the existence of biological noise and phenotypic switching in infection, metabolism and treatment. Herein, we review methods that enable such single cell investigations specific to metabolism and bioenergetics. Firstly, we discuss how to isolate and immobilize individuals from a cell suspension, including both permanent and reversible approaches. We also highlight specific advances in microbiology for its implications in metabolic engineering. Methods for probing single cell physiology and metabolism are subsequently reviewed. The primary focus therein is on dynamic and high-content profiling strategies based on label-free and fluorescence microspectroscopy and microscopy. Non-dynamic approaches, such as mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance, are also briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas E Vasdekis
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, Richland, WA 99354, USA.
| | - Gregory Stephanopoulos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Room 56-469, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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