1
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Reynolds DE, Pan M, Yang J, Galanis G, Roh YH, Morales RT, Kumar SS, Heo S, Xu X, Guo W, Ko J. Double Digital Assay for Single Extracellular Vesicle and Single Molecule Detection. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303619. [PMID: 37802976 PMCID: PMC10667851 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303619] [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: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a promising source of biomarkers for disease diagnosis. However, current diagnostic methods for EVs present formidable challenges, given the low expression levels of biomarkers carried by EV samples, as well as their complex physical and biological properties. Herein, a highly sensitive double digital assay is developed that allows for the absolute quantification of individual molecules from a single EV. Because the relative abundance of proteins is low for a single EV, tyramide signal amplification (TSA) is integrated to increase the fluorescent signal readout for evaluation. With the integrative microfluidic technology, the technology's ability to compartmentalize single EVs is successfully demonstrated, proving the technology's digital partitioning capacity. Then the device is applied to detect single PD-L1 proteins from single EVs derived from a melanoma cell line and it is discovered that there are ≈2.7 molecules expressed per EV, demonstrating the applicability of the system for profiling important prognostic and diagnostic cancer biomarkers for therapy response, metastatic status, and tumor progression. The ability to accurately quantify protein molecules of rare abundance from individual EVs will shed light on the understanding of EV heterogeneity and discovery of EV subtypes as new biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E. Reynolds
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Menghan Pan
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Jingbo Yang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - George Galanis
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Yoon Ho Roh
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | | | | | - Su‐Jin Heo
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryPerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Xiaowei Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of BiologySchool of Arts and SciencesUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Jina Ko
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
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2
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Ho V, Baker JR, Willison KR, Barnes PJ, Donnelly LE, Klug DR. Single cell quantification of microRNA from small numbers of non-invasively sampled primary human cells. Commun Biol 2023; 6:458. [PMID: 37100999 PMCID: PMC10133449 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04845-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Expression levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) in single cells are low and conventional miRNA detection methods require amplification that can be complex, time-consuming, costly and may bias results. Single cell microfluidic platforms have been developed; however, current approaches are unable to absolutely quantify single miRNA molecules expressed in single cells. Herein, we present an amplification-free sandwich hybridisation assay to detect single miRNA molecules in single cells using a microfluidic platform that optically traps and lyses individual cells. Absolute quantification of miR-21 and miR-34a molecules was achieved at a single cell level in human cell lines and validated using real-time qPCR. The sensitivity of the assay was demonstrated by quantifying single miRNA molecules in nasal epithelial cells and CD3+ T-cells, as well as nasal fluid collected non-invasively from healthy individuals. This platform requires ~50 cells or ~30 µL biofluid and can be extended for other miRNA targets therefore it could monitor miRNA levels in disease progression or clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Ho
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Guy Scadding Building, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK
| | - Jonathan R Baker
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Guy Scadding Building, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK
| | - Keith R Willison
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Peter J Barnes
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Guy Scadding Building, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK
| | - Louise E Donnelly
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Guy Scadding Building, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK.
| | - David R Klug
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
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3
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Zhang J, Xue J, Luo N, Chen F, Chen B, Zhao Y. Microwell array chip-based single-cell analysis. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1066-1079. [PMID: 36625143 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00667g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell profiling is key to uncover the cellular heterogeneity and drives deep understanding of cell fate. In recent years, microfluidics has become an ideal tool for single-cell profiling owing to its benefits of high throughput and automation. Among various microfluidic platforms, microwell has the advantages of simple operation and easy integration with in situ analysis ability, making it an ideal technique for single-cell studies. Herein, recent advances of single-cell analysis based on microwell array chips are summarized. We first introduce the design and preparation of different microwell chips. Then microwell-based cell capture and lysis strategies are discussed. We finally focus on advanced microwell-based analysis of single-cell proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites. The challenges and opportunities for the development of microwell-based single-cell analysis are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Instrument for Life Science, The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, P. R. China.
| | - Jing Xue
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Instrument for Life Science, The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, P. R. China.
| | - Ningfeng Luo
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Instrument for Life Science, The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, P. R. China.
| | - Feng Chen
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Instrument for Life Science, The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, P. R. China.
| | - Badong Chen
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and the College of Artificial Intelligence, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, P. R. China.
| | - Yongxi Zhao
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Instrument for Life Science, The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, P. R. China.
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4
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Fuadiyah S, Chotchindakun K, Phatthanakun R, Kuntanawat P, Yamabhai M. A Bench-Top Approach for Isolation of Single Antibody Producing Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) Cells Using a Microwell-Based Microfluidic Device. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1939. [PMID: 36363960 PMCID: PMC9696589 DOI: 10.3390/mi13111939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Genetically-modified monoclonal cell lines are currently used for monoclonal antibody (mAbs) production and drug development. The isolation of single transformed cells is the main hindrance in the generation of monoclonal lines. Although the conventional limiting dilution method is time-consuming, laborious, and skill-intensive, high-end approaches such as fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) are less accessible to general laboratories. Here, we report a bench-top approach for isolating single Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using an adapted version of a simple microwell-based microfluidic (MBM) device previously reported by our group. After loading the cell suspension to the device, the electrostatically trapped cells can be viewed under a microscope and transferred using a micropipette for further clone establishment. Compared to the conventional method, the invented approach provided a 4.7-fold increase in the number of single cells isolated per round of cell loading and demonstrated a 1.9-fold decrease in total performing time. Additionally, the percentage of correct single-cell identifications was significantly improved, especially in novice testers, suggesting a reduced skill barrier in performing the task. This novel approach could serve as a simple, affordable, efficient, and less skill-intensive alternative to the conventional single-cell isolation for monoclonal cell line establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Fuadiyah
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Kittipat Chotchindakun
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
- Institute of Research and Development, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | | | - Panwong Kuntanawat
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
| | - Montarop Yamabhai
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Agricultural Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
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5
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Liu Y, Fan Z, Qiao L, Liu B. Advances in microfluidic strategies for single-cell research. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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6
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Menze L, Duarte PA, Haddon L, Chu M, Chen J. Selective Single-Cell Sorting Using a Multisectorial Electroactive Nanowell Platform. ACS NANO 2022; 16:211-220. [PMID: 34559518 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c05668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Current approaches in targeted patient treatments often require the rapid isolation of specific rare target cells. Stream-based dielectrophoresis (DEP) based cell sorters have the limitation that the maximum number of sortable cell types is equivalent to the number of output channels, which makes upscaling to a higher number of different cell types technically challenging. Here, we present a microfluidic platform for selective single-cell sorting that bypasses this limitation. The platform consists of 10 000 nanoliter wells which are placed on top of interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) that facilitate dielectrophoresis-driven capture of cells. By use of a multisectorial design formed by 10 individually addressable IDE structures, our platform can capture a large number of different cell types. The sectorial approach allows for fast and straightforward modification to sort complex samples as different cell types are captured in different sectors and therefore removes the need for individual output channels per cell type. Experimental results obtained with a mixed sample of benign (MCF-10A) and malignant (MDA-MB-231) breast cells showed a target to nontarget sorting accuracy of over 95%. We envision that the high accuracy of our platform, in addition to its versatility and simplicity, will aid clinical environments where reliable sorting of varying complex samples is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Menze
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Pedro A Duarte
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Lacey Haddon
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Michael Chu
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
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7
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Duarte P, Menze L, Shoute L, Zeng J, Savchenko O, Lyu J, Chen J. Highly Efficient Capture and Quantification of the Airborne Fungal Pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Employing a Nanoelectrode-Activated Microwell Array. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:459-468. [PMID: 35036715 PMCID: PMC8756577 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we present a microdevice for the capture and quantification of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum spores, pathogenic agents of one of the most harmful infectious diseases of crops, Sclerotinia stem rot. The early prognosis of an outbreak is critical to avoid severe economic losses and can be achieved by the detection of a small number of airborne spores. However, the current lack of simple and effective methods to quantify fungal airborne pathogens has hindered the development of an accurate early warning system. We developed a device that remedies these limitations based on a microfluidic design that contains a nanothick aluminum electrode structure integrated with a picoliter well array for dielectrophoresis-driven capture of spores and on-chip quantitative detection employing impedimetric sensing. Based on experimental results, we demonstrated a highly efficient spore trapping rate of more than 90% with an effective impedimetric sensing method that allowed the spore quantification of each column in the array and achieved a sensitivity of 2%/spore at 5 kHz and 1.6%/spore at 20 kHz, enabling single spore detection. We envision that our device will contribute to the development of a low-cost microfluidic platform that could be integrated into an infectious plant disease forecasting tool for crop protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro
A. Duarte
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Lukas Menze
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Lian Shoute
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Jie Zeng
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Oleksandra Savchenko
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Jingwei Lyu
- School
of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Northeast
Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, P. R. China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, University of
Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2V2, Canada
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8
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Manzoor AA, Romita L, Hwang DK. A review on microwell and microfluidic geometric array fabrication techniques and its potential applications in cellular studies. CAN J CHEM ENG 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/cjce.23875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Ali Manzoor
- Department of Chemical Engineering Ryerson University Toronto Ontario Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science St. Michael's Hospital Toronto Ontario Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering Science and Technology (iBEST) A partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Lauren Romita
- Department of Chemical Engineering Ryerson University Toronto Ontario Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science St. Michael's Hospital Toronto Ontario Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering Science and Technology (iBEST) A partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Dae Kun Hwang
- Department of Chemical Engineering Ryerson University Toronto Ontario Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science St. Michael's Hospital Toronto Ontario Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering Science and Technology (iBEST) A partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital Toronto Ontario Canada
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9
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Park I, Lim JW, Kim SH, Choi S, Ko KH, Son MG, Chang WJ, Yoon YR, Yang S, Key J, Kim YS, Eom K, Bashir R, Lee SY, Lee SW. Variable Membrane Dielectric Polarization Characteristic in Individual Live Cells. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:7197-7203. [PMID: 32813536 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Investigation of the dielectric properties of cell membranes plays an important role in understanding the biological activities that sustain cellular life and realize cellular functionalities. Herein, the variable dielectric polarization characteristics of cell membranes are reported. In controlling the dielectric polarization of a cell using dielectrophoresis force spectroscopy, different cellular crossover frequencies were observed by modulating both the direction and sweep rate of the frequency. The crossover frequencies were used for the extraction of the variable capacitance, which is involved in the dielectric polarization across the cell membranes. In addition, this variable phenomenon was investigated by examining cells whose membranes were cholesterol-depleted with methyl-β-cyclodextrin, which verified a strong correlation between the variable dielectric polarization characteristics and membrane composition changes. This study presented the dielectric polarization properties in live cells' membranes that can be modified by the regulation of external stimuli and provided a powerful platform to explore cellular membrane dielectric polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Insu Park
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Jong Won Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Sung Hoon Kim
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Korea Nazarene University, Chungnam 31172, Korea
| | - Seungyeop Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Kwan Hwi Ko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Myung Gu Son
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Woo-Jin Chang
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, United States
| | - Young Ro Yoon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Sejung Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Jaehong Key
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Yoon Suk Kim
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Kilho Eom
- Biomechanics Laboratory, College of Sport Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Rashid Bashir
- Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Mayo-Illinois Alliance for Technology Based Healthcare, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Sei Young Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
| | - Sang Woo Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Korea
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10
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Bai Z, Deng Y, Kim D, Chen Z, Xiao Y, Fan R. An Integrated Dielectrophoresis-Trapping and Nanowell Transfer Approach to Enable Double-Sub-Poisson Single-Cell RNA Sequencing. ACS NANO 2020; 14:7412-7424. [PMID: 32437127 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Current technologies for high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) are based upon stochastic pairing of cells and barcoded beads in nanoliter droplets or wells. They are limited by the mathematical principle of the Poisson statistics such that the utilization of either cells or beads or both is no more than ∼33%. Despite the versatile design of microfluidics or microwells for high-yield loading of beads that beats the Poisson limit, subsequent encapsulation of single cells is still determined by stochastic pairing, representing a fundamental limitation in the field of single-cell sequencing. Here, we present dTNT-seq, an integrated dielectrophoresis (DEP)-trapping-nanowell-transfer (dTNT) approach to perform cell trapping and bead loading both in a sub-Poisson manner to facilitate scRNA-seq. A larger-sized 50 μm microwell array was prealigned precisely on top of the 20 μm DEP nanowell array such that single cells trapped by DEP can be readily transferred into the underneath larger wells by flipping the device, followed by subsequent hydrodynamic bead loading and coisolation with transferred single cells. Using a dTNT device composed of 3600 electroactive DEP-nanowell units, we demonstrated a single-cell trapping rate of 91.84%, a transfer efficiency of 82%, and a routine bead loading rate of >99%, which breaks the Poisson limit for the capture of both cells and beads, thus called double-sub-Poisson distribution, prior to encapsulating them in nanoliter wells for cellular mRNA barcoding. This approach was applied to human (HEK) and mouse (3T3) cells. Comparison with a non-DEP-based method through gene expression clustering and regulatory pathway analysis demonstrates consistent patterns and negligible alternation of cellular transcriptional states by DEP. We envision the dTNT-seq device can be modified for studying cell-cell interactions and enable other applications requiring active manipulation of single cells prior to transcriptome sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiliang Bai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yanxiang Deng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Dongjoo Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Yang Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Rong Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
- Yale Stem Cell Center and Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
- Human and Translational Immunology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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11
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Li H, Garner T, Diaz F, Wong PK. A Multiwell Microfluidic Device for Analyzing and Screening Nonhormonal Contraceptive Agents. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1901910. [PMID: 31162807 PMCID: PMC8996375 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201901910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Birth control and family planning play pivotal roles in the economic growth and reduction of maternal, infant, and child mortality. Current contraceptives, such as hormonal agents and intrauterine devices, target only a small subset of reproductive processes and can have serious side effects on the health of women. To develop novel contraceptive agents, a scalable microfluidic device is established for analyzing and screening the effects of potential contraceptive agents on the maturation of the cumulus-oocyte complex. The microfluidic device performs on-chip incubation for studying oocyte maturation and cumulus expansion and isolates the microwells by oil-water interfaces to avoid crosstalk between the wells. A filter membrane is incorporated in the device to simplify incubation, medium exchange, washing, and fluorescence staining of oocytes. Cumulus expansion can be monitored directly in the device and oocyte maturation can be examined after enzymatic removal of cumulus cells and on-chip fluorescence staining. The performance of the device is evaluated by studying the influence of three drugs known to block oocyte maturation and/or cumulus expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 517 CBEB Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Tyler Garner
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, 335 ASI Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Francisco Diaz
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, 335 ASI Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Pak Kin Wong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 517 CBEB Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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12
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Advances in liquid biopsy using circulating tumor cells and circulating cell-free tumor DNA for detection and monitoring of breast cancer. Clin Exp Med 2019; 19:271-279. [PMID: 31190187 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-019-00563-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Overview the progress of liquid biopsy using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating cell-free tumor DNA (cfDNA) to detect and monitor breast cancer. Based on numerous research efforts, the potential value of CTCs and cfDNA in the clinical aspects of cancer has become clear. With the development of next-generation sequencing analysis and newly developed technologies, many technical issues have been resolved, making liquid biopsy widely used in clinical practice. They can be powerful tools for dynamic monitoring of tumor progression and therapeutic efficacy. In the field of breast cancer, liquid biopsy is a research hot spot in recent years, playing a key role in monitoring breast cancer metastasis, predicting disease recurrence and assessing clinical drug resistance. Liquid biopsy has the advantages of noninvasive, high sensitivity, high specificity and real-time dynamic monitoring. Still application is far from reality, but the research and application prospects of CTCs and cfDNA in breast cancer are still worth exploring and discovering. This article reviews the main techniques and applications of CTCs and cfDNA in breast cancer.
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Abstract
Single-cell omics studies provide unique information regarding cellular heterogeneity at various levels of the molecular biology central dogma. This knowledge facilitates a deeper understanding of how underlying molecular and architectural changes alter cell behavior, development, and disease processes. The emerging microchip-based tools for single-cell omics analysis are enabling the evaluation of cellular omics with high throughput, improved sensitivity, and reduced cost. We review state-of-the-art microchip platforms for profiling genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and multi-omics at single-cell resolution. We also discuss the background of and challenges in the analysis of each molecular layer and integration of multiple levels of omics data, as well as how microchip-based methodologies benefit these fields. Additionally, we examine the advantages and limitations of these approaches. Looking forward, we describe additional challenges and future opportunities that will facilitate the improvement and broad adoption of single-cell omics in life science and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxiang Deng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA; , ,
| | - Amanda Finck
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA; , ,
| | - Rong Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA; , ,
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14
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Cellular dielectrophoresis coupled with single-cell analysis. Anal Bioanal Chem 2018; 410:2499-2515. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-018-0896-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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15
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Ven K, Vanspauwen B, Pérez-Ruiz E, Leirs K, Decrop D, Gerstmans H, Spasic D, Lammertyn J. Target Confinement in Small Reaction Volumes Using Microfluidic Technologies: A Smart Approach for Single-Entity Detection and Analysis. ACS Sens 2018; 3:264-284. [PMID: 29363316 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.7b00873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decades, the study of cells, nucleic acid molecules, and proteins has evolved from ensemble measurements to so-called single-entity studies. The latter offers huge benefits, not only as biological research tools to examine heterogeneities among individual entities within a population, but also as biosensing tools for medical diagnostics, which can reach the ultimate sensitivity by detecting single targets. Whereas various techniques for single-entity detection have been reported, this review focuses on microfluidic systems that physically confine single targets in small reaction volumes. We categorize these techniques as droplet-, microchamber-, and nanostructure-based and provide an overview of their implementation for studying single cells, nucleic acids, and proteins. We furthermore reflect on the advantages and limitations of these techniques and highlight future opportunities in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Ven
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Vanspauwen
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elena Pérez-Ruiz
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karen Leirs
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Deborah Decrop
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hans Gerstmans
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department
of Applied biosciences, Ghent University, Valentyn Vaerwyckweg 1 - building
C, 9000 Gent, Belgium
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg
21, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dragana Spasic
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- Department
of Biosystems, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
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16
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Wu CP, Wu P, Zhao HF, Liu WL, Li WP. Clinical Applications of and Challenges in Single-Cell Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells. DNA Cell Biol 2018; 37:78-89. [PMID: 29265876 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2017.3981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chang-peng Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peng Wu
- The Affiliated Luohu Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Luohu Hospital Group Department of Urology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hua-fu Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Department of Neurosurgery/Neuro-oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-lan Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei-ping Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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17
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Shen Y, Song Z, Yan Y, Song Y, Pan X, Wang Q. Automatic and Selective Single Cell Manipulation in a Pressure-Driven Microfluidic Lab-On-Chip Device. MICROMACHINES 2017. [PMCID: PMC6189766 DOI: 10.3390/mi8060172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A microfluidic lab-on-chip device was developed to automatically and selectively manipulate target cells at the single cell level. The device is composed of a microfluidic chip, mini solenoid valves with negative-pressurized soft tubes, and a LabView®-based data acquisition device. Once a target cell passes the resistive pulse sensing gate of the microfluidic chip, the solenoid valves are automatically actuated and open the negative-pressurized tubes placed at the ends of the collecting channels. As a result, the cell is transported to that collecting well. Numerical simulation shows that a 0.14 mm3 volume change of the soft tube can result in a 1.58 mm/s moving velocity of the sample solution. Experiments with single polystyrene particles and cancer cells samples were carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method. Selectively manipulating a certain size of particles from a mixture solution was also achieved. Due to the very high pressure-driven flow switching, as many as 300 target cells per minute can be isolated from the sample solution and thus is particularly suitable for manipulating very rare target cells. The device is simple, automatic, and label-free and particularly suitable for isolating single cells off the chip one by one for downstream analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yigang Shen
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China; (Y.S.); (Y.Y.); (X.P.)
| | - Zhenyu Song
- Department of Radiotherapy, Jiaozhao Central Hospital, Qingdao 266300, China;
| | - Yimo Yan
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China; (Y.S.); (Y.Y.); (X.P.)
| | - Yongxin Song
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China; (Y.S.); (Y.Y.); (X.P.)
- Correspondence: (Y.S.); (Q.W.); Tel.: +86-411-8472-3553 (Y.S.); +86-411-8467-1669 (Q.W.)
| | - Xinxiang Pan
- Department of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China; (Y.S.); (Y.Y.); (X.P.)
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Hospital Affiliated to Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116027, China
- Correspondence: (Y.S.); (Q.W.); Tel.: +86-411-8472-3553 (Y.S.); +86-411-8467-1669 (Q.W.)
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18
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Mansoorifar A, Koklu A, Sabuncu AC, Beskok A. Dielectrophoresis assisted loading and unloading of microwells for impedance spectroscopy. Electrophoresis 2017; 38:1466-1474. [PMID: 28256738 PMCID: PMC5547746 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201700020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Dielectric spectroscopy (DS) is a noninvasive, label-free, fast, and promising technique for measuring dielectric properties of biological cells in real time. We demonstrate a microchip that consists of electro-activated microwell arrays for positive dielectrophoresis assisted cell capture, DS measurements, and negative dielectrophoresis driven cell unloading; thus, providing a high-throughput cell analysis platform. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first microfluidic chip that combines electro-activated microwells and DS to analyze biological cells. Device performance is tested using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) cells. DEP response of yeast cells is determined by measuring their Clausius-Mossotti factor using biophysical models in parallel plate microelectrode geometry. This information is used to determine the excitation frequency to load and unload wells. Effect of yeast cells on the measured impedance spectrum was examined both experimentally and numerically. Good match between the numerical and experimental results establishes the potential use of the microchip device for extracting subcellular properties of biological cells in a rapid and nonexpensive manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Mansoorifar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Anil Koklu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Ahmet Can Sabuncu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
| | - Ali Beskok
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA
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19
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Label-free single-cell separation and imaging of cancer cells using an integrated microfluidic system. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46507. [PMID: 28425472 PMCID: PMC5397835 DOI: 10.1038/srep46507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of cancer is increasing worldwide and metastatic disease, through the spread of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), is responsible for the majority of the cancer deaths. Accurate monitoring of CTC levels in blood provides clinical information supporting therapeutic decision making, and improved methods for CTC enumeration are asked for. Microfluidics has been extensively used for this purpose but most methods require several post-separation processing steps including concentration of the sample before analysis. This induces a high risk of sample loss of the collected rare cells. Here, an integrated system is presented that efficiently eliminates this risk by integrating label-free separation with single cell arraying of the target cell population, enabling direct on-chip tumor cell identification and enumeration. Prostate cancer cells (DU145) spiked into a sample with whole blood concentration of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) fraction were efficiently separated and trapped at a recovery of 76.2 ± 5.9% of the cancer cells and a minute contamination of 0.12 ± 0.04% PBMCs while simultaneously enabling a 20x volumetric concentration. This constitutes a first step towards a fully integrated system for rapid label-free separation and on-chip phenotypic characterization of circulating tumor cells from peripheral venous blood in clinical practice.
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20
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Hu S, Liu G, Chen W, Li X, Lu W, Lam RHW, Fu J. Multiparametric Biomechanical and Biochemical Phenotypic Profiling of Single Cancer Cells Using an Elasticity Microcytometer. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2016; 12:2300-11. [PMID: 26929029 PMCID: PMC6232842 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201503620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Deep phenotyping of single cancer cells is of critical importance in the era of precision medicine to advance understanding of relationships between gene mutation and cell phenotype and to elucidate the biological nature of tumor heterogeneity. Existing microfluidic single-cell phenotyping tools, however, are limited to phenotypic measurements of 1-2 selected morphological and physiological features of single cells. Herein a microfluidic elasticity microcytometer is reported for multiparametric biomechanical and biochemical phenotypic profiling of free-floating, live single cancer cells for quantitative, simultaneous characterizations of cell size, cell deformability/stiffness, and surface receptors. The elasticity microcytometer is implemented for measurements and comparisons of four human cell lines with distinct metastatic potentials and derived from different human tissues. An analytical model is developed from first principles for the first time to convert cell deformation and adhesion information of single cancer cells encapsulated inside the elasticity microcytometer to cell deformability/stiffness and surface protein expression. Together, the elasticity microcytometer holds great promise for comprehensive molecular, cellular, and biomechanical phenotypic profiling of live cancer cells at the single cell level, critical for studying intratumor cellular and molecular heterogeneity using low-abundance, clinically relevant human cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhuan Hu
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Guangyu Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Weiqiang Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, New York 11201, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | - Raymond H. W. Lam
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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