1
|
Hein Y, Zipfel F, O'Connor G, Macdonald R, Hussels M. Flow cytometer for a dilution-free measurement approach with sample recollection. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2024; 95:065101. [PMID: 38829217 DOI: 10.1063/5.0187052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Blood testing using flow cytometry is a common and rapid method for the initial screening and diagnosis of patients. Measurements are often combined with other scientific techniques, and analyzed samples are commonly diluted and discarded afterward. When the sample is recollected instead, sample dilution is a challenge when the sample is intended or needed for additional measurements. Therefore, it is advantageous to recollect the undiluted sample. In order to enable measurements of the same undiluted sample aliquot, we designed and constructed a purpose-built flow cytometer. Our instrument employs syringes, acoustic focusing, and an open fluidics system to recollect and reuse the unadulterated sample. The cytometer is compact, which reduces sample consumption. It acquires forward, sideward, and fluorescence signals, offering opportunities for diverse measurement approaches. In particular, our cytometer has been designed to be ready for additional downstream analysis of cells, e.g., applying mass spectrometry, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, or other analytical tools. This study presents results on instrument performance, a comparison with a cytometer that uses standard hydrodynamic focusing, and a proof of concept for multiple measurements.
Collapse
|
2
|
Naveenkumar PM, Maheshwari H, Gundabala V, Mann S, Sharma KP. Patterning of Protein-Sequestered Liquid-Crystal Droplets Using Acoustic Wave Trapping. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:871-881. [PMID: 38131278 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Development of spatially organized structures and understanding their role in controlling kinetics of multistep chemical reactions are essential for the successful design of efficient systems and devices. While studies that showcase different types of methodologies for the spatial organization of various colloidal systems are known, design and development of well-defined hierarchical assemblies of liquid-crystal (LC) droplets and subsequent demonstration of biological reactions using such assemblies still remain elusive. Here, we show reversible and reconfigurable one-dimensional (1D) assemblies of protein-bioconjugate-sequestered monodisperse LC droplets by combining microfluidics with noninvasive acoustic wave trapping technology. Tunable spatial geometries and lattice dimensions can be achieved in an aqueous medium comprising ≈19 or 62 μm LC droplets. Different assemblies of a mixed population of larger and smaller droplets sequestered with glucose oxidase (GOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), respectively, exhibit spatially localized enzyme kinetics with higher initial rates of reaction compared with GOx/HRP cascades implemented in the absence of an acoustic field. This can be attributed to the direct substrate transfer/channeling between the two complementary enzymes in close proximity. Therefore, our study provides an initial step toward the fabrication of LC-based devices for biosensing applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Harsha Maheshwari
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Venkat Gundabala
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Stephen Mann
- Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, BS8 1TS Bristol, U.K
| | - Kamendra P Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mezzanzanica G, Français O, Mariani S. Surface Acoustic Wave-Based Microfluidic Device for Microparticles Manipulation: Effects of Microchannel Elasticity on the Device Performance. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1799. [PMID: 37763962 PMCID: PMC10537826 DOI: 10.3390/mi14091799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Size sorting, line focusing, and isolation of microparticles or cells are fundamental ingredients in the improvement of disease diagnostic tools adopted in biology and biomedicine. Microfluidic devices are exploited as a solution to transport and manipulate (bio)particles via a liquid flow. Use of acoustic waves traveling through the fluid provides non-contact solutions to the handling goal, by exploiting the acoustophoretic phenomenon. In this paper, a finite element model of a microfluidic surface acoustic wave-based device for the manipulation of microparticles is reported. Counter-propagating waves are designed to interfere inside a PDMS microchannel and generate a standing surface acoustic wave which is transmitted to the fluid as a standing pressure field. A model of the cross-section of the device is considered to perform a sensitivity analysis of such a standing pressure field to uncertainties related to the geometry of the microchannel, especially in terms of thickness and width of the fluid domain. To also assess the effects caused by possible secondary waves traveling in the microchannel, the PDMS is modeled as an elastic solid material. Remarkable effects and possible issues in microparticle actuation, as related to the size of the microchannel, are discussed by way of exemplary results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Mezzanzanica
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Olivier Français
- Electronics, Communication systems and Microsystems (ESYCOM), Université Gustave Eiffel, National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS), F-77454 Marne-la-Vallée, France;
| | - Stefano Mariani
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Leonaviciene G, Mazutis L. RNA cytometry of single-cells using semi-permeable microcapsules. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:e2. [PMID: 36268865 PMCID: PMC9841424 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Analytical tools for gene expression profiling of individual cells are critical for studying complex biological systems. However, the techniques enabling rapid measurements of gene expression on thousands of single-cells are lacking. Here, we report a high-throughput RNA cytometry for digital profiling of single-cells isolated in liquid droplets enveloped by a thin semi-permeable membrane (microcapsules). Due to the selective permeability of the membrane, the desirable enzymes and reagents can be loaded, or replaced, in the microcapsule at any given step by simply changing the reaction buffer in which the microcapsules are dispersed. Therefore, complex molecular biology workflows can be readily adapted to conduct nucleic acid analysis on encapsulated mammalian cells, or other biological species. The microcapsules support sequential multi-step enzymatic reactions and remain intact under different biochemical conditions, freezing, thawing, and thermocycling. Combining microcapsules with conventional FACS provides a high-throughput approach for conducting RNA cytometry of individual cells based on their digital gene expression signature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Greta Leonaviciene
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Centre, Vilnius University, 7 Sauletekio av., Vilnius, LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Linas Mazutis
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +370 5 2234356;
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liang M, Zhong J, Ai Y. A Systematic Study of Size Correlation and Young's Modulus Sensitivity for Cellular Mechanical Phenotyping by Microfluidic Approaches. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2200628. [PMID: 35852381 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Cellular mechanical properties are a class of intrinsic biophysical markers for cell state and health. Microfluidic mechanical phenotyping methods have emerged as promising tools to overcome the challenges of low throughput and high demand for manual skills in conventional approaches. In this work, two types of microfluidic cellular mechanical phenotyping methods, contactless hydro-stretching deformability cytometry (lh-DC) and contact constriction deformability cytometry (cc-DC) are comprehensively studied and compared. Polymerized hydrogel beads with defined sizes are used to characterize a strong negative correlation between size and deformability in cc-DC (r = -0.95), while lh-DC presents a weak positive correlation (r = 0.13). Young's modulus sensitivity in cc-DC is size-dependent while it is a constant in lh-DC. Moreover, the deformability assessment for human breast cell line mixture suggests the lh-DC exhibits better differentiation capability of cells with different size distributions, while cc-DC provides higher sensitivity to identify cellular mechanical changes within a single cell line. This work is the first to present a quantitative study and comparison of size correlation and Young's modulus sensitivity of contactless and contact microfluidic mechanical phenotyping methods, which provides guidance to choose the most suitable cellular mechanical phenotyping platform for specific cell analysis applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minhui Liang
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| | - Jianwei Zhong
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| | - Ye Ai
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore, 487372, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Blaha ME, Hasan S, Dusny C, Belder D. Fluorescence lifetime activated droplet sorting (FLADS) for label-free sorting of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1604-1614. [PMID: 35332894 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00032f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the label-free sorting of cyanobacterial cells in droplets with single-cell sensitivity based on their fluorescence lifetime. We separated living and dead cyanobacteria (Synechocystis sp. PCC6803) using fluorescence lifetime signals of the photopigment autofluorescence to indicate their photosynthetic activity. We developed a setup and a chip design to achieve live/dead sorting accuracies of more than 97% at a droplet frequency of 100 Hz with a PDMS-based chip system and standard optics using fluorescence lifetime as the sorting criterion. The obtained sorting accuracies could be experimentally confirmed by cell plating and observing the droplet sorting process via a high-speed camera. The herein presented results demonstrate the capabilities of the developed system for studying the effects of stressors on cyanobacterial physiology and the subsequent deterministic sorting of different stress-response phenotypes. This technology eliminates the need for tedious staining of cyanobacterial cells, which makes it particularly attractive for its application in the field of phototrophic microbial bio(techno)logic and in the context of cell secretion studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sadat Hasan
- Institute for Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Christian Dusny
- Department Solar Materials, Helmoltz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ Leipzig, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Detlev Belder
- Institute for Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chen Z, Lv Z, Zhang Z, Weitz DA, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Cui W. Advanced microfluidic devices for fabricating multi-structural hydrogel microsphere. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2021; 1:20210036. [PMID: 37323691 PMCID: PMC10191056 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20210036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogel microspheres are a novel functional material, arousing much attention in various fields. Microfluidics, a technology that controls and manipulates fluids at the micron scale, has emerged as a promising method for fabricating hydrogel microspheres due to its ability to generate uniform microspheres with controlled geometry. With the development of microfluidic devices, more complicated hydrogel microspheres with multiple structures can be constructed. This review presents an overview of advances in microfluidics for designing and engineering hydrogel microspheres. It starts with an introduction to the features of hydrogel microspheres and microfluidic techniques, followed by a discussion of material selection for fabricating microfluidic devices. Then the progress of microfluidic devices for single-component and composite hydrogel microspheres is described, and the method for optimizing microfluidic devices is also given. Finally, this review discusses the key research directions and applications of microfluidics for hydrogel microsphere in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zehao Chen
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and AutomationShanghai UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of OrthopaedicsShanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint DiseasesShanghai Institute of Traumatology and OrthopaedicsRuijin HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Zhendong Lv
- Department of Spine SurgeryRenji HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and AutomationShanghai UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
| | - David A. Weitz
- Department of Physics and Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied SciencesHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | - Hongbo Zhang
- Pharmaceutical Sciences LaboratoryÅbo Akademi University and Turku Bioscience CentreUniversity of Turku and Åbo Akademi UniversityTurkuFinland
| | - Yuhui Zhang
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and AutomationShanghai UniversityShanghaiP. R. China
- Department of Spine SurgeryRenji HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| | - Wenguo Cui
- Department of OrthopaedicsShanghai Key Laboratory for Prevention and Treatment of Bone and Joint DiseasesShanghai Institute of Traumatology and OrthopaedicsRuijin HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiP. R. China
| |
Collapse
|