1 research outputs found
Selective Photomechanical Detachment and Retrieval of Divided Sister Cells from Enclosed Microfluidics for Downstream Analyses
Considerable evidence suggests that
self-renewal and differentiation
of cancer stem-like cells, a key cell population in tumorgenesis,
can determine the outcome of disease. Though the development of microfluidics
has enhanced the study of cellular lineage, it remains challenging
to retrieve sister cells separately inside enclosed microfluidics
for further analyses. In this work, we developed a photomechanical
method to selectively detach and reliably retrieve target cells from
enclosed microfluidic chambers. Cells cultured on carbon nanotube–polydimethylsiloxane
composite surfaces can be detached using shear force induced through
irradiation of a nanosecond-pulsed laser. This retrieval process has
been verified to preserve cell viability, membrane proteins, and mRNA
expression levels. Using the presented method, we have successfully
performed 96-plex single-cell transcriptome analysis on sister cells
in order to identify the genes altered during self-renewal and differentiation,
demonstrating phenomenal resolution in the study of cellular lineage