3D Electro-Rotation
of Single Cells
Liang Huang
Wenhui Wang
Series Editor: John D. Enderle, University of Connecticut
3D Electro-Rotation of Single Cells
Liang Huang, Tsinghua University, Beijing
Wenhui Wang, Tsinghua University, Beijing
Dielectrophoresis microuidic chips have been widely used in various biological applications due
to their advantages of convenient operation, high throughput, and low cost. However, most of
the DEP microuidic chips are based on 2D planar electrodes which have some limitations, such
as electric eld attenuation, small eective working regions, and weak DEP forces. In order to
overcome the limitations of 2D planar electrodes, two kinds of thick-electrode DEP chips were
designed to realize manipulation and multi-parameter measurement of single cells.
Based on the multi-electrode structure of thick-electrode DEP, a single-cell 3D electro-
rotation chip of “Armillary Sphere” was designed. e chip uses four thick electrodes and a bottom
planar electrode to form an electric eld chamber, which can control 3D rotation of single cells
under dierent electric signal congurations. Electrical property measurement and 3D image
reconstruction of single cells are achieved based on single-cell 3D rotation. is work overcomes the
limitations of 2D planar electrodes and eectively solves the problem of unstable spatial position of
single-cell samples, and provides a new platform for single-cell analysis.
Based on multi-electrode structure of thick-electrode DEP, a microuidic chip with
optoelectronic integration was presented. A dual-ber optical stretcher embedded in thick
electrodes can trap and stretch a single cell while the thick electrodes are used for single-cell
rotation. Stretching and rotation manipulation gives the chip the ability to simultaneously measure
mechanical and electrical properties of single cells, providing a versatile platform for single-cell
analysis, further extending the application of thick-electrode DEP in biological manipulation and
analysis.
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HUANG • WANG 3D ELECTRO-ROTATION OF SINGLE CELLS
Series ISSN: 1930-0328
MORGAN & CLAYPOOL