Abstract
A novel method for studying unlabeled living mammalian cells based on their autofluorescence (AF) signal in a prototype microfluidic device is presented. When combined, cellular AF detection and microfluidic devices have the potential to facilitate high-throughput analysis of different cell populations. To demonstrate this, unlabeled cultured cells in microfluidic devices were excited with a 488 nm excitation light and the AF emission (> 505 nm) was detected using a confocal fluorescence microscope (CFM). For example, a simple microfluidic three-port glass microstructure was used together with conventional electroosmotic flow (EOF) to switch the direction of the fluid flow. As a means to test the potential of AF-based cell sorting in this microfluidic device, granulocytes were successfully differentiated from human red blood cells (RBCs) based on differences in AF. This study demonstrated the use of a simple microfabricated device to perform high-throughput live cell detection and differentiation without the need for cell-specific fluorescent labeling dyes and thereby reducing the sample preparation time. Hence, the combined use of microfluidic devices and cell AF may have many applications in single-cell analysis.
Original language | Undefined |
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Pages (from-to) | 3740-3745 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Electrophoresis |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 21-22 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2004 |
Keywords
- Miniaturization
- METIS-219625
- IR-48307
- Red blood cell
- Microfluidic
- Single cell analysis
- Autofluorescence