Characterization and Separation of Live and Dead Yeast Cells Using CMOS-Based DEP Microfluidics

Honeyeh Matbaechi Ettehad,Christian Wenger

doi:10.3390/mi12030270

Abstract

This study aims at developing a miniaturized CMOS integrated silicon-based microfluidic system, compatible with a standard CMOS process, to enable the characterization, and separation of live and dead yeast cells (as model bio-particle organisms) in a cell mixture using the DEP technique. DEP offers excellent benefits in terms of cost, operational power, and especially easy electrode integration with the CMOS architecture, and requiring label-free sample preparation. This can increase the likeliness of using DEP in practical settings. In this work the DEP force was generated using an interdigitated electrode arrays (IDEs) placed on the bottom of a CMOS-based silicon microfluidic channel. This system was primarily used for the immobilization of yeast cells using DEP. This study validated the system for cell separation applications based on the distinct responses of live and dead cells and their surrounding media. The findings confirmed the device’s capability for efficient, rapid and selective cell separation. The viability of this CMOS embedded microfluidic for dielectrophoretic cell manipulation applications and compatibility of the dielectrophoretic structure with CMOS production line and electronics, enabling its future commercially mass production.

Highlights

IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
This work aims toward the realization of the completely complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) miniaturized portable and versatile biomedical devices capable of performing various processing laboratory steps using a single device
The DEP microfluidic device used in this our recent article for cell immobilization

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Characterization and manipulation of biological cells are critical in biomedical and environmental applications. Cells contain crucial information about biological processes and environmental situations [1]. A subcategory of cell manipulation, is vital in clinical applications. The secondary aim of a full sample-to-result lab-ona-chip (LoC) relies on its capability to separate or isolate a cell kind from a cell mixture

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