Dielectrophoretic Movement of Cell Passing Between Surface Electrodes in Flow Channel

Abstract

Abstract In this study, cell behavior in microchannels has been tracked for the application of dielectrophoresis to biological cell selection. A pair of titanium surface electrodes integrated with a microflow channel was manufactured by photolithography technology: a triangular electrode with a tip angle of 0.26 rad and a rectangular electrode. A periodic alternating current of a square wave with a period of 0.33 μs was introduced between the electrodes to induce an asymmetric electric field perpendicular to the mainstream direction. During the flow of the suspension of mouse myoblasts (C2C12: mouse myoblast line), the behavior of the cells was measured in vitro. In addition to the shifted movement of cells by dielectrophoresis, the relationship between the distance from the electrode and the change in cell shape was investigated. Experimental results show that the distribution range of the shape of the two-dimensional projection of the cell expands under the influence of dielectrophoresis. The dielectrophoretic effect can be applied to classifying cells not only by cell size, but also by cell deformation.