High speed cell manipulation by dielectrophoresis and movable microstructure embedding cells fabricated inside microfluidic chips

Abstract

For tissue engineering, it is very important to construct cell patterns and immobilize patterned cells inside certain structures. In this paper, we present methods of forming cell pattern by dielectrophoresis (DEP) and immobilizing cells by photo-crosslinkable resin inside microfluidic chips. High speed cell manipulation, including patterning and concentration control by DEP is demonstrated. Movable microstructure embedding cells is on-chip fabricated. Several microelectrodes are fabricated by Indium Tin Oxides (ITO) and Cr/Au. The two kinds of DEP responses of yeast cell (W303) and other particles are experimentally confirmed. Based on negative DEP phenomenon, line and circle patterns of cells and microbeads are high speed performed. Cell manipulation for patterning is completed within 1 second. The on-chip fabrication of movable microstructures embedding cells based on Poly Ethylene Glycol Diacrylate (PEG-DA) is reported. The microfluidic chip with separated patterning and fabrication areas is fabricated. With the cell concentration control by DEP and on-chip fabrication method, movable microstructures embedding microbeads of which the concentration is controllable are fabricated in the microfluidic channel, inside PEG-DA and NaCl solution.