Soft trapping and manipulation of cells using a disposable nanoliter biochamber

Low-power continuous-wave laser radiation is used to form a very stable microbubble at the end of a specially etched and metalized optical fiber probe. We demonstrate that the microbubble, which is firmly attached to the fiber probe, can be used to benignly trap and manipulate living swine sperm cells as well as human embryonic kidney cells. The lifetime of the microbubble has been prolonged and the gaseous environment inside the bubble controlled using micropipette gas injection. The controlled fusion of two microbubbles is demonstrated as a means of transferring microparticles from one bubble to another. These experiments lay the foundation for the use of the microbubble as a mobile, nanoliter-volume disposable biochamber for cellular studies.