Engineered systems for the physical manipulation of single cells

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Cell Biology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Precise manipulation of cell physical location is crucial for in vitro cell organization and high-throughput screening applications.
• Existing technologies leverage optical, chemical, mechanical, and electrical phenomena to control cells at micro- and nano-scales.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in cell manipulation technologies for both cell organization and separation.
• To highlight emerging capabilities in patterning multiple cell types, creating dynamic cellular environments, and achieving three-dimensional cell arrangements.
• To discuss progress in miniaturized optical cell sorters and static microscopic observation-based sorting methods.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature and technologies in cell manipulation.
• Analysis of techniques for cell patterning, including multi-type and 3D patterning.
• Examination of cell separation methods, focusing on flow-based optical sorters and static observation sorting.

Main Results:

• Significant progress has been made in patterning more than two cell types.
• Development of dynamic surfaces and three-dimensional cell patterning capabilities are emerging.
• Miniaturized flow-based optical sorters and static microscopic observation sorting show considerable advancements.

Conclusions:

• Cell manipulation technologies are rapidly evolving, offering enhanced control over cell organization and separation.
• These advancements facilitate more complex in vitro cellular systems and more efficient screening processes.
• Future research will likely focus on further refining these techniques for broader biological and medical applications.