TipChip: a modular, MEMS-based platform for experimentation and phenotyping of tip-growing cells

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biotechnology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Large-scale phenotyping of tip-growing cells is limited to basic parameters like germination and growth velocity.
• Sophisticated assays for cells like pollen tubes require advanced experimental tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient, high-throughput experimental platform for advanced phenotyping of tip-growing cells.
• To investigate fundamental questions regarding pollen tube growth dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Development of the TipChip, a microfluidic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based device.
• Utilizing modular microchannels for controlled exposure to chemical gradients, microstructures, and biosensors.
• Compatibility with advanced microscopy techniques like Nomarski and fluorescence microscopy.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that pollen tubes do not possess directional memory, unlike root hairs and fungal hyphae.
• Observed that pollen tubes can elongate in air, indicating novel mechanisms for water uptake.
• Enabled precise control and reproducibility in experiments with tip-growing cells.

Conclusions:

• The TipChip platform significantly advances the capabilities for large-scale phenotyping of tip-growing cells.
• New insights into pollen tube growth, including lack of directional memory and airborne elongation, have been uncovered.
• The platform opens new research avenues for studying cellular growth under controlled conditions.