Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
Acquiring Fluorescence Time-lapse Movies of Budding Yeast and Analyzing Single-cell Dynamics using GRAFTS
Published on: July 18, 2013
Construction and use of a microfluidic dissection platform for long-term imaging of cellular processes in budding
Daphne H E W Huberts1, Sung Sik Lee, Javier Gonzáles
1Molecular Systems Biology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
This protocol describes the production and operation of a microfluidic dissection platform for long-term, high-resolution imaging of budding yeast cells. At the core of this platform is an array of micropads that trap yeast cells in a single focal plane. Newly formed daughter cells are subsequently washed away by a continuous flow of fresh culture medium. In a typical experiment, 50-100 cells can be tracked during their entire replicative lifespan. Apart from aging-related research, the microfluidic platform can also be a valuable tool for other studies requiring the monitoring of single cells over time. Here we provide step-by-step instructions on how to fabricate the silicon wafer mold, how to produce and operate the microfluidic device and how to analyze the obtained data. Production of the microfluidic dissection platform and setting up an aging experiment takes ~7 h.
