A monolithic glass chip for active single-cell sorting based on mechanical phenotyping.

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Cellular mechanical properties are crucial indicators of biological function and disease.
• Previous methods lacked the ability to screen and sort heterogeneous cell populations based on serial mechanical measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel monolithic glass chip for combined fluorescence detection and mechanical phenotyping.
• To demonstrate the capability of screening and actively sorting heterogeneous cell populations using single-cell mechanical measurements.

Main Methods:

• A novel monolithic glass chip was designed and manufactured by bonding two asymmetrically etched glass plates.
• The chip integrates an optical stretcher for mechanical phenotyping with fluorescence detection capabilities.
• Microfluidic channels were incorporated for precise cell handling and sorting.

Main Results:

• The custom-built optical stretcher glass chip successfully measured and sorted single cells from a heterogeneous population based on distinct mechanical properties.
• Sorting accuracy was verified through simultaneous fluorescence detection.
• The device demonstrated high imaging quality and precise optical fiber alignment.

Conclusions:

• This novel glass chip enables precise characterization and sorting of small cell populations based on rheological properties.
• The technology opens new avenues for biological and biomedical applications requiring mechanical phenotyping and cell sorting.