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Overview Of Cell Separation And Isolation

Overview Of Cell Separation And Isolation

Cell separation was first achieved in 1964 by S. H. Seal, who separated large tumor cells from the smaller blood cells using filtration. Two years later, Pohl and Hawk performed experiments on how cells respond differently to a nonuniform electric field based on the cell type. Such observations were the inception of cell separation methods, which allow isolating a single cell type from a heterogeneous sample.

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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Using Laser Tweezers For Manipulating Isolated Neurons In Vitro

Using Laser Tweezers For Manipulating Isolated Neurons In Vitro

Published on: September 11, 2008

Single cell isolation process with laser induced forward transfer.

Yu Deng¹, Philippe Renaud², Zhongning Guo³

¹School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006 China ; Microsystems Laboratory, STI-LMIS, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, Guangzhou, 510006 China.

Journal of Biological Engineering

|January 20, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) reliably isolates single cells in a closed chamber. Optimized conditions minimize mechanical damage, preserving cell size and viability for single-cell biology studies.

Keywords:

Cell damage Laser induced forward transfer Mechanical stress Proliferation Single cell isolation

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Area of Science:

Biotechnology
Cell Biology
Microfluidics

Background:

Single-cell isolation is vital for cell biology research.
Contamination and humidity control are critical during cell isolation.
Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) offers a potential method for precise cell manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To optimize laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) for reliable single-cell isolation.
To evaluate the impact of various parameters on cell integrity and viability.
To establish optimal conditions for contaminant-free, high-viability single-cell transfer.

Main Methods:

Utilized laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) within a custom-designed closed chamber.
Investigated effects of laser pulse energy, spot size, and working distance.
Employed glycerol and alginate to enhance medium viscosity and cell landing.
Statistically analyzed cell size distribution, number, and proliferation rates.

Main Results:

Mechanical damage was identified as the primary factor influencing cell size and proliferation.
Optimal LIFT conditions determined: 9 μJ pulse energy, 60 μm spot size, 12 nm titanium thickness, 700 μm working distance.
2% glycerol and >1 μm alginate depth improved cell transfer.
Single-shot LIFT transfer achieved with minimal impact on cell size and viability.

Conclusions:

Optimized LIFT in a closed chamber provides a reliable method for single-cell isolation.
The established protocol ensures high cell viability and minimizes contamination.
This technique is a promising tool for advancing single-cell biology research.