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Characterization of Single-Nucleus Electrical Properties by Microfluidic Constriction Channel
Hongyan Liang1,2, Yi Zhang3,4, Deyong Chen5,6
1State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China. lianghongyan17@mails.ucas.edu.cn.
Micromachines
|November 6, 2019
Summary
This study introduces a novel microfluidic method to measure nuclear envelope capacitance and resistance, offering new bioelectrical markers for cell analysis. These electrical properties can help classify cell types and evaluate cell status.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Nuclear envelope equivalent capacitance (Cne) and resistance (Rne) are key bioelectrical markers.
- Conventional methods struggle to measure these nuclear envelope properties effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel microfluidic approach for quantifying single-nucleus Cne and Rne.
- To establish a new perspective in single-cell electrical characterization using nuclear bioelectrical markers.
Main Methods:
- Isolated single nuclei from whole cells.
- Trapped nuclei in microfluidic constriction channels.
- Sampled impedance profiles and used an equivalent electrical model to determine Cne and Rne.
Main Results:
- Quantified A549 nuclei Cne and Rne as 3.43 ± 1.81 μF/cm² and 2.03 ± 1.40 Ω·cm².
- Measured SW620 nuclei Cne and Rne as 3.75 ± 3.17 μF/cm² and 1.01 ± 0.70 Ω·cm².
- Demonstrated that measurements were robust against variations in isolation and measurement parameters.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic method enables effective measurement of single-nucleus Cne and Rne.
- This technique provides a new avenue for cell type classification and cell status evaluation based on nuclear bioelectrical properties.
