On-chip label-free determination of cell survival rate

Cell survival rate (CSR) is a very important parameter in biological and medical fields. Today, the routine method to determine this parameter is time-consuming; it also makes the labeled cells no longer useable for subsequent experiments. Here, we developed an on-chip label-free method for determining the CSR. For the method, a hypertonic stimulus was designed to create volume differences between living and dead cells, and then, the differences were characterized with measurements of impedance as the cells flowed through two electrodes. Based on the method, a microfluidic hypertonic stimulus-based impedance flow cytometry chip (HSIFC) was designed, and the localized function of the HSIFC was verified. Finally, the performance of the HSIFC was confirmed by measuring the different CSRs for the different types of cells. The results show that the HSIFC can accurately determine the CSR, and the accuracy is comparable to that of flow cytometry. This work paves the way for the label-free evaluation of CSR after various cell manipulations and treatments on the chip and promotes the versatility of lab-on-a-chip devices.