Concentrating Single Cells in Picoliter Droplets for Phospholipid Profiling on a Microfluidic System

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Cellular membrane lipids are crucial for cellular function.
• Alterations in lipid profiles are linked to various diseases.
• Understanding intercellular lipid heterogeneity is vital for disease research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated microfluidic system for on-line single-cell lipid analysis.
• To investigate intercellular heterogeneity in lipid composition.
• To assess changes in lipid homeostasis before and after drug treatment.

Main Methods:

• An integrated microfluidic system combining droplet-based inkjet printing, dielectrophoretic electrodes, and de-emulsification.
• On-line single-cell encapsulation, manipulation, and mass spectrometry (MS) detection.
• Comparison of lipid profiles between normal and cancer cells, and drug-treated cells.

Main Results:

• The integrated system achieved improved single-cell encapsulation rates.
• Reduced matrix and oil phase interference in MS detection.
• Observed significant differences in lipid heterogeneity between normal and cancer cells.
• Demonstrated clear changes in lipid profiles of cells post-drug treatment.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfluidic system is effective for analyzing single-cell lipid heterogeneity.
• This technology provides a promising tool for studying the link between lipid homeostasis and diseases.
• The system facilitates the understanding of cellular responses to drug treatments.