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Updated: Dec 27, 2025
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A Microfluidic Chip for the Versatile Chemical Analysis of Single Cells
Published on: October 15, 2013
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Dynamic screening and printing of single cells using a microfluidic chip with dual microvalves
Chang Chen1, Dong Xu, Siwei Bai
1School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China. chenhuaying@hit.edu.cn.
Lab on a Chip
|February 27, 2020
Summary
This study introduces a microfluidic chip with pneumatic microvalves for precise single-cell screening and printing. The device dynamically controls cell size limits, ensuring high efficiency and cell viability for applications in clonal expansion and genomic studies.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microfluidics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Single-cell analysis requires precise inoculation into culture chambers.
- Existing methods may lack dynamic control over cell size selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an innovative microfluidic chip for screening and printing single cells.
- To enable dynamic control over the size limits of cells for inoculation.
Main Methods:
- Integration of two pneumatic microvalves in a microfluidic chip.
- Numerical simulations to analyze microvalve deflection and cell capture.
- Confocal imaging and experimental determination of critical trapping pressures for beads and cells.
Main Results:
- Validated numerical simulations and mathematical models for predicting cell capture size.
- Achieved 100% efficiency in screening and printing single beads and endothelial cells within desired size ranges.
- Demonstrated no significant impact on cell viability during the screening process.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic chip allows dynamic regulation of cell size limits for printing.
- This technology has significant potential for clonal expansion, monoclonality development, and single-cell genomic studies.
