Rapid cell pairing and fusion based on oscillating bubbles within an acoustofluidic device
Xiufang Liu1,2, Wenjun Zhang2, Umar Farooq2
1College of Medicine and Biological information engineering, Northeastern University, Liaoning 110819, China. xuls@bmie.neu.edu.cn.
Lab on a Chip
|February 9, 2022
Summary
This study presents a novel acoustofluidic method using oscillating bubbles for rapid cell capture, pairing, and fusion. The technique achieves high efficiency, preserving cell function for biotechnological applications.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
- Acoustofluidics
Background:
- Cell fusion is crucial for biological processes and biotechnology.
- Existing methods for cell fusion can be inefficient or complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an effective and convenient strategy for cell capture, pairing, and fusion.
- To utilize acoustofluidics and oscillating bubbles for precise cell manipulation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of multirectangular structures in polydimethylsiloxane to generate monodisperse microbubbles.
- Utilizing single-frequency acoustic excitation to induce microbubble oscillation.
- Simultaneous cell capture and pairing on oscillating bubbles within 40 ms.
Main Results:
- Achieved approximately 90% efficiency in cell capture and pairing.
- Successfully induced homotypic and heterotypic cell membrane fusion within 15-20 minutes.
- Demonstrated that homotypic fused cells maintained migration and proliferation capabilities at 24 hours.
Conclusions:
- The acoustofluidic strategy offers an efficient and convenient method for cell fusion.
- The technique preserves essential biological functions of fused cells.
- This approach has significant potential for applications in biotechnology and regenerative medicine.
