SMORES: a simple microfluidic operating room for the examination and surgery of Stentor coeruleus

Ciliates are powerful unicellular model organisms that have been used to elucidate fundamental biological processes. However, the high motility of ciliates presents a major challenge in studies using live-cell microscopy and microsurgery. While various immobilization methods have been developed, they are physiologically disruptive to the cell and incompatible with microscopy and/or microsurgery. Here, we describe a Simple Microfluidic Operating Room for the Examination and Surgery of Stentor coeruleus (SMORES). SMORES uses Quake valve-based microfluidics to trap, compress, and perform surgery on Stentor as our model ciliate. Compared with previous methods, immobilization by physical compression in SMORES is more effective and uniform. The mean velocity of compressed cells is 24 times less than that of uncompressed cells. The compression is minimally disruptive to the cell and is easily applied or removed using a 3D-printed pressure rig. We demonstrate cell immobilization for up to 2 h without sacrificing cell viability. SMORES is compatible with confocal microscopy and is capable of media exchange for pharmacokinetic studies. Finally, the modular design of SMORES allows laser ablation or mechanical dissection of a cell into many cell fragments at once. These capabilities are expected to enable biological studies previously impossible in ciliates and other motile species.