Measuring single-cell density

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Jul 5;108(27):10992-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1104651108. Epub 2011 Jun 20.

Abstract

We have used a microfluidic mass sensor to measure the density of single living cells. By weighing each cell in two fluids of different densities, our technique measures the single-cell mass, volume, and density of approximately 500 cells per hour with a density precision of 0.001 g mL(-1). We observe that the intrinsic cell-to-cell variation in density is nearly 100-fold smaller than the mass or volume variation. As a result, we can measure changes in cell density indicative of cellular processes that would be otherwise undetectable by mass or volume measurements. Here, we demonstrate this with four examples: identifying Plasmodium falciparum malaria-infected erythrocytes in a culture, distinguishing transfused blood cells from a patient's own blood, identifying irreversibly sickled cells in a sickle cell patient, and identifying leukemia cells in the early stages of responding to a drug treatment. These demonstrations suggest that the ability to measure single-cell density will provide valuable insights into cell state for a wide range of biological processes.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Anemia, Sickle Cell / blood
  • Animals
  • Blood Transfusion
  • Cell Count / instrumentation*
  • Cell Count / methods*
  • Cell Size
  • Erythrocytes / cytology
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology
  • Erythrocytes, Abnormal / pathology
  • Humans
  • Leukemia L1210 / blood
  • Leukemia L1210 / drug therapy
  • Malaria, Falciparum / blood
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods