Cellular dielectrophoresis coupled with single-cell analysis

In this review, recent advances that leverage dielectrophoretic approaches to accomplish single-cell analysis (both "on-chip" and "off-chip") are discussed with special emphasis on eukaryotic cells. Dielectrophoresis as an electric-field-induced force utilized for cell manipulation can confer selectivity without labeling. Recent technical improvements have increased the volumetric throughput of the separation of cells from complex mixtures, introduced new strategies for massively parallel single-cell confinement for subsequent on-chip analysis, made possible selective transport of individual cells off-chip, and integrated preconcentration and prefocusing steps to enhance dielectrophoretic performance. Collectively, these studies potentiate all-in-one platforms capable of taking as their input complex mixtures of cells and accomplishing single-cell analysis. Assays requiring small reaction volumes (e.g., enzymatic assays, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and immunostaining) have been demonstrated. Still greater opportunities to unravel cell-to-cell variations and for point-of-care applications can be realized by making possible on-chip gene amplification, live-cell assays, and either dielectrophoretic manipulation in native media or on-chip exchange of media. We therefore conclude with a discussion of emerging capabilities in these areas.