Optoelectronic tweezers system for single cell manipulation and fluorescence imaging of live immune cells

Opt Express. 2014 Jan 27;22(2):1372-80. doi: 10.1364/OE.22.001372.

Abstract

A compact optoelectronic tweezers system for combined cell manipulation and analysis is presented. CMOS-controlled gallium nitride micro-LED arrays are used to provide simultaneous spatio-temporal control of dielectrophoresis traps within an optoelectronic tweezers device and fluorescence imaging of contrasting dye labelled cells. This capability provides direct identification, selection and controlled interaction of single T-lymphocytes and dendritic cells. The trap strength and profile for two emission wavelengths of micro-LED array have been measured and a maximum trapping force of 13.1 and 7.6 pN was achieved for projected micro-LED devices emitting at λmax 520 and 450 nm, respectively. A potential application in biological research is demonstrated through the controlled interaction of live immune cells where there is potential for this method of OET to be implemented as a compact device.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Separation / instrumentation*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendritic Cells / cytology*
  • Dendritic Cells / physiology*
  • Electronics / instrumentation
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Micromanipulation / instrumentation
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / instrumentation*
  • Optical Tweezers*
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / physiology*