Highly-efficient single-cell capture in microfluidic array chips using differential hydrodynamic guiding structures

This paper presents a highly efficient single cell capture scheme using hydrodynamic guiding structures in a microwell array. The implemented structure has a capturing efficiency of > 80%, and has a capacity to place individual cells into separated microwells, allowing for the time-lapse monitoring on single cell behavior. Feasibility was tested by injecting microbeads (15 mu m in diameter) and prostate cancer PC3 cells in an 8 x 8 microwell array chip and > 80% of the microwells were occupied by single ones. Using the chips, the number of cells required for cell assays can be dramatically reduced and this will facilitate overcoming a huddle of assays with scarce supply of cells. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3565236]