How to integrate a micropipette into a closed microfluidic system: absorption spectra of an optically trapped erythrocyte

We present a new concept of integrating a micropipette within a closed microfluidic system equipped with optical tweezers and a UV-Vis spectrometer. A single red blood cell (RBC) was optically trapped and steered in three dimensions towards a micropipette that was integrated in the microfluidic system. Different oxygenation states of the RBC, triggered by altering the oxygen content in the microchannels through a pump system, were optically monitored by a UV-Vis spectrometer. The built setup is aimed to act as a multifunctional system where the biochemical content and the electrophysiological reaction of a single cell can be monitored simultaneously. The system can be used for other applications like single cell sorting, in vitro fertilization or electrophysiological experiments with precise environmental control of the gas-, and chemical content. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America