Zhang Hongyong, Wang Pengbo, Huang Nan, Zhao Lingrui, Su Yi, Li Lingfei, Bian Sumin, Sawan Mohamad
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2023 Sep 27;11:1258626. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1258626. eCollection 2023.
Chips-based platforms intended for single-cell manipulation are considered powerful tools to analyze intercellular interactions and cellular functions. Although the conventional cell co-culture models could investigate cell communication to some extent, the role of a single cell requires further analysis. In this study, a precise intercellular interaction model was built using a microelectrode array [microelectrode array (MEA)]-based and dielectrophoresis-driven single-cell manipulation chip. The integrated platform enabled precise manipulation of single cells, which were either trapped on or transferred between electrodes. Each electrode was controlled independently to record the corresponding cellular electrophysiology. Multiple parameters were explored to investigate their effects on cell manipulation including the diameter and depth of microwells, the geometry of cells, and the voltage amplitude of the control signal. Under the optimized microenvironment, the chip was further evaluated using 293T and neural cells to investigate the influence of electric field on cells. An examination of the inappropriate use of electric fields on cells revealed the occurrence of oncosis. In the end of the study, electrophysiology of single neurons and network of neurons, both differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), was recorded and compared to demonstrate the functionality of the chip. The obtained preliminary results extended the nature growing model to the controllable level, satisfying the expectation of introducing more elaborated intercellular interaction models.
用于单细胞操作的基于芯片的平台被认为是分析细胞间相互作用和细胞功能的强大工具。尽管传统的细胞共培养模型可以在一定程度上研究细胞通讯，但单个细胞的作用仍需要进一步分析。在本研究中，使用基于微电极阵列（MEA）和介电泳驱动的单细胞操作芯片构建了一个精确的细胞间相互作用模型。该集成平台能够精确操纵单个细胞，这些细胞可以被捕获在电极上或在电极之间转移。每个电极独立控制以记录相应的细胞电生理。探索了多个参数以研究它们对细胞操作的影响，包括微孔的直径和深度、细胞的几何形状以及控制信号的电压幅度。在优化的微环境下，使用293T细胞和神经细胞对芯片进行了进一步评估，以研究电场对细胞的影响。对电场对细胞的不当使用进行检查发现了胀亡的发生。在研究结束时，记录并比较了源自人类诱导多能干细胞（iPSC）的单个神经元和神经元网络的电生理，以证明芯片的功能。所获得的初步结果将自然生长模型扩展到了可控水平，满足了引入更精细的细胞间相互作用模型的期望。
