One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based Analysis

Many applications in biotechnology and medicine, among other disciplines, require the rapid enumeration of bacteria, preferably using miniaturized portable devices. Microfluidic technology is expected to solve this miniaturization issue. In the enumeration of bacteria in microfluidic devices, the te...

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Main Authors: Yukihiro Yamaguchi, Takatoki Yamamoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
Series:Micromachines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/12/2/123
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spelling doaj-6f127c00c8474d3784a1421efd2f4f452021-01-25T00:02:15ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2021-01-011212312310.3390/mi12020123One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based AnalysisYukihiro Yamaguchi0Takatoki Yamamoto1Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, JapanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, JapanMany applications in biotechnology and medicine, among other disciplines, require the rapid enumeration of bacteria, preferably using miniaturized portable devices. Microfluidic technology is expected to solve this miniaturization issue. In the enumeration of bacteria in microfluidic devices, the technique of aligning bacteria in a single line prior to counting is the key to an accurate count at single-bacterium resolution. Here, we describe the numerical and experimental evaluation of a device utilizing a dielectrophoretic force to array bacteria in a single line, allowing their facile numeration. The device comprises a channel to flow bacteria, two counter electrodes, and a capture electrode several microns or less in width for arranging bacteria in a single line. When the capture electrode is narrower than the diameter of a bacterium, the entrapment efficiency of the one-dimensional array is 80% or more within 2 s. Furthermore, since some cell-sorting applications require bacteria to move against the liquid flow, we demonstrated that bacteria can move in a single line in the off-axial direction tilted 30° from the flow direction. Our findings provide the basis for designing miniature, portable devices for evaluating bacteria with single-cell accuracy.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/12/2/123dielectrophoresismicrofluidicssingle cellsingle bacteriumflow cytometer
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Yukihiro Yamaguchi
Takatoki Yamamoto
spellingShingle Yukihiro Yamaguchi
Takatoki Yamamoto
One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based Analysis
Micromachines
dielectrophoresis
microfluidics
single cell
single bacterium
flow cytometer
author_facet Yukihiro Yamaguchi
Takatoki Yamamoto
author_sort Yukihiro Yamaguchi
title One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based Analysis
title_short One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based Analysis
title_full One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based Analysis
title_fullStr One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based Analysis
title_full_unstemmed One-Dimensional Flow of Bacteria on an Electrode Rail by Dielectrophoresis: Toward Single-Cell-Based Analysis
title_sort one-dimensional flow of bacteria on an electrode rail by dielectrophoresis: toward single-cell-based analysis
publisher MDPI AG
series Micromachines
issn 2072-666X
publishDate 2021-01-01
description Many applications in biotechnology and medicine, among other disciplines, require the rapid enumeration of bacteria, preferably using miniaturized portable devices. Microfluidic technology is expected to solve this miniaturization issue. In the enumeration of bacteria in microfluidic devices, the technique of aligning bacteria in a single line prior to counting is the key to an accurate count at single-bacterium resolution. Here, we describe the numerical and experimental evaluation of a device utilizing a dielectrophoretic force to array bacteria in a single line, allowing their facile numeration. The device comprises a channel to flow bacteria, two counter electrodes, and a capture electrode several microns or less in width for arranging bacteria in a single line. When the capture electrode is narrower than the diameter of a bacterium, the entrapment efficiency of the one-dimensional array is 80% or more within 2 s. Furthermore, since some cell-sorting applications require bacteria to move against the liquid flow, we demonstrated that bacteria can move in a single line in the off-axial direction tilted 30° from the flow direction. Our findings provide the basis for designing miniature, portable devices for evaluating bacteria with single-cell accuracy.
topic dielectrophoresis
microfluidics
single cell
single bacterium
flow cytometer
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/12/2/123
work_keys_str_mv AT yukihiroyamaguchi onedimensionalflowofbacteriaonanelectroderailbydielectrophoresistowardsinglecellbasedanalysis
AT takatokiyamamoto onedimensionalflowofbacteriaonanelectroderailbydielectrophoresistowardsinglecellbasedanalysis
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