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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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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