The FluidFM technology uses microchanneled atomic force microscope cantilevers that are fixed to a drilled atomic force microscope cantilevers probeholder. A continuous fluidic circuit is thereby achieved extending from an external liquid reservoir, through the probeholder and the hollow cantilever to the tip aperture. In this way, both overpressure and an underpressure can be applied to the liquid reservoir and hence to the built-in fluidic circuit. We describe in this letter how standard atomic force microscopy in combination with regulated pressure differences inside the microchanneled cantilevers can be used to displace living organisms with micrometric precision in a nondestructive way. The protocol is applicable to both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells (e.g., mammalian cells, yeasts, and bacteria) in physiological buffer. By means of this procedure, cells can also be transferred from one glass slide to another one or onto an agar medium.
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12 July 2010
Research Article|
July 12 2010
Force-controlled spatial manipulation of viable mammalian cells and micro-organisms by means of FluidFM technology
Pablo Dörig;
Pablo Dörig
1Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Philipp Stiefel;
Philipp Stiefel
2Institute of Microbiology,
ETH Zurich
, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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Pascal Behr;
Pascal Behr
1Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
3
Cytosurge LLC
, Löwenstrasse 42, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
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Edin Sarajlic;
Edin Sarajlic
3
Cytosurge LLC
, Löwenstrasse 42, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
4
SmartTip BV
, 7500 AH Enschede, The Netherlands
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Daniel Bijl;
Daniel Bijl
3
Cytosurge LLC
, Löwenstrasse 42, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
4
SmartTip BV
, 7500 AH Enschede, The Netherlands
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Michael Gabi;
Michael Gabi
1Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
3
Cytosurge LLC
, Löwenstrasse 42, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
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János Vörös;
János Vörös
1Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Julia A. Vorholt;
Julia A. Vorholt
2Institute of Microbiology,
ETH Zurich
, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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Tomaso Zambelli
Tomaso Zambelli
a)
1Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering,
ETH Zurich
, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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a)
Electronic mail: zambelli@biomed.ee.ethz.ch.
Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 023701 (2010)
Article history
Received:
March 03 2010
Accepted:
April 15 2010
Citation
Pablo Dörig, Philipp Stiefel, Pascal Behr, Edin Sarajlic, Daniel Bijl, Michael Gabi, János Vörös, Julia A. Vorholt, Tomaso Zambelli; Force-controlled spatial manipulation of viable mammalian cells and micro-organisms by means of FluidFM technology. Appl. Phys. Lett. 12 July 2010; 97 (2): 023701. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3462979
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