Size-independent deformability cytometry with active feedback control of microfluidic channels

Abstract

Mechanical properties of cells can be correlated with various cell states and are now considered as an important biophysical marker. While there are many microfluidic and other techniques emerged recently to assay cell mechanical properties, most of them are affected by the inherent cell size variation of a given cell population. In this work, we present a new microfluidic technique with real-time feedback control system to evaluate single cell deformability while minimizing cell-size dependence of the measurement. We demonstrate the device using breast cancer cells (MCF-7) as well as primary human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). It is anticipated that this system would be useful to profile the stiffness of cells in a complex, diverse cell populations such as mesenchymal stem cells. Copyright © (2011) by the Chemical and Biological Microsystems Society.