Cells are usually influenced by a mixture of hormones, ions, and neurotransmitters released from neighboring cells. Dynamic monitoring of a single cell is important for individual cell analysis without the influence of neighboring cells in independently controlled environments.

In our research, we have developed a microfluidic chip in which a single-cell is autonomously captured in a cell-positioning site by a pre-defined fluid stream and a specific liquid flow including drugs or reagents can be consecutively supplied to each single-cell through a flow injection channel.

The initial design of the devices has three cell-positioning sites.
Pictures of the fabricated device:

This picture shows the experimental result of single-cell capturing and nanoliter drug injection into the specific target cell using the fabricated device.

This movie shows the experimental result of single-cell capturing and nanoliter drug injection into the specific target cell using the fabricated device.

1. K.-S. Yun, S.-I. Lee, G. M. Lee, and E. Yoon, "Design and fabrication of micro/nano-fluidic chip performing single-cell positioning and nanoliter drug injection for single-cell analysis," Proc. of the Micro TAS Symposium (micro TAS¡¯02), Nara, Japan, November 3-7, 2002, pp. 652-654.