Airborne cell analysis

Sabina Santesson, Martin Andersson, Eva Degerman, Thomas Johansson, Johan Nilsson, Staffan Nilsson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A miniaturized analysis system for the study of living cells and biochemical reactions in microdroplets was developed. The technique utilizes an in-house-developed piezoelectric flow-through droplet dispenser for precise reagent supply and an ultrasonic levitator for contactless sample handling. A few-cell study was performed with living primary adipocytes. Droplets (500 nL) containing 3-15 individual cells were acoustically levitated. The addition of beta-adrenergic agonists into the levitated droplet using the droplet dispenser stimulated adipocyte lipolysis, leading to free fatty acid release and a consequent pH decrease of the surrounding buffer. The addition of insulin antagonized lipolysis and hence also the decrease in pH. The changes in pH, i.e., the cell response in the droplet, were followed using a pH-dependent fluorophore continuously monitored by fluorescence imaging detection. An image analysis computer program was employed to calculate the droplet intensities. To counteract droplet evaporation, found to affect the fluorescence intensities, a separate dispenser was used to continually add water, thus keeping the droplet volume constant.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3412-3418
JournalAnalytical Chemistry
Volume72
Issue number15
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2000

Bibliographical note

The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015.
The record was previously connected to the following departments: Insulin Signal Transduction (013212014), Analytical Chemistry (S/LTH) (011001004), Biomedical Engineering (011200011), Atomic physics (011013005)

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Analytical Chemistry

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