Highly sensitive force measurements in an optically generated, harmonic hydrodynamic trap

The use of optical tweezers to measure forces acting upon microscopic particles has revolutionised fields from material science to cell biology.However,despite optical control capabilities,this technology is highly constrained by the material properties of the probe,and its use may be limited due to concerns about the effect on biological processes.Here we present a novel,optically controlled trapping method based on light-induced hydrodynamic flows.Specifically,we leverage optical control capabilities to convert a translationally invariant topological defect of a flow field into an attractor for colloids in an effectively one-dimensional harmonic,yet freely rotatable system.Circumventing the need to stabilise particle dynamics along an unstable axis,this novel trap closely resembles the isotropic dynamics of optical tweezers.Using magnetic beads,we explicitly show the existence of a linear force-extension relationship that can be used to detect femtoNewton-range forces with sensitivity close to the thermal limit.Our force measurements remove the need for laser-particle contact,while also lifting material constraints,which renders them a particu-larly interesting tool for the life sciences and engineering.

A portable single-cell analysis system integrating hydrodynamic trapping with broadband impedance spectroscopy

In this paper, we present a portable single-cell analysis system with the hydrodynamic cell trapping and the broadband electrical impedance spectroscopy （EIS）. Using the least flow resistance path principle, the hydrodynamic cell trapping in serpentine arrays can be carried out in a deterministic and automatic manner without the assistance of any external fields. The experimental results show that a cell trap rate of higher than 95% can be easily achieved in our ceil trapping microdevices. Using the maximum length sequences （MLS） technique, our home-made EIS is capable of measuring the impedance spectrum ranging from 1.953 kHz to 1 MHz in approximately 0.5 ms. Finally, on the basis of the developed single-cell analysis system, we precisely monitor the trapping process of human breast tumor cells （MCF-7 cells） according to the changes of electrical impedance. The MCF-7 cells with different trapping conditions or sizes can also be clearly distinguished through the impedance signals. Our portable single-cell analysis system may provide a promising tool to monitor single cells for long periods of time or to discriminate cell types.

Microfluidic-based single cell trapping using a combination of stagnation point flow and physical barrier

Single cell trapping in vitro by microfluidic device is an emerging approach for the study of the relationship between single cells and their dynamic biochemical microenvironments. In this paper, a hydrodynamic-based microfluidic device for single cell trapping is designed using a combination of stagnation point flow and physical barrier.The microfluidic device overcomes the weakness of the traditional ones, which have been only based upon either stagnation point flows or physical barriers, and can conveniently load dynamic biochemical signals to the trapped cell. In addition, it can connect with a programmable syringe pump and a microscope to constitute an integrated experimental system.It is experimentally verified that the microfluidic system can trap single cells in vitro even under flow disturbance and conveniently load biochemical signals to the trapped cell. The designed micro-device would provide a simple yet effective experimental platform for further study of the interactions between single cells and their microenvironments.

Enhanced single-nanoparticle collisions for the hydrogen evolution reaction in a confined microchannel

Single nanoparticle(NP)collisions technique has been widely employed in electrocatalysis.However,the short collision duration of single NPs hinders the further improvement in their electrocatalytic performance.Here,to increase the dynamic collision duration of single NPs in the electron tunneling region,enhanced near-wall hindered diffusion is introduced in the stochastic collision process by coupling a Au ultramicroelectrode(UME)with a confined microchannel.In the case of single palladium nanoparticle(Pd NP)collisions for the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),the hydrodynamic trapping confined in the microchannel effectively permits the activation of the HER on the single Pd NPs.The microchannel-based Au UME is promising in the application of single-NP collisions to energy conversion.