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Negative Dielectrophoretic Capture and Repulsion of Single Cells at a Bipolar Electrode: The Impact of Faradaic Ion Enrichment and Depletion
journal contribution
posted on 2015-01-21, 00:00 authored by Robbyn
K. Anand, Eleanor S. Johnson, Daniel T. ChiuThis
paper describes the dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces generated
by a bipolar electrode (BPE) in a microfluidic device and elucidates
the impact of faradaic ion enrichment and depletion (FIE and FID)
on electric field gradients. DEP technologies for manipulating biological
cells provide several distinct advantages over other cell-handling
techniques including label-free selectivity, inexpensive device components,
and amenability to single-cell and array-based applications. However,
extension to the array format is nontrivial, and DEP forces are notoriously
short-range, limiting device dimensions and throughput. BPEs present
an attractive option for DEP because of the ease with which they can
be arrayed. Here, we present experimental results demonstrating both
negative DEP (nDEP) attraction and repulsion of B-cells from each
a BPE cathode and anode. The direction of nDEP force in each case
was determined by whether the conditions for FIE or FID were chosen
in the experimental design. We conclude that FIE and FID zones generated
by BPEs can be exploited to shape and extend the electric field gradients
that are responsible for DEP force.