Dielectrophoresis: An assessment of its potential to aid the research and practice of drug discovery and delivery

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an electrokinetic technique with proven ability to discriminate and selectively manipulate cells based on their phenotype and physiological state, without the need for biological tags and markers. The DEP response of a cell is predominantly determined by the physico-chemical properties of the plasma membrane, subtle changes of which can be detected from two so-called ‘cross-over’ frequencies, fxo1 and fxo2. Membrane capacitance and structural changes can be monitored by measurement of fxo1 at sub-megahertz frequencies, and current indications suggest that fxo2, located above 100 MHz, is sensitive to changes of trans-membrane ion fluxes. DEP lends itself to integration in microfluidic devices and can also operate at the nanoscale to manipulate nanoparticles. Apart from measurements of fxo1 and fxo2, other examples where DEP could contribute to drug discovery and delivery include its ability to: enrich stem cells according to their differentiation potential, and to engineer artificial cell structures and nano-structures.