Electrical detection of single-cell trapping for manipulation in an array-based format

Placement of different types of a single cell is necessary to measure life activity of living organism as close to original as possible. We propose an electrical detection and manipulation method of a single cell for parallel manipulation. To detect a cell capture, we measured a current through a glass pipette during cell capture and release. Trapping a cell on the pipette tip by suction at -5 kPa decreased the current by 1 nA in 0.4 s, which shows the cell trap can be detected in 1 s. Cell viability assay revealed that nine cells applied at 100 mV over 100 s were all alive. BSA coating improved a cell release from a pipette tip. Measurement of trajectory and distance of a cell revealed that the movement depended on an ejection flow and a flow in a dish.