Rapid measurement of specific membrane capacitance and cytoplasm conductivity on single cells

This paper presents a technique for the characterization of single-cell electrical properties (specific membrane capacitance and cytoplasm conductivity) at a speed of 5-10 cells per second (vs. minutes per cell using existing techniques). When a cell flows through a microfluidic constriction channel, electrical impedance at multiple frequencies is measured. Electrical and geometrical models were developed to interpret the impedance data and determine the specific membrane capacitance and cytoplasm conductivity of individual cells. Results from testing 3,249 AML-2 cells and 3,398 HL-60 cells reveal different electrical properties between these two cell types. The results also demonstrate that the quantification of specific membrane capacitance and cytoplasm conductivity can enhance cell classification results.