Iso-acoustic focusing of cells for size-insensitive acousto-mechanical phenotyping

Nat Commun. 2016 May 16:7:11556. doi: 10.1038/ncomms11556.

Abstract

Mechanical phenotyping of single cells is an emerging tool for cell classification, enabling assessment of effective parameters relating to cells' interior molecular content and structure. Here, we present iso-acoustic focusing, an equilibrium method to analyze the effective acoustic impedance of single cells in continuous flow. While flowing through a microchannel, cells migrate sideways, influenced by an acoustic field, into streams of increasing acoustic impedance, until reaching their cell-type specific point of zero acoustic contrast. We establish an experimental procedure and provide theoretical justifications and models for iso-acoustic focusing. We describe a method for providing a suitable acoustic contrast gradient in a cell-friendly medium, and use acoustic forces to maintain that gradient in the presence of destabilizing forces. Applying this method we demonstrate iso-acoustic focusing of cell lines and leukocytes, showing that acoustic properties provide phenotypic information independent of size.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustics*
  • Animals
  • Blood Cells / cytology
  • Blood Cells / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Size* / drug effects
  • Electric Impedance
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mice
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Phenotype
  • Triiodobenzoic Acids / pharmacology

Substances

  • Triiodobenzoic Acids
  • iodixanol