Separation of neural stem cells by whole cell membrane capacitance using dielectrophoresis

Tayloria N G Adams; Alan Y L Jiang; Prema D Vyas; Lisa A Flanagan

doi:10.1016/j.ymeth.2017.08.016

Separation of neural stem cells by whole cell membrane capacitance using dielectrophoresis

Methods. 2018 Jan 15:133:91-103. doi: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2017.08.016. Epub 2017 Aug 31.

Authors

Tayloria N G Adams¹, Alan Y L Jiang², Prema D Vyas³, Lisa A Flanagan⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. Electronic address: tayloria@uci.edu.
² Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
³ Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. Electronic address: lisa.flanagan@uci.edu.

Abstract

Whole cell membrane capacitance is an electrophysiological property of the plasma membrane that serves as a biomarker for stem cell fate potential. Neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) that differ in ability to form neurons or astrocytes are distinguished by membrane capacitance measured by dielectrophoresis (DEP). Differences in membrane capacitance are sufficient to enable the enrichment of neuron- or astrocyte-forming cells by DEP, showing the separation of stem cells on the basis of fate potential by membrane capacitance. NSPCs sorted by DEP need not be labeled and do not experience toxic effects from the sorting procedure. Other stem cell populations also display shifts in membrane capacitance as cells differentiate to a particular fate, clarifying the value of sorting a variety of stem cell types by capacitance. Here, we describe methods developed by our lab for separating NSPCs on the basis of capacitance using several types of DEP microfluidic devices, providing basic information on the sorting procedure as well as specific advantages and disadvantages of each device.

Keywords: Cell sorting; Dielectrophoresis; Membrane capacitance; Microfluidics; Neural stem cell; Progenitor cell.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Astrocytes / cytology
Astrocytes / physiology
Cell Differentiation*
Cell Line
Cell Membrane / metabolism
Cell Separation / methods*
Electric Capacitance
Electrophoresis
Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
Neural Stem Cells / cytology*
Neurons / cytology*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding