Selective Trapping of Living Cells into Micropores within a Track-etched Membrane by Dielectrophoresis

Abstract

In this study, an insulator-based dielectrophoresis device using a track-etched membrane was developed for selective trapping of living yeast cells. A high electric field was formed in cylindrical pores of 8-µm diameter within the insulating membrane between two transparent plate electrodes. At a frequency of 20 MHz, only a living cell could be drawn into the pore and trapped strongly by dielectrophoresis. For non-spherical cells with a diameter and length of 5 µm and 14 µm, respectively, it was found that a cell longer than the pore diameter was drawn into the pores with electro-orientation if the minor axis of the cell was shorter.