Deformation of Cell Passing through Micro Slit

Abstract

Deformation of a biological cell passing through a micro-slit has been observed in vitro. The photolithography technique enables manufacturing the micro-slit. A silicon wafer is used for a mold, and an etching process is applied for the micro-fabrication of the surface. The slit, of which width is 50 μm and height is 0.6 μm or 30 μm, has been designed between two parts of transparent polydimethylsiloxane disks, which have micro-ridges. The suspension of swine erythrocytes, C2C12, or 3T3-L1 was alternatively introduced to the slits by drawing with a syringe pump at a constant flow rate of 2.8×10^-10 m³/s. The deformation of cells passing through the micro-slit was observed with an inverted phase-contrast microscope. The experimental results show that several erythrocytes deform and pass through the micro-slit of 0.6 μm height, and that some cells of C2C12 and of 3T3-L1 deform and pass through the micro-slit of 3 μm height.