A Microfluidic-Enabled Mechanical Microcompressor for the Immobilization of Live Single- and Multi-Cellular Specimens. (21st January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yan, Yingjun; Jiang, Liwei; Aufderheide, Karl J.; Wright, Gus A.; Terekhov, Alexander; Costa, Lino; Qin, Kevin; McCleery, W. Tyler; Fellenstein, John J.; Ustione, Alessandro; Robertson, J. Brian; Johnson, Carl Hirschie; Piston, David W.; Hutson, M. Shane; Wikswo, John P.; Hofmeister, William; Janetopoulos, Chris
• Is Part Of: Microscopy and microanalysis. Volume 20:Number 1(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 141
• Page End: 151
• Publication Date: 2014-01-21
• Subjects: Microscopy -- Periodicals; Microchemistry -- Periodicals; 502.82
• DOI: 10.1017/S1431927613014037
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1431-9276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>A microcompressor is a precision mechanical device that flattens and immobilizes living cells and small organisms for optical microscopy, allowing enhanced visualization of sub-cellular structures and organelles. We have developed an easily fabricated device, which can be equipped with microfluidics, permitting the addition of media or chemicals during observation. This device can be used on both upright and inverted microscopes. The apparatus permits micrometer precision flattening for nondestructive immobilization of specimens as small as a bacterium, while also accommodating larger specimens, such as <italic>Caenorhabditis elegans</italic>, for long-term observations. The compressor mount is removable and allows easy specimen addition and recovery for later observation. Several customized specimen beds can be incorporated into the base. To demonstrate the capabilities of the device, we have imaged numerous cellular events in several protozoan species, in yeast cells, and in <italic>Drosophila melanogaster</italic> embryos. We have been able to document previously unreported events, and also perform photobleaching experiments, in conjugating <italic>Tetrahymena thermophila</italic>.</p> </abstract>