An optically induced cell lysis device using dielectrophoresis

This letter reports an optically induced cell lysis device that can selectively lyse a single cell within a group of cells, a function which cannot be performed using traditional tools. This chip-scale device was made of a photoconductive material, which can induce a nonuniform electric field at a specific position under illumination of a beam spot generating a transmembrane potential in the cell. With this approach, cell lysis can be performed using the optically induced electric field. Fibroblast cells and oral cancer cells were used to demonstrate the capability of the developed chip. In addition to lysing the whole cell, the developed method also allowed one to selectively disrupt the cell membrane without damaging the nucleus. Operating parameters such as illumination power density and beam spot diameter for cell lysis were systematically investigated. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.