Automated laser-induced cell fusion based on microwell array

Engineering induced cell fusion is becoming a promising tool in novel therapeutic studies for treating various diseases. The majority of current in vitro cell fusion methods are based on random cell pairing with loose contact, which also needs large amounts of cells. In this paper, we present a robotically controlled laser-induced cell fusion approach based on the microwell array, which exhibits advantages of high selectivity and controllability. Optical tweezers and optical scissors are employed to achieve cell pairing and fusion, respectively. The specific cells are characterized and preselected with an on-chip isolation method prior to pairing. The paired cells are then transported, deposited, fused, and released at a predefined location with high spatiotemporal resolution. Experiments of fusion on individual pairs of human embryonic stem cells are performed to evaluate the performance of the proposed cell fusion tool. © 2013 IEEE.