An integrated optical stretcher and microfluidic system for biological physics

用于生物物理的集成光学拉伸器和微流体系统

• 批准号: 375265-2009
• 负责人: Pelling, Andrew
• 金额: $ 3.97万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2008-01-01 至 2009-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=412118
• 关键词: integrated; optical; stretcher; microfluidic; system

Photons of light carry momentum and exert forces when they impinge matter. In the macroscopic world, these forces are relatively small and go unnoticed. In the microscopic world, light momentum can have significant mechanical consequences. Taking advantage of this, optical traps have been developed in which focussed light can be used to trap dielectric particles in a fluid medium. A recent development has extended the use of light from simply trapping an object, to being able to mechanically stretch it. The so called "Optical Stretcher" has become an important and easily implemented tool in which to trap single living cells while being able to mechanically stretch them. Unlike a traditional optical trap which requires extensive optical and electronic components, the optical stretcher relies simply on two unfocussed beams of light being aligned in an opposed manner. When a cell intersects with these two beams the balance of forces will act to trap the cell because the net force acting on it will be zero. However, the forces acting on the cell membrane opposite from the point of the light source will be greater than zero which results in a mechanical stretch. In combination with optical microscopy one is now able to perform mechanical measurements of cells, detect various disease states based on these measurements and image mechanical deformation in a high-throughput manner. In this proposal we are seeking funds to build an integrated optical stretcher and microfluidic system not only to trap and mechanically stretch cells, but also to simultaneously change their physiological environment via microfluidic exchange, high throughput mechanical analysis, biophysical sensing, and downstream cell sorting. Such a system is not commercially available and will be the first of its kind in Canada and internationally. This will provide a unique opportunity for HQP training in the interdisciplinary science of biological physics, gaining experience in instrumentation, microscopy, optics and cell/molecular biology. The requested system will also enable the investigation of medically relevant biophysical properties of cells with applications ranging from enhancing our understanding of cell biology to developing high-throughput sensing and screening technologies.

光的光子在撞击物质时携带动量并施加力。 在宏观世界中，这些力量相对较小，不被注意到。在微观世界中，光动量可以产生重大的机械后果。 利用这一点，已经开发出光学陷阱，其中聚焦光可以用于捕获流体介质中的电介质颗粒。最近的发展已经将光的使用从简单地捕获物体扩展到能够机械地拉伸它。所谓的“光学拉伸器”已经成为一种重要且易于实现的工具，其中捕获单个活细胞，同时能够机械地拉伸它们。与需要大量光学和电子元件的传统光学陷阱不同，光学拉伸器仅依赖于以相对方式对准的两个未聚焦光束。当细胞与这两个梁相交时，力的平衡将作用于捕获细胞，因为作用于其上的净力将为零。然而，作用在与光源点相对的细胞膜上的力将大于零，这导致机械拉伸。与光学显微镜相结合，现在能够进行细胞的机械测量，基于这些测量检测各种疾病状态，并以高通量方式对机械变形进行成像。在这项提案中，我们正在寻求资金来建立一个集成的光学拉伸器和微流体系统，不仅可以捕获和机械拉伸细胞，而且还可以通过微流体交换，高通量机械分析，生物物理传感和下游细胞分选来同时改变它们的生理环境。这样的系统还没有商业化，将是加拿大和国际上的第一个。这将为HQP在生物物理学的跨学科科学培训提供一个独特的机会，获得仪器，显微镜，光学和细胞/分子生物学的经验。所要求的系统还将能够调查细胞的医学相关生物物理特性，其应用范围从提高我们对细胞生物学的理解到开发高通量传感和筛选技术。