Laser induced forward transfer of cells for mass cytrometry

从生物细胞在表面上排列成单层开始，我们将测试细胞是否可以被转移到由短激光脉冲供电的第二个附近的表面。为了实现这一壮举，我们建议将细胞生长在一片透明的石英上，石英上涂有一层薄的聚合物膜。石英的目的是提供机械支撑，同时对激光透明，而聚合物膜的目的是吸收通过石英到达的激光，但不允许太多的光穿透到细胞，因为光可能会损坏它。当聚合物吸收激光束的能量时，聚合物将膨胀，发射冲击波。我们预计这种运动会使细胞脱离表面，并将细胞推到另一个附近的表面，在那里我们将用光学显微镜测量它的存在。如果附近的表面不存在，细胞将在空气中翻滚，并被一阵微风吹走。Fluidigm利用这种微风将细胞转移到其质谱仪中。因此，我们开发的技术可以被Fluidigm用于 ** 为质谱细胞计数创建按需细胞。

Starting with biological cells arranged as a single layer on a surface, we will test if a cell can be transferred to a second nearby**surface powered by a short laser pulse. To accomplish this feat, we propose to grow the cells on a transparent piece of quartz that**is coated with a thin polymer film. The purpose of the quartz is to provide mechanical support while otherwise being transparent to**laser light while the purpose of the polymer film is to absorb the laser light arriving through the quartz, but not to allow too much**light to penetrate to the cell because the light might damaging it.**As the polymer absorbs the energy of the laser beam, the polymer will expand, launching a shock wave. We expect this motion**will shake the cell free of the surface and push the cell to another nearby surface where we will measure its presence with an**optical microscope. If the nearby surface were not present, the cell would tumble through the air and be caught by a passing**breeze. Fluidigm uses such breezes to transfer cells into its mass cytometer. Thus, the technology that we develop can be used**by Fluidigm to create cells-on-demand for mass cytometry.