Abstract
Acoustic tweezers are dexterous tools to manipulate or probe single cells with high precision. Compared to magnetic-, optical-, optoelectronic-, plasmonic-, and electrokinetic-based approaches, acoustic tweezers offer several advantages in terms of sample and medium requirements as well as biocompatibility. Sound waves, having been safely applied for decades in diagnostic ultrasound imaging, are tailored for acoustic tweezers to be gentle with single cells, preserving cell viability and proliferation after manipulation. Small footprints, simple designs, noninvasive and contactless operation, and a label-free nature are favorable characteristics of acoustic tweezers to manipulate single cells for research and medical applications. The versatility of acoustic tweezers enables numerous applications for single-cell studies. These include the isolation of circulating tumor cells from blood for liquid biopsies, three-dimensional spatial manipulation for imaging, precise cell-to-cell spatial positioning for intercellular gap junction communication, and cell stretching for mechanobiology. Herein, we summarize the working principles of acoustic tweezers and review their applications in single-cell studies. We address emerging applications, challenges, and new directions of this technology in biology and medicine.
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Ozcelik, A., Huang, T.J. (2020). Acoustic Tweezers for Single-Cell Manipulation. In: Santra, T., Tseng, FG. (eds) Handbook of Single Cell Technologies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4857-9_40-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4857-9_40-1
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Acoustic Tweezers for Single-Cell Manipulation- Published:
- 27 June 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4857-9_40-2
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Acoustic Tweezers for Single-Cell Manipulation- Published:
- 20 December 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4857-9_40-1