https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2012-01554-x
Review
Probing single cells using flow in microfluidic devices
Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 610 Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
a Equal contribution.
b e-mail: rowat@ucla.edu
Received:
23
December
2011
Revised:
22
February
2012
Published online:
17
April
2012
Enabling fluids to be manipulated on the micron-scale, microfluidic technologies have facilitated major advances in how we study cells. In this review, we highlight key developments in how flow in microfluidic devices is exploited to investigate the behavior of individual cells, from trapping and positioning single cells to probing cell deformability. Exploiting the properties of fluids and flow patterns in microchannels makes it possible to study large populations of single cells at micron-length scales with increased throughput and efficiency.
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag, 2012
