Distinguished iNANO Lecture: FluidFM: a force-controlled pipette for single-cell manipulation and electrochemical 3D microprinting

Professor Tomaso Zambelli, Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelctronics, University of Zurich, Switzerland

FluidFM: a force-controlled pipette for single-cell manipulation and electrochemical 3D microprinting

FluidFM is a force-controlled nanopipette, combining AFM technology and microfluidics [1]. A fluidic channel is incorporated directly in a hollow AFM cantilever. This channel ends in an aperture at the apex of the AFM tip, allowing for local dispensing of soluble molecules in air and in liquid, while retaining the inherent imaging capabilities and force feedback of an AFM system. We have just demonstrated the quantitative and subcompartmental femto-picoliter injection [2] and extraction [3] from single cells in vitro. In particular, we showed the integrity of proteins and transcripts as well as versatility of molecular analyses by high-resolution TEM imaging, minute enzyme assays and qPCR of cytoplasmic and nucleoplasmic extracts from distinct or even the same cell. An electrode can be implemented in the fluidic circuit enabling simultaneous force and ionic current measurements toward force-controlled patch clamp [4] and scanning ion conductance microscopy [5]. On the other side, the FluidFM can be utilized for electrochemical 2D patterning [6] and 3D additive manufacturing of metal microobjects [7].

 References:

1. A. Meister, M. Gabi, P. Behr, P. Studer, J. Vörös, P. Niedermann, J. Bitterli, J. Polesel-Maris, M. Liley, H. Heinzelmann, T. Zambelli, Nano Lett 9:2501 (2009).
2. O. Guillaume-Gentil, E. Potthoff, D. Ossola, P. Dörig, T. Zambelli, J.A. Vorholt, Small 9:1904 (2013).
3. O. Guillaume-Gentil, R.V. Grindberg, R. Kooger, L. Dorwling-Carter, V. Martinez, D. Ossola, M. Pilhofer, T. Zambelli, J.A. Vorholt, Cell 166:1663 (2016).
4. D. Ossola, M.Y. Amarouch, P. Behr, J. Vörös, H. Abriel, T. Zambelli, Nano Lett 15:1743 (2015).
5. D. Ossola, L. Dorwling-Carter, H. Dermutz, P. Behr, J. Vörös, T. Zambelli, Phys Rev Lett 215-175301
6. L. Hirt, R.R. Grüter, T. Berthelot, R. Cornut, J. Vörös, T. Zambelli, RSC Advances 5:84517 (2015)
7. L. Hirt, S. Ihle, Z. Pan, L. Dorwling-Carter, A. Reiser, J.M. Wheeler, R. Spolenak, J. Vörös, T. Zambelli, Adv Mater 28:2311 (2016)

Host: Associate Professor Mingdong Dong, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center

Coffee, tea, and bread will be served from 10:00 am in front of iNANO AUD