scholarly journals Novel microfluidic platform accelerates processing of tissue into single cells for molecular analysis and primary culture models

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Lombardo ◽  
Marzieh Aliaghaei ◽  
Quy Nguyen ◽  
Kai Kessenbrock ◽  
Jered Haun
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Tissue Preparation ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Processing Technologies ◽  
Microfluidic Platform ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Tissues are composed of highly heterogeneous mixtures of cell subtypes, and this diversity is increasingly being characterized using high-throughput single cell analysis methods. However, these efforts are hindered by the fact that tissues must first be dissociated into single cell suspensions that are viable and still accurately represent phenotypes from the original tissue. Current methods for breaking down tissues are inefficient, labor-intensive, subject to high variability, and potentially biased towards cell subtypes that are easier to release. Here, we present a microfluidic platform consisting of three different tissue processing technologies that can perform the complete tissue to single cell workflow, including digestion, disaggregation, and filtration. First, we developed a new microfluidic digestion device that can be loaded with minced tissue specimens quickly and easily, and then use the combination of proteolytic enzyme activity and fluid shear forces to accelerate tissue breakdown. Next, we integrated dissociation and filter technologies into a single device, which enhanced single cell numbers and fully prepared the sample for single cell analysis. The final multi-device platform was then evaluated using a diverse array of tissue types that exhibited a wide range of properties. For murine kidney and mammary tumor, we found that microfluidic processing produced 2.5-fold more single, viable cells. Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) further revealed that device processing enriched for endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and basal epithelium, and did not increase stress responses. For murine liver and heart, which are softer tissues containing fragile cell types, processing time could be reduced to 15 min, and even as short as 1 min. We also demonstrated that periodic recovery at defined time intervals produced substantially more hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes than continuous operation, most likely by preventing damage to fragile cell types. In future work, we will seek to integrate additional operations such as upstream tissue preparation and downstream microfluidic cell sorting and detection to create powerful point-of-care single cell diagnostic platforms.

scholarly journals Microfluidic platform accelerates tissue processing into single cells for molecular analysis and primary culture models

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy A. Lombardo ◽  
Marzieh Aliaghaei ◽  
Quy H. Nguyen ◽  
Kai Kessenbrock ◽  
Jered B. Haun
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Processing Technologies ◽  
Microfluidic Platform ◽  
Tissue Processing ◽  
Single Cell Rna Sequencing ◽  
Culture Models ◽  
Tissue Digestion

AbstractTissues are complex mixtures of different cell subtypes, and this diversity is increasingly characterized using high-throughput single cell analysis methods. However, these efforts are hindered, as tissues must first be dissociated into single cell suspensions using methods that are often inefficient, labor-intensive, highly variable, and potentially biased towards certain cell subtypes. Here, we present a microfluidic platform consisting of three tissue processing technologies that combine tissue digestion, disaggregation, and filtration. The platform is evaluated using a diverse array of tissues. For kidney and mammary tumor, microfluidic processing produces 2.5-fold more single cells. Single cell RNA sequencing further reveals that endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and basal epithelium are enriched without affecting stress response. For liver and heart, processing time is dramatically reduced. We also demonstrate that recovery of cells from the system at periodic intervals during processing increases hepatocyte and cardiomyocyte numbers, as well as increases reproducibility from batch-to-batch for all tissues.

scholarly journals Methods and sensors for functional genomic studies of cell-cycle transitions in single cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (10) ◽  
pp. 468-477
Author(s):  
Alexander C. Zambon ◽  
Tom Hsu ◽  
Seunghee Erin Kim ◽  
Miranda Klinck ◽  
Jennifer Stowe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Mcf7 Cells ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
Cell Subpopulations

Much of our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing the cell cycle in mammals has relied heavily on methods that measure the aggregate state of a population of cells. While instrumental in shaping our current understanding of cell proliferation, these approaches mask the genetic signatures of rare subpopulations such as quiescent (G0) and very slowly dividing (SD) cells. Results described in this study and those of others using single-cell analysis reveal that even in clonally derived immortalized cancer cells, ∼1–5% of cells can exhibit G0 and SD phenotypes. Therefore to enable the study of these rare cell phenotypes we established an integrated molecular, computational, and imaging approach to track, isolate, and genetically perturb single cells as they proliferate. A genetically encoded cell-cycle reporter (K67p-FUCCI) was used to track single cells as they traversed the cell cycle. A set of R-scripts were written to quantify K67p-FUCCI over time. To enable the further study G0 and SD phenotypes, we retrofitted a live cell imaging system with a micromanipulator to enable single-cell targeting for functional validation studies. Single-cell analysis revealed HT1080 and MCF7 cells had a doubling time of ∼24 and ∼48 h, respectively, with high duration variability in G1 and G2 phases. Direct single-cell microinjection of mRNA encoding (GFP) achieves detectable GFP fluorescence within ∼5 h in both cell types. These findings coupled with the possibility of targeting several hundreds of single cells improves throughput and sensitivity over conventional methods to study rare cell subpopulations.

scholarly journals Single-cell analysis in situ in a Bacillus subtilis swarming community identifies distinct spatially separated subpopulations differentially expressing hag (flagellin), including specialized swarmers

Microbiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 157 (9) ◽  
pp. 2456-2469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassem Hamze ◽  
Sabine Autret ◽  
Krzysztof Hinc ◽  
Soumaya Laalami ◽  
Daria Julkowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Laboratory Strain ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Spatiotemporal Pattern ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Low Humidity

The non-domesticated Bacillus subtilis strain 3610 displays, over a wide range of humidity, hyper-branched, dendritic, swarming-like migration on a minimal agar medium. At high (70 %) humidity, the laboratory strain 168 sfp + (producing surfactin) behaves very similarly, although this strain carries a frameshift mutation in swrA, which another group has shown under their conditions (which include low humidity) is essential for swarming. We reconcile these different results by demonstrating that, while swrA is essential for dendritic migration at low humidity (30–40 %), it is dispensable at high humidity. Dendritic migration (flagella- and surfactin-dependent) of strains 168 sfp + swrA and 3610 involves elongation of dendrites for several hours as a monolayer of cells in a thin fluid film. This enabled us to determine in situ the spatiotemporal pattern of expression of some key players in migration as dendrites develop, using gfp transcriptional fusions for hag (encoding flagellin), comA (regulation of surfactin synthesis) as well as eps (exopolysaccharide synthesis). Quantitative (single-cell) analysis of hag expression in situ revealed three spatially separated subpopulations or cell types: (i) networks of chains arising early in the mother colony (MC), expressing eps but not hag; (ii) largely immobile cells in dendrite stems expressing intermediate levels of hag; and (iii) a subpopulation of cells with several distinctive features, including very low comA expression but hyper-expression of hag (and flagella). These specialized cells emerge from the MC to spearhead the terminal 1 mm of dendrite tips as swirling and streaming packs, a major characteristic of swarming migration. We discuss a model for this swarming process, emphasizing the importance of population density and of the complementary roles of packs of swarmers driving dendrite extension, while non-mobile cells in the stems extend dendrites by multiplication.

scholarly journals Active particles as mobile microelectrodes for selective bacteria electroporation and transport

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. eaay4412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Wu ◽  
Afu Fu ◽  
Gilad Yossifon
Keyword(s):  
Electric Field ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Janus Particle ◽  
Field Gradients ◽  
Active Particles ◽  
Wide Range

Self-propelling micromotors are emerging as a promising micro- and nanoscale tool for single-cell analysis. We have recently shown that the field gradients necessary to manipulate matter via dielectrophoresis can be induced at the surface of a polarizable active (“self-propelling”) metallodielectric Janus particle (JP) under an externally applied electric field, acting essentially as a mobile floating microelectrode. Here, we successfully demonstrated that the application of an external electric field can singularly trap and transport bacteria and can selectively electroporate the trapped bacteria. Selective electroporation, enabled by the local intensification of the electric field induced by the JP, was obtained under both continuous alternating current and pulsed signal conditions. This approach is generic and applicable to bacteria and JP, as well as a wide range of cell types and micromotor designs. Hence, it constitutes an important and novel experimental tool for single-cell analysis and targeted delivery.

scholarly journals A Quantitative Single-Cell Proteomics Approach to Characterize an Acute Myeloid Leukemia Hierarchy

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin M. Schoof ◽  
Nicolas Rapin ◽  
Simonas Savickas ◽  
Coline Gentil ◽  
Eric Lechman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cellular Heterogeneity ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Computational Pipeline

AbstractIn recent years, cellular life science research has experienced a significant shift, moving away from conducting bulk cell interrogation towards single-cell analysis. It is only through single cell analysis that a complete understanding of cellular heterogeneity, and the interplay between various cell types that are fundamental to specific biological phenotypes, can be achieved. Single-cell assays at the protein level have been predominantly limited to targeted, antibody-based methods. However, here we present an experimental and computational pipeline, which establishes a comprehensive single-cell mass spectrometry-based proteomics workflow.By exploiting a leukemia culture system, containing functionally-defined leukemic stem cells, progenitors and terminally differentiated blasts, we demonstrate that our workflow is able to explore the cellular heterogeneity within this aberrant developmental hierarchy. We show our approach is capable to quantifying hundreds of proteins across hundreds of single cells using limited instrument time. Furthermore, we developed a computational pipeline (SCeptre), that effectively clusters the data and permits the extraction of cell-specific proteins and functional pathways. This proof-of-concept work lays the foundation for future global single-cell proteomics studies.

scholarly journals Single-cell analysis of chromatin silencing programs in development and tumor progression

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Wu ◽  
Scott N. Furlan ◽  
Anca B. Mihalas ◽  
Hatice S. Kaya-Okur ◽  
Abdullah H. Feroze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Tumor Patient ◽  
Primary Sample ◽  
Before And After

Single-cell analysis has become a powerful approach for the molecular characterization of complex tissues. Methods for quantifying gene expression1 and chromatin accessibility2 of single cells are now well-established, but analysis of chromatin regions with specific histone modifications has been technically challenging. Here, we adapt the recently published CUT&Tag method3 to scalable single-cell platforms to profile chromatin landscapes in single cells (scCUT&Tag) from complex tissues. We focus on profiling Polycomb Group (PcG) silenced regions marked by H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) in single cells as an orthogonal approach to chromatin accessibility for identifying cell states. We show that scCUT&Tag profiling of H3K27me3 distinguishes cell types in human blood and allows the generation of cell-type-specific PcG landscapes from heterogeneous tissues. Furthermore, we use scCUT&Tag to profile H3K27me3 in a brain tumor patient before and after treatment, identifying cell types in the tumor microenvironment and heterogeneity in PcG activity in the primary sample and after treatment.

Dynamic screening and printing of single cells using a microfluidic chip with dual microvalves

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1227-1237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Chen ◽  
Dong Xu ◽  
Siwei Bai ◽  
Zhihang Yu ◽  
Yonggang Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Microfluidic Chip ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Microfluidic Platform ◽  
Dynamic Screening ◽  
Pneumatic Valves

Inoculation of single cells into separate chambers is one of the key requirements in single-cell analysis. Here we report a three-layer microfluidic platform integrated with dual-pneumatic valves for dynamic screening and printing of single cells.

scholarly journals Single-cell analysis of human adipose tissue identifies depot- and disease-specific cell types

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinchu Vijay ◽  
Marie-Frédérique Gauthier ◽  
Rebecca L. Biswell ◽  
Daniel A. Louiselle ◽  
Jeffrey J. Johnston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Human Adipose Tissue ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Disease Specific

scholarly journals More than efficacy revealed by single-cell analysis of antiviral therapeutics

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wu Liu ◽  
Mehmet U. Caglar ◽  
Zhangming Mao ◽  
Andrew Woodman ◽  
Jamie J. Arnold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Viral Population ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Toxic Dose ◽  
Time Required

SUMMARYDevelopment of antiviral therapeutics emphasizes minimization of the effective dose and maximization of the toxic dose, first in cell culture and later in animal models. Long-term success of an antiviral therapeutic is determined not only by its efficacy but also by the duration of time required for drug-resistance to evolve. We have developed a microfluidic device comprised of ~6000 wells, with each well containing a microstructure to capture single cells. We have used this device to characterize enterovirus inhibitors with distinct mechanisms of action. In contrast to population methods, single-cell analysis reveals that each class of inhibitor interferes with the viral infection cycle in a manner that can be distinguished by principal component analysis. Single-cell analysis of antiviral candidates reveals not only efficacy but also properties of the members of the viral population most sensitive to the drug, the stage of the lifecycle most affected by the drug, and perhaps even if the drug targets an interaction of the virus with its host.

scholarly journals μCB-seq: Microfluidic cell barcoding and sequencing for high-resolution imaging and sequencing of single cells

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler N. Chen ◽  
Anushka Gupta ◽  
Mansi Zalavadia ◽  
Aaron M. Streets
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Single Cell Analysis ◽  
Protein Localization ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Optical Measurements ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
High Resolution Imaging ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Resolution Imaging

AbstractSingle-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) enables the investigation of complex biological processes in multicellular organisms with high resolution. However, many phenotypic features that are critical to understanding the functional role of cells in a heterogeneous tissue or organ are not directly encoded in the genome and therefore cannot be profiled with scRNA-seq. Quantitative optical microscopy has long been a powerful approach for characterizing diverse cellular phenotypes including cell morphology, protein localization, and chemical composition. Combining scRNA-seq with optical imaging has the potential to provide comprehensive single-cell analysis, allowing for functional integration of gene expression profiling and cell-state characterization. However, it is difficult to track single cells through both measurements; therefore, coupling current scRNA-seq protocols with optical measurements remains a challenge. Here, we report Microfluidic Cell Barcoding and Sequencing (μCB-seq), a microfluidic platform that combines high-resolution imaging and sequencing of single cells. μCB-seq is enabled by a novel fabrication method that preloads primers with known barcode sequences inside addressable reaction chambers of a microfluidic device. In addition to enabling multi-modal single-cell analysis, μCB-seq improves gene detection sensitivity, providing a scalable and accurate method for information-rich characterization of single cells.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document