Microfluidic devices have begun to change the way cellular analysis is performed. They are capable of analyzing multiple analytes from single cell lysates at rates of up to 15 cells/min for periods up to 3 hours. These rates and analysis times are sufficient to generate statistically significant results. One potential application for these single cell analysis devices is the rapid profiling of kinase activities and the quantitation of reactive nitrogen species associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Such analyses are difficult to perform using bulk cells due to the volatile nature and short lifetimes of reactive nitrogen species and because several species need to be quantitated simultaneously..<br/>We have developed a novel microfluidic device architecture that integrates an optical fiber into a microfluidic device to provide 3 excitation and 3 detection spots using only 1 excitation source and 1 detector. This architecture takes advantage of a tunneling mode available in multimode fibers. Being able to detect the lysis event and the completeness of the lysate injection is important as it allows one characterize how well a system is behaving, to monitor whether something begins to go wrong over the course of an analysis, and to identify analytes in a multicomponent separation based upon their absolute migration times. This device was used to determine the activities of reactive nitrogen species, kinases, and proteases in immune system cells such as lymphocytes, macrophages and microglia.

Enhancing the information content of single cell analysis on microfluidic devices using optical fiber bridges for the analysis of reactive nitrogen species and kinases in immune system cells

2019 Spring National Meeting

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