Proceedings Article | 21 February 2006
Proc. SPIE. 6088, Imaging, Manipulation, and Analysis of Biomolecules, Cells, and Tissues IV
KEYWORDS: Microscopes, Mirrors, Holograms, Holography, Diffractive optical elements, Silica, Computer generated holography, Optical tweezers, Binary data, Liquids
Recent studies have shown that the cell is mechanically differentiated both spatially and temporally, leading to a regional approach in cell behaviour essays. Most experiments are based on spatially-controlled contacts between microbeads and cells. We here propose an apparatus based on holographic optical tweezers to put on a target cell a two- or three-dimensional custom-built pattern of beads, with respect to the target cell shape, with both temporal and spatial dynamic control of each contact. In order to avoid disturbance or contact from the excess beads with the target cell, we keep the beads under isolated condition, by placing them in a confinement chamber made by microstereolithography. Our system exploits a digital display to project binary images on a photocurable resin surface, and induce space-resolved photopolymerisation reactions, constructing three-dimensional micro structures with complex shapes, including reservoirs for the filling, outlets, and confinement chambers. Combination of microfluidics, holographic optical tweezers and one supplementary single manually steerable optical tweezers leads to several experimental procedures allowing the sequential or parallel deposition of beads onto a target, with both a spatial and temporal control.
