Microfluidic devices for immobilization and micromanipulation of single cells and small organisms

Micromanipulation and immobilization of single cells and small organisms (e.g., Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila larva) are important experimental techniques in biological and biomedical research. Because of the micrometer sizes and highly fragile structures of cells and small organisms, conventional manipulation and immobilization techniques are not accurate and/or efficient enough to meet certain demanding needs in cellular and organismal studies. To this end, different types of microfluidic device have been developed to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and consistency of cell/organism immobilization and manipulation, which enables high-throughput single cell/organism analysis. In this chapter, we will discuss three microfluidic devices we previously developed for immobilization and robotic micromanipulation of single cells and small organisms. In closing, a conclusion and outlook into future trends is also provided.