Atomic force microscopy for dynamic observation of human erythrocytes in a microfluidic system

Abstract

This study investigated the possibility of using atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a drug delivery system as well as a means to manipulate individual cells in an open microfluidic system for the rapid evaluation of human erythrocyte pathology in situ. We also examined the stability and biocompatibility of a patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) platform for use in conjunction with AFM. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating a microfluidic actuator with AFM technology to conduct in vitro medical analysis using only a miniscule quantity of human tissue.