Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications
Cells are inherently dynamic, whether they are responding to environmental conditions or simply at equilibrium, with biomolecules constantly being made and destroyed. Due to their small volumes, the chemical reactions inside cells are stochastic, such that genetically identical cells display heterog...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.968342/full |
| _version_ | 1828132263770980352 |
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| author | Paige Allard Fotini Papazotos Laurent Potvin-Trottier Laurent Potvin-Trottier Laurent Potvin-Trottier |
| author_facet | Paige Allard Fotini Papazotos Laurent Potvin-Trottier Laurent Potvin-Trottier Laurent Potvin-Trottier |
| author_sort | Paige Allard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cells are inherently dynamic, whether they are responding to environmental conditions or simply at equilibrium, with biomolecules constantly being made and destroyed. Due to their small volumes, the chemical reactions inside cells are stochastic, such that genetically identical cells display heterogeneous behaviors and gene expression profiles. Studying these dynamic processes is challenging, but the development of microfluidic methods enabling the tracking of individual prokaryotic cells with microscopy over long time periods under controlled growth conditions has led to many discoveries. This review focuses on the recent developments of one such microfluidic device nicknamed the mother machine. We overview the original device design, experimental setup, and challenges associated with this platform. We then describe recent methods for analyzing experiments using automated image segmentation and tracking. We further discuss modifications to the experimental setup that allow for time-varying environmental control, replicating batch culture conditions, cell screening based on their dynamic behaviors, and to accommodate a variety of microbial species. Finally, this review highlights the discoveries enabled by this technology in diverse fields, such as cell-size control, genetic mutations, cellular aging, and synthetic biology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T17:01:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e05d1362c8f4f058e8257c38e7883b6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-4185 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T17:01:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e05d1362c8f4f058e8257c38e7883b62022-12-22T04:13:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology2296-41852022-10-011010.3389/fbioe.2022.968342968342Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applicationsPaige Allard0Fotini Papazotos1Laurent Potvin-Trottier2Laurent Potvin-Trottier3Laurent Potvin-Trottier4Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Physics, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, CanadaCentre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, CanadaCells are inherently dynamic, whether they are responding to environmental conditions or simply at equilibrium, with biomolecules constantly being made and destroyed. Due to their small volumes, the chemical reactions inside cells are stochastic, such that genetically identical cells display heterogeneous behaviors and gene expression profiles. Studying these dynamic processes is challenging, but the development of microfluidic methods enabling the tracking of individual prokaryotic cells with microscopy over long time periods under controlled growth conditions has led to many discoveries. This review focuses on the recent developments of one such microfluidic device nicknamed the mother machine. We overview the original device design, experimental setup, and challenges associated with this platform. We then describe recent methods for analyzing experiments using automated image segmentation and tracking. We further discuss modifications to the experimental setup that allow for time-varying environmental control, replicating batch culture conditions, cell screening based on their dynamic behaviors, and to accommodate a variety of microbial species. Finally, this review highlights the discoveries enabled by this technology in diverse fields, such as cell-size control, genetic mutations, cellular aging, and synthetic biology.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.968342/fullmicrofluidicstime-lapse microscopycell screeningsingle-cell analysisphenotypic heterogeneitycellular dynamics |
| spellingShingle | Paige Allard Fotini Papazotos Laurent Potvin-Trottier Laurent Potvin-Trottier Laurent Potvin-Trottier Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology microfluidics time-lapse microscopy cell screening single-cell analysis phenotypic heterogeneity cellular dynamics |
| title | Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications |
| title_full | Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications |
| title_fullStr | Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications |
| title_short | Microfluidics for long-term single-cell time-lapse microscopy: Advances and applications |
| title_sort | microfluidics for long term single cell time lapse microscopy advances and applications |
| topic | microfluidics time-lapse microscopy cell screening single-cell analysis phenotypic heterogeneity cellular dynamics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2022.968342/full |
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