The main objectives of this work were to develop efficient Dielectrophoresis (DEP)
processes for utilization in the biological realm. The work presented in this thesis concerns the refinement and development of integrated microfluidic and microelectrode technologies with design parameter optimization carried out using the assistance of finite element simulations.
A detailed examination of cell membrane rupture during DEP experiments has been carried out to study the influence of AC Electric field parameters on cell destruction. Detailed analysis is provided on how the stresses induced across the membrane by strong electric fields, lead to the rupture of the plasma membrane.
The use of DEP for the separation of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) cell phenotypic
variants has also been demonstrated. Cell phenotypes with subtle differences in
membrane morphology were successfully sorted using DEP processes.
To address the need to separate individual cells of interest, work to design and develop DEP tweezers was undertaken. A cell over expressing a protein of interest that was tagged with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) was isolated for the purpose of establishing a stable cell line.
The final part of the work optimizes a 3D DEP electrode system for engineering three dimensional cell constructs, to better understand the effects of cell-cell interactions and Intercellular transport events. Using the 3D DEP electrode system, suspensions of BETA-TC-6 and INS-1 cells were condensed into three-dimensional cell constructs of roughly the same size and cell density as insulin secreting pancreatic structures known as the islet of Langerhans.