Akihiro Hattori

Non-destructive on-chip cell sorting system with real-time microscopic image processing

Studying cell functions for cellomics studies often requires the use of purified individual cells from mixtures of various kinds of cells. We have developed a new non-destructive on-chip cell sorting system for single cell based cultivation, by exploiting the advantage of microfluidics and electrostatic force. The system consists of the following two parts: a cell sorting chip made of poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on a 0.2-mm-thick glass slide, and an image analysis system with a phase-contrast/fluorescence microscope. The unique features of our system include (i) identification of a target from sample cells is achieved by comparison of the 0.2-μm-resolution phase-contrast and fluorescence images of cells in the microchannel every 1/30 s; (ii) non-destructive sorting of target cells in a laminar flow by application of electrostatic repulsion force for removing unrequited cells from the one laminar flow to the other; (iii) the use of agar gel for electrodes in order to minimize the effect on cells by electrochemical reactions of electrodes, and (iv) pre-filter, which was fabricated within the channel for removal of dust contained in a sample solution from tissue extracts. The sorting chip is capable of continuous operation and we have purified more than ten thousand cells for cultivation without damaging them. Our design has proved to be very efficient and suitable for the routine use in cell purification experiments.

Subsurface ammonium maximum in the northern North Pacific and the bering sea in summer

Abstract Ammonium data collected on three summer cruises of the R.V. Hakuho Maru , University of Tokyo, in offshore shallow waters (200 m or less) of the northern North Pacific and the Bering Sea are summarized. Three types can be distinguished with respect to vertical distribution of ammonium: (1) the maximum concentration of ammonium appears in subsurface layer of 30 to 50 m, (2) the maximum appears near the sea floor, and (3) ammonium concentration is low throughout the water column and shows no vertical trend. The subsurface ammonium maximum is commonly observed in the areas where the depth is > 100 m. It is associated with a sharp pycnocline near the bottom of the euphotic zone. The regeneration of ammonium by zooplankaton and/or bacteria together with the stratification of the water column in summer are responsible for the formation of the subsurface ammonium maximum. Even with the utilization of this ammonium by phytoplankaton, the supply is sufficient for the maximum to persist. The second type of ammonium distribution is found in the midshelf region of the eastern Bering Sea. Different processes are responsible for the formation of the subsurface and sea-floor ammonium maxima. The ammonium near the sea floor is probably produced by benthic organisms. Implications of the subsurface ammonium ammonium to the fertility of the subarctic Pacific and the Bering Sea are discussed.

Development of 1480 nm Photothermal High-Speed Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction System for Rapid Nucleotide Recognition

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a key technology used in genome-based biological analysis; however, requests have been made to shorten the operation time for emergency tests such as medical diagnostics, and countermeasures against bioterrorism. We have developed a novel rapid real-time PCR system using the direct absorption of an IR laser beam by water droplets as the heating device. The advantage of this system is that only the target water droplet was heated photothermally without transmitting any heat to the surroundings, which is important for the production of fast thermal cycle intervals. The system consists of a fluorescent microscope, an oil chamber with a set of water droplets lined up at the bottom, a 1480 nm IR laser unit, which is absorbed by water and can be focused on the droplets on the stage of the microscope, and an image intensifier to quantify the PCR reaction within a water droplet by measuring the change of fluorescent intensity. Using the system, we examined the PCR procedure under the following conditions: initial heating to 95 °C, maintaining this temperature for 10 s, and the suggested here and in similar places throughout 50 cycles of 1 s at 95 °C for denaturation and 3 s at 60 °C for annealing/extension. The temperature increase and decrease between the two temperatures 95 and 60 °C, were within 1 and 0.8 s respectively, i.e., 32 K/s, which is 1.5 times faster than the conventional heat conduction-based system. Rapid PCR amplification was observed successfully by the rise change in the sigmoidal curvature of fluorescent intensity, and the procedure was accomplished within 3.5 min, including the initial heating and complete 50 PCR cycles. The results indicate that the direct absorption-based heating of water droplets photothermally could give us a faster temperature chnage than the conventional heat-conduction-based systems such as Peltier heating/cooling.

Fully Automated On-Chip Imaging Flow Cytometry System with Disposable Contamination-Free Plastic Re-Cultivation Chip

We have developed a novel imaging cytometry system using a poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA)) based microfluidic chip. The system was contamination-free, because sample suspensions contacted only with a flammable PMMA chip and no other component of the system. The transparency and low-fluorescence of PMMA was suitable for microscopic imaging of cells flowing through microchannels on the chip. Sample particles flowing through microchannels on the chip were discriminated by an image-recognition unit with a high-speed camera in real time at the rate of 200 event/s, e.g., microparticles 2.5 μm and 3.0 μm in diameter were differentiated with an error rate of less than 2%. Desired cells were separated automatically from other cells by electrophoretic or dielectrophoretic force one by one with a separation efficiency of 90%. Cells in suspension with fluorescent dye were separated using the same kind of microfluidic chip. Sample of 5 μL with 1 × 106 particle/mL was processed within 40 min. Separated cells could be cultured on the microfluidic chip without contamination. The whole operation of sample handling was automated using 3D micropipetting system. These results showed that the novel imaging flow cytometry system is practically applicable for biological research and clinical diagnostics.

Development of a high-speed real-time polymerase chain reaction system using a circulating water-based rapid heat-exchange

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a powerful technique to detect microorganisms, viruses, or cells by amplifying a single copy or a few copies of a fragment of a particular DNA sequence. To reduce acquisition time, it is necessary to decrease the temperature transition time between denaturation and extension. We have developed a simple rapid real-time microlitter-sample droplet PCR system accomplished by the rapid liquid-based heat-exchange of sample droplets by quick switching of two circulating hot waters of denaturation and extension, a microlitter-sized droplet and a thin-film aluminum chip. Using this system, rapid PCR amplification of a set of droplets lined up on an aluminum chip was conducted successfully as shown by the increase in fluorescence intensity, and was accomplished within 3.5 min in 40 cycles of 1 s denaturation and 3 s extension reaction, which is one magnitude faster than conventional fast PCR systems. This method allows the rapid detection of DNA fragments and has a possibility for measuring multiple samples simultaneously in a miniaturized microfluidic chip.

Development of On-Chip Multi-Imaging Flow Cytometry for Identification of Imaging Biomarkers of Clustered Circulating Tumor Cells

An on-chip multi-imaging flow cytometry system has been developed to obtain morphometric parameters of cell clusters such as cell number, perimeter, total cross-sectional area, number of nuclei and size of clusters as “imaging biomarkers”, with simultaneous acquisition and analysis of both bright-field (BF) and fluorescent (FL) images at 200 frames per second (fps); by using this system, we examined the effectiveness of using imaging biomarkers for the identification of clustered circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Sample blood of rats in which a prostate cancer cell line (MAT-LyLu) had been pre-implanted was applied to a microchannel on a disposable microchip after staining the nuclei using fluorescent dye for their visualization, and the acquired images were measured and compared with those of healthy rats. In terms of the results, clustered cells having (1) cell area larger than 200 µm2 and (2) nucleus area larger than 90 µm2 were specifically observed in cancer cell-implanted blood, but were not observed in healthy rats. In addition, (3) clusters having more than 3 nuclei were specific for cancer-implanted blood and (4) a ratio between the actual perimeter and the perimeter calculated from the obtained area, which reflects a shape distorted from ideal roundness, of less than 0.90 was specific for all clusters having more than 3 nuclei and was also specific for cancer-implanted blood. The collected clusters larger than 300 µm2 were examined by quantitative gene copy number assay, and were identified as being CTCs. These results indicate the usefulness of the imaging biomarkers for characterizing clusters, and all of the four examined imaging biomarkers—cluster area, nuclei area, nuclei number, and ratio of perimeter—can identify clustered CTCs in blood with the same level of preciseness using multi-imaging cytometry.

Preparation and In Vivo Evaluation of a Water-Soluble Prodrug for 2R-γ-Tocotrienol and as a Two-Step Prodrug for 2,7,8-Trimethyl-2S-(β-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman (S-γ-CEHC) in Rat

2R-γ-Tocotrienol (γ-T3) is currently receiving attention because it has beneficial effects not observed with α-tocopherol. To achieve the effective delivery of γ-T3, we synthesized three kinds of ester derivatives of γ-T3 and evaluated their use as hydrophilic prodrugs for γ-T3 in vitro and in vivo. 2R-γ-Tocotrienyl N,N-dimethylamino-acetate hydrochloride (compound 3) was a solid compound, with high solubility and stability in water, and was converted to γ-T3 by esterases in rat and human liver. Intravenous administration of 3 in rats led to a rapid increase in the plasma, liver, heart, and kidney levels of γ-T3. The bioavailability (plasma level) after intravenous administration was 82.5 ± 13.4% and 100 ± 11.3% for 3 and γ-T3 in surfactant, respectively, and the availability in liver was 213 ± 47.6% and 100 ± 4.8% for 3 and γ-T3 in surfactant, respectively. Furthermore, the systemic availability of 2,7,8-trimethyl-2S-(β-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman (S-γ-CEHC), a metabolite of γ-T3, was 78.6% for compound 3, 47.1% for γ-T3 in surfactant, and 100% for racemic γ-CEHC. Based on these results, we identified compound 3 as the most promising water-soluble prodrug of γ-T3 and two-step prodrug of S-γ-CEHC.

On-chip constructive cell-network study (II): on-chip quasi- in vivo cardiac toxicity assay for ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation measurement using ring-shaped closed circuit microelectrode with lined-up cardiomyocyte cell network

BackgroundsConventional in vitro approach using human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) assay has been considered worldwide as the first screening assay for cardiac repolarization safety. However, it does not always oredict the potential QT prolongation risk or pro-arrhythmic risk correctly. For adaptable preclinical strategiesto evaluate global cardiac safety, an on-chip quasi-in vivo cardiac toxicity assay for lethal arrhythmia (ventricular tachyarrhythmia) measurement using ring-shaped closed circuit microelectrode chip has been developed.ResultsThe ventricular electrocardiogram (ECG)-like field potential data, which includes both the repolarization and the conductance abnormality, was acquired from the self-convolutied extracellular field potentials (FPs) of a lined-up cardiomyocyte network on a circle-shaped microelectrode in an agarose microchamber. When Astemisol applied to the closed-loop cardiomyocyte network, self-convoluted FP profile of normal beating changed into an early afterdepolarization (EAD) like waveform, and then showed ventricular tachyarrhythmias and ventricular fibrilations (VT/Vf). QT-prolongation-like self-convoluted FP duration prolongation and its fluctuation increase was also observed according to the increase of Astemizole concentration.ConclusionsThe results indicate that the convoluted FPs of the quasi-in vivo cell network assay includes both of the repolarization data and the conductance abnormality of cardiomyocyte networks has the strong potential to prediction lethal arrhythmia.

An on-chip imaging droplet-sorting system: A real-time shape recognition method to screen target cells in droplets with single cell resolution

A microfluidic on-chip imaging cell sorter has several advantages over conventional cell sorting methods, especially to identify cells with complex morphologies such as clusters. One of the remaining problems is how to efficiently discriminate targets at the species level without labelling. Hence, we developed a label-free microfluidic droplet-sorting system based on image recognition of cells in droplets. To test the applicability of this method, a mixture of two plankton species with different morphologies (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Phaeodactylum tricornutum) were successfully identified and discriminated at a rate of 10 Hz. We also examined the ability to detect the number of objects encapsulated in a droplet. Single cell droplets sorted into collection channels showed 91 ± 4.5% and 90 ± 3.8% accuracy for D. tertiolecta and P. tricornutum, respectively. Because we used image recognition to confirm single cell droplets, we achieved highly accurate single cell sorting. The results indicate that the integrated method of droplet imaging cell sorting can provide a complementary sorting approach capable of isolating single target cells from a mixture of cells with high accuracy without any staining.

Comprehensive Study of Microgel Electrode for On-Chip Electrophoretic Cell Sorting

We have developed an on-chip cell sorting system and microgel electrode for applying electrostatic force in microfluidic pathways in the chip. The advantages of agarose electrodes are 1) current-driven electrostatic force generation, 2) stability against pH change and chemicals, and 3) no bubble formation caused by electrolysis. We examined the carrier ion type and concentration dependence of microgel electrode impedance, and found that CoCl2 has less than 1/10 of the impedance from NaCl, and the reduction of the impedance of NaCl gel electrode was plateaued at 0.5 M. The structure control of the microgel electrode exploiting the surface tension of sol-state agarose was also introduced. The addition of 1% (w/v) trehalose into the microgel electrode allowed the frozen storage of the microgel electrode chip. The experimental results demonstrate the potential of our system and microgel electrode for practical applications in microfluidic chips.