High-throughput physical phenotyping of cell differentiation

A microfluidics-based technique for measuring cell mechanical properties with speed promises to deepen our understanding of cell phenotypes and differentiation. The physical characteristics of cells, including their shape and size, arise from structural and molecular properties through complex mechanisms that are not clearly understood. Measuring these properties in large populations of cells with conventional techniques, which are slow and labour intensive, has proved challenging. Dino Di Carlo at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the United States and his US collaborators have developed a reliable high-throughput microfluidics technique that uses inertial focusing to facilitate measurement of the morphology and deformation characteristics of cells, providing fresh information about their associated mechanical properties and biological roles. The team's work provides a tool for studying cell differentiation in the context of development and other biological processes.