Negative dielectrophoretic capture and repulsion of single cells at a bipolar electrode: the impact of faradaic ion enrichment and depletion.

This paper describes the dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces generated by a bipolar electrode (BPE) in a microfluidic device and elucidates the impact of faradaic ion enrichment and depletion (FIE and FID) on electric field gradients. DEP technologies for manipulating biological cells provide several distinct advantages over other cell-handling techniques including label-free selectivity, inexpensive device components, and amenability to single-cell and array-based applications. However, extension to the array format is nontrivial, and DEP forces are notoriously short-range, limiting device dimensions and throughput. BPEs present an attractive option for DEP because of the ease with which they can be arrayed. Here, we present experimental results demonstrating both negative DEP (nDEP) attraction and repulsion of B-cells from each a BPE cathode and anode. The direction of nDEP force in each case was determined by whether the conditions for FIE or FID were chosen in the experimental design. We conclude that FIE and FID zones generated by BPEs can be exploited to shape and extend the electric field gradients that are responsible for DEP force.