Confined Nanopipet as a Versatile Tool for Precise Single Cell Manipulation

The precise manipulation of single cells plays a fundamental role for single cell measurement, which is crucial for understanding the diverse cellular mechanisms. Unusual single cell behavior could thus be identified by integrating with advanced analytical methods such as single cell omics, unraveling the intrinsic cellular heterogeneity hidden in ensemble measurements. Herein, this technical note reports a nanopipet-based versatile method for manipulation of an ultrasmall volume of liquid, which further enables the precise manipulation of single cells. Femtoliter volumes of cytoplasm were extracted from single living cells and analyzed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Moreover, several kinds of exogenous components were injected simultaneously into a cell, offering a delicate tool for multi-imaging in single living cells.

Automated summary

This technical note presents a nanopipet-based method for precise manipulation of single cells, allowing the extraction of femtoliter volumes of cytoplasm for analysis. It can identify unusual single cell behavior and enable multi-imaging in single living cells through the injection of exogenous components.