Microfluidic devices for cellomics: a review

A review of microfluidic devices for cellomics is presented. After a brief description of the historical background of Lab-on-Chip (LOC) devices, different areas are reviewed. Devices for cell sampling are presented, followed by cell trapping and cell sorting devices based upon mechanical and electrical principles. Subsequently, a popular type of cell sorters, flow cytometers, is considered, followed by a chapter describing devices for cell treatment: cell lysis, poration/gene transfection and cell fusion devices. Finally a number of microfluidic devices for cellular studies are reviewed. The large amount of very recent publications treated in this review indicates the rapidly growing interest in this exciting application area of LOC. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.