Cell-cell contact configurations by dielectrophoresis for electrofusion: Study on directions, stability and dielectric heating effect

Electrofusion can be performed by forming cell-cell contact, while simultaneously applying pulsed high voltage electric fields to induce the fusion. Mechanisms of forming cell-cell contact has been demonstrated by various methods including biochemical, chemical, mechanical and electrical methods. Dielectrophoresis has been utilized in electrical based cell-cell contact formation. In this work, we investigated the potential configurations of cell-cell contact by dielectrophoresis including cells cluster and cells chain by microfluidic dielectrophoresis platforms using microtip based electrodes. We simulated the positive- and negative-dielectrophoretic response of yeast cells in deionized water, the distribution of electric fields and the dielectric heating effect on suspending medium temperature. We performed experimental work to investigate the cell-cell contact availability, directions, stability and dielectric heating effect under these configurations.