Research on a micro-to-nano bio-manipulation device

Molecular techniques are transforming our understanding of cellular function and disease. However, accurate molecular analysis methods will be limited if the input DNA, RNA, or protein is not derived from pure population of cells or is contaminated by the wrong cells. This paper will introduce a design of a micro-to-nano manipulation device. It was an automatic, rapid, accurate separation and extraction system designated group of cells or single cells for pathology research. Essential micro-to-nano manipulations were executed by microdissection knife based on piezo-power ultrasonic vibration (vibration frequency at 15-50 kHz and amplitude 0.001-1μm) and microcollection tool based on vacuum adsorption (controllable press at 0.001-0.5Mpa). Lots of 5μm liver embedded sections were dissected and collected successfully by many experiments. Contrast testing experiment indicates that no harm to tissue by the ultrasonic dissection tool, good availability to collection by the vacuum adsorption and the micromanipulation system is applicable to bio-micro-to-nano manipulations with high stability and accuracy.