Combinatory localized cytolysis with micron precision by acoustic transducer array for fast screening of drug induced cytoskeleton alteration

This paper reports combinatory localized-cytolysis by an array of MEMS ultrasonic transducers for fast screening of drug-induced cytoskeleton variation with fluorescence-stained cytolysis assay. An array of 6×6 Self Focused Acoustic transducers (SFATs) and disposable cell culture microwells were fabricated for the cytolysis and the fluorescence stain analysis. Cells were cultured in the microwells, and different drugs were applied to the cells to modify cell cytoskeletons. Multi-spot, localized cytolysis with micron precision was carried out with the SFAT array. Experimental results show that the SFAT array produced localized cytolysis with a focal spot of about 100-300 microns in diameter in multiple microwells, and the changes of the acoustic intensity threshold (AIT) for cytolysis were in accord with the alterations of the cytoskeleton induced by the drug treatments. Therefore, cytoskeleton-specific fast drug screening can be realized by observing the variation of the AIT. Since the SFAT array can lyse multiple cell samples within 3 minutes, it is easy to discern the lysed cells under fluorescent microscope, and the SFAT array system improves the efficiency and simplicity of the drug screening greatly.