Acoustic Micromotors for Cellular Manipulation

Cell manipulation is an important aspect of many studies such as single cell analysis, tissue engineering, and mechanobiology. Despite the recent surge of activity in this area, there still does not exist a system that contains most of the practical components for carrying out high-throughput cellular manipulation. The small size of cells and lack of bio-compatibility are critical challenges in cell manipulation, especially for mammalian cells. Here, we demonstrate the use of acoustically powered micromotors steered by an applied magnetic field for mammalian cell rotation and manipulation. The acoustic propulsion mechanism provides a variety of highly desirable features, such as high speed, precision, short-range attractive forces utilized as an end effector, and orthogonality in any aqueous medium. The potential power of this approach is also highlighted by cargo pickup and delivery to individual cells.