Label-free and real-time monitoring of cell attachment on an optofluidic chip.

This talk presents a study of label-free and real-time monitoring of cellular attachment response through an integrated microfluidic device, which has a plasmonic gold layer coated on a glass substrate and configured in the form of large-scale-arrayed nano-holes as the core sensing element. The large-scale-arrayed nano-holes were fabricated by template-stripping method, and single cell trapping units were combined to isolate and place single cells above the nano-hole substrate. By measuring the extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) spectral shift caused by the periodic nano-holes, we are able to characterize the dynamic chemical-induced effects on living cells cultured on porous substrate. Chemicals were also used to demonstrate the capability of this chip to study cellular attachment response to external stimuli.