Confocal laser scanning microscopic observation of deformation, biological reaction, and contact of cells using mechanical trapping system with parylene micro filter

Abstract

This paper proposes a confocal laser scanning microscopic (CLSM) observation system for liposomes and cells that are mechanically trapped on a parylene microfilter. CLSM allowed us to acquire three-dimensional and highly sensitive fluorescent images, which we exploited to evaluate the deformability of liposomes with or without cholesterol, the amount of calcein that was introduced into the liposomes via membrane proteins, and the contact areas of the adjacent cells. The proposed system is readily applicable to analyze a single liposome and cells.