Single cell analysis of yeast aging using microfluidic dissection

Important insights into aging have been generated with the budding yeast. However, a major challenge is to continuously track and analyze a process of the cell aging at the single level with highresolution microscopic imaging (e.g. fluorescent imaging). We overcome this difficulty using microfluidic dissection platform [1,2,3]. To this end, We utilized the inherent size difference between mother and daughter cells. Upon loading, cells are trapped underneath soft-elastic PDMS micropads, because the distance between the micropad and cover glass is similar to the diameter of a yeast cell (3-4 μm). This trapping make cells be located in a same optical plane. After the loading procedure, culture medium is continuously provided and flushes out the emerging buds, which are not retained underneath the pads due to their smaller size, namely "Microfluidic dissection." Using this platform, we observed a significant phenotype of aging in cell: e.g. morphological changes in cell, vacuole and mitochondria [1,2,3]. We envision the microfluidic dissection platform to become a major tool in aging research.