Templated Assembly by Selective Removal for Size-Selective Sorting of Biological Materials

This work presents the size-selective sorting of single biological cells using the assembly process known as Templated Assembly by Selective Removal (TASR). We have demonstrated experimentally, for the first time, the selective self assembly and sorting of single SF9 cells (a clonal isolate, derived from Spodoptera frugiperda (Fall Armyworm) IPLB-Sf21-AE cells) into patterned hemispherical sites on rigid assembly templates using TASR. TASR-based size-selective assembly of biological systems represents a potentially valuable tool, with potential for implementation in several biological applications, such as cell sorting for medical research or diagnostics, or isolation of single cells for the study of biological or mechanical behavior.