Infrared microspectroscopy of biochemical response of living cells in microfabricated devices

Abstract First experiments demonstrating the suitability of novel microfabricated fluidic devices for measuring living cells in physiological environment by synchrotron radiation (SR) Fourier Transform Infrared microspectroscopy (μ-FTIR) are presented. The devices were fabricated on CaF 2 windows, using the photoresist XARP 3100/10 to define the liquid cell lay-out. Therefore, the sample holder is transparent to both visible and infrared light, robust, completely recyclable and with a precise spacing. Using prototype devices of thicknesses 9, 5 and 3 μm, we studied the response of the U937 monocytic cell line to mechanical compression. The temporal evolution of the FTIR spectra, characteris…