Micropipette aspiration is arguably the most classical technique in mechanical measurements and manipulations of single cells. Despite its simplicity, micropipette aspiration has been applied to a variety of experimental systems that span different length scales to study cell mechanics, nanoscale molecular mechanisms in single cells, bleb growth, and nucleus dynamics, to name a few. Enabled by ...

The mechanical behavior of living cells is studied with micropipette suction in which the surface of a cell is aspirated into a small glass tube while tracking the leading edge of its surface. Such edges can be tracked in a light microscope to an accuracy of +/-25 nm and suction pressures as small as 0.1-0.2 pN/microm2 can be imposed on the cell. Both soft cells, such as neutrophils and red cel...

Single channel currents of lysenin were measured using artificial lipid bilayers formed on a glass micropipette tip. The single channel conductance for KCl, NaCl, CaCl(2), and Trimethylammonium-Cl were 474 ± 87, 537 ± 66, 210 ± 14, and 274 ± 10 pS, respectively, while the permeability ratio P(Na)/P(Cl) was 5.8. By adding poly(deoxy adenine) or poly(L-lysine) to one side of the bilayer, channel ...

A capillary tube is widely used as an expansion device for small refrigeration cycles. Recently, immiscible oil is sometimes used in the refrigeration cycle to improve severe lubricating conditions and to prevent blockage of the capillary tube caused by the hydrolysis of ester oil. This paper discusses the influence of mixing of the immiscible oil with the refrigerant on the flow characteristic...