초록

A method and device for delivering a quantity of at least one material to a selected single cell in a manner that permits impingement of material with the cell. The material travels at a suitable trajectory and velocity and is ejected from an electronically controllable fluid device.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for delivering material to an individual cell, the cell having a volume bounded by a cell membrane, the method comprising the steps of: selecting the individual cell, the cell being disposed on a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population, wherein the re

What is claimed is: 1. A method for delivering material to an individual cell, the cell having a volume bounded by a cell membrane, the method comprising the steps of: selecting the individual cell, the cell being disposed on a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population, wherein the receiving surface has at least one planar support surface adapted to receivably position the individual cell thereon, wherein the planar support surface includes at least one sensor associated therewith; and ejecting a quantity of a material from an electronically controllable fluid delivery device associated with the receiving surface, the electronically controllable fluid delivery device targeted to deliver discrete portions of the material to the cell, the quantity of material being less than the volume of the individual cell, the ejected material traveling at a velocity and trajectory sufficient to impinge upon the cell membrane in a manner which affects at least one cellular function. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining the individual cell in an environment suitable for analysis of at least one cellular function. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the individual cell is maintained in a microcapsule. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejected quantity of material is introduced within cellular cytoplasm. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejected quantity of material is associated onto an exterior surface of the cell membrane. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejected quantity of material impinges on the cell membrane in a manner permitting continuation of cellular macrofunction. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejected quantity of material is ejected at a velocity and trajectory suitable to deliver the quantity of material to a specified location within the cell volume. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of ascertaining accuracy of delivery of material to the cell. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the material includes at least one visualization enhancement compound. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected cell is a member of a population of cells. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the selected cell is a member of a homogeneous population. 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the selected cell is a member of a heterogeneous population. 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of separating the cell from the population subsequent to impingement of the material. 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the material is delivered to multiple locations defined in the cell. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the material includes at least one bioactive compound. 16. A method for delivering materials to individual selected cells, the cells having internal volumes bounded by cell membranes, the method comprising the steps of: selecting the individual cells, the individual cells being disposed on a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population, wherein the receiving surface has at least one planar support surface adapted to receivably position the individual cells thereon, wherein the planar support surface includes at least one sensor associated therewith; and ejecting controllably variable quantities of a first material and a second material from electronically controllable fluid delivery devices associated with the receiving surface, the electronically controllable fluid deliver devices targeted to deliver discrete portions of the first and second materials to the selected individual cells, the ejected quantities of materials traveling at a velocity and trajectory sufficient to impinge upon the cell membranes in a manner which affects at least one cellular function. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the ejected quantity of at least one of the first or second materials is introduced at a targeted location within cellular cytoplasm in a manner that permits continuation of cellular macrofunction. 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the ejected quantity of at least one of the first or second materials is affixed onto a targeted location on an exterior surface of the cell membranes in a manner that permits continuation of cellular macrofunction. 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the ejected quantity of at least one of the first or second materials is ejected at a velocity and trajectory suitable to deliver the quantity of the at least one of the first or second materials to a specified location within cellular cytoplasm. 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises the step of ascertaining accuracy of delivery of the materials to the cells. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein at least one of the first or second materials includes at least one visualization enhancement compound. 22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of ascertaining locational accuracy of the elected materials within the cells. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of the first and second materials includes at least one visualization enhancement compound. 24. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of separating the cells from an associated cellular population subsequent to impingement of at least one of the first or second materials. 25. A device for delivering quantities of at least one compound to at least one cell in a population, the device comprising: a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population; an electronically controllable fluid delivery device associated with the receiving surface, the electronically controllable fluid delivery device targeted to deliver discrete portions of at least one material to the cell; and at least one sensor mechanism, the sensor mechanism configured to monitor at least one cellular response mechanism exhibited by at least one cell positioned on the receiving surface. 26. The device of claim 25, further comprising an actuator capable of triggering ejection of at least one material from the electronically controllable fluid delivery device to impinge on the cell on the receiving surface. 27. The device of claim 25 wherein the receiving surface is positioned on a support member, the support member having a movement mechanism capable of orienting the receiving surface relative to the electronically controllable delivery device. 28. The device of claim 25 wherein the receiving surface has at least one planar support surface adapted to receivably position at least one cell thereon. 29. The device of claim 28 wherein the planar support surface is adapted to maintain and position at least one cell population. 30. A device for delivering quantities of at least one compound to at least one cell in a population, the device comprising: a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population; and an electronically controllable fluid delivery device associated with the receiving surface, the electronically controllable fluid delivery device targeted to deliver discrete portions of at least one material to the cell; wherein the receiving surface has at least one planar support surface adapted to receivably position at least one cell thereon, and wherein the planar support surface includes at least one sensor associated therewith. 31. The device of claim 25 wherein the sensor mechanism comprises a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors capable of selecting at least two differing cellular responses, the cellular responses including at least one of a physical response or a chemical response. 32. The device of claim 25 further comprising a controller in electronic communication with the electronically controllable fluid delivery device, the controller configured to emit at least one signal governing operation of the electronically controllable fluid delivery device. 33. The device of claim 32 further comprising an actuator in electronic communication with the controller to govern actuation of the electronically controllable fluid delivery device. 34. The device of claim 32 wherein the signal governing operation of the electronically controllable fluid delivery device operates in a manner which affects at least one of droplet size, droplet velocity, droplet temperature, and or droplet trajectory. 35. The device of claim 25 wherein the electronically controllable fluid delivery device is a jetting device and further comprises a heating mechanism the heating mechanism capable of heating the material delivered to the cell. 36. The device of claim 25 wherein the electronically controllable jetting device is a piezoelectric jetting device. 37. The device of claim 25 wherein the electronically controllable jetting device is a thermal jetting device. 38. The device of claim 25 further comprising a targeting adjustment mechanism associated with the electronically controllable fluid delivery device, the targeting adjustment mechanism capable of movably positioning the electronically controllable fluid delivery device relative to the receiving surface. 39. The device of claim 38 wherein the electronically controllable fluid delivery device is movably positionable with respect to distance to the receiving surface. 40. A device for delivering quantities of at least one compound to at least one cell in a population, the device comprising: a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population; an electronically controllable fluid delivery device associated with the receiving surface, the electronically controllable fluid delivery device targeted to deliver discrete portions of at least one material to the cell; and an investigational device adapted to detect at least one alteration in cellular function manifested in the cell as a result of impingement of the discrete quantity of material to the cell. 41. A device for delivering quantities of at least one compound to at least one cell in a population, the device comprising: a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population; an electronically controllable fluid delivery device associated with the receiving surface, the electronically controllable fluid delivery device targeted to deliver discrete portions of at least one material to the cell; a targeting adjustment mechanism associated with the electronically controllable fluid delivery device, the targeting adjustment mechanism capable of movably positioning the electronically controllable fluid delivery device relative to the receiving surface; and at least one memory device capable of electronic communication with an external source, the memory device containing information relevant to bioactive material contained in the reservoir. 42. A method for ascertaining response in an individual cell, the method comprising: delivering a defined volume of at least one bioactive material to at least one cell, the at least one cell disposed on a receiving surface adapted to maintain a cell population, wherein the receiving surface has at least one planar support surface adapted to receivably position the individual cell thereon, wherein the planar support surface includes at least one sensor associated therewith, the bioactive material being dispensed for delivery by at least one electronically controllable fluid jetting device associated with the receiving surface, the electronically controllable fluid jetting device targeted to deliver discrete portions of the at least one bioactive material to the at least one cell; and observing and recording cellular response subsequent to the delivery of the defined volume of bioactive material. 43. The method of claim 42 wherein the bioactive material is delivered at a trajectory and velocity sufficient to achieve impingement of the defined volume of bioactive material with the cell membrane of the cell. 44. A device for delivering material to a single cell, comprising: means for selecting the single cell; means for electronically controllably jetting a quantity of material from a reservoir into contact with the selected cell at a velocity and trajectory sufficient to impinge on the cell; and means for monitoring at least one cellular response mechanism exhibited by at least one cell positioned on the receiving surface.