Proof-of-principle for simple microshelter-assisted buffer exchange in laser tweezers: interaction of hypericin with single cells.

Microshelters (i.e. thin dead-end side-arms of fluid channels) are used to aid buffer exchange in optical tweezers experiments. The basic idea is to transfer trapped objects into microshelters during the buffer exchange process. Particles "hidden" in microshelters become insensitive to extreme flow conditions in the main fluid channel, which minimizes the requirements for the applied flow system. The construction scheme of a simple microshelter system is described. The concept has been tested by fluorescence measurements on hypericin interaction with trapped yeast cells in different environments.