Figure 1.

Overall presentation of the droplet-based platform for monitoring dynamic events in small animals. (a) Conceptual view of a droplet flow-cytometry technique applied to small animals. This scheme highlights the intrinsic qualities of droplet-microfluidics screening technology, including single-animal resolution, small reagent consumption, and independent reactors, but its execution faces challenges for characterizing dynamic phenotypes. (b) Implementation of an on-demand droplet system to encapsulate single animals, store droplets, and dynamically control droplet chemical content using computer-assisted automation. (c) Example of a channel network showing several units integrated on the same chip and a sample of the multiple flow paths that are sequentially executed to perform a given task. (d-e) High-content phenotyping of single animals: (d) Time-lapse sequence of bright-field images of an adult C. elegans animal encapsulated in a droplet (top); image processing to identify the animal (bottom). (e) Time course of postural and behavioral parameters for a single C. elegans individual freely swimming in a droplet.