Fig. 1

Serial SMR platform with downstream collection for scRNA-seq. Schematic representation of the serial SMR platform, which includes an array of SMR mass sensors, separated by a serpentine delay channel to periodically measure the buoyant mass of a single cell. Independent control of the upstream and downstream pressures applied to two bypass channels allows for single-cell spacing at the loading entrance of the array (top left of sSMR image) and single-cell isolation at the unloading exit (bottom right of sSMR image) (Additional file 1: Figure S1, Additional file 1: Note S1). Using real-time peak detection at the final mass sensor, a three-dimensional motorized stage is triggered to capture each individual cell directly in lysis buffer for downstream scRNA-seq. Based on well location each cell is subsequently matched to its corresponding biophysical data collected from the sSMR, including mass and MAR, as schematized in the top-right panel. These linked single-cell data sets can then be used to determine gene expression signatures associated with mass and growth rate variability, as schematized in the bottom-right panel