Single-cell pipette assembly comprising single-cell pipette handle and single-cell pipette tip

A method for isolating an individual cell from a group of cells and transferring that isolated cell to a desired location, said method comprising:

• providing a single-cell pipette tip, said single-cell pipette tip comprising:
• a structure having a distal end;
• a Y-shaped microchannel formed in said structure, said Y-shaped microchannel comprising a base microchannel, a first branch microchannel and a second branch microchannel, wherein said base microchannel extends to said distal end of said structure, said first branch microchannel is connectable to a first pressure channel, said second branch microchannel is connectable to a second pressure channel, and a single-cell trap is disposed in said base microchannel, distal to the convergence of said base microchannel with said first branch microchannel and said second branch microchannel;
• priming said base microchannel, said first branch microchannel and said second branch microchannel with a primer solution;
• positioning said base microchannel in a slurry of cells;
• applying negative pressure to said first branch microchannel and said base microchannel so that the slurry of cells is drawn up into said base microchannel and into said first branch microchannel, with a single cell from the slurry being captured in said single-cell trap;
• positioning said base microchannel in a wash solution;
• applying negative pressure to said first branch microchannel and said base microchannel so that said wash solution flushes the slurry of cells out of said base microchannel, with the captured cell remaining in said single-cell trap;
• and
• thereafter, when the single cell captured in said single-cell trap is to be transferred to a desired location, applying positive pressure to said second pressure channel so that said primer solution is flushed through said second branch microchannel, into said base microchannel and then out said distal end of said single-cell pipette tip, whereby to flush the captured cell out of said single-cell trap, through said base microchannel and then out said distal end of the single-cell pipette tip.