Measuring device and method for measuring characteristics of cells

A measuring device for measuring physical characteristics of cells, the measuring device comprising:

• a microfluidic chip provided with a flow channel for allowing cells to flow through from one end to another end of the flow channel, the flow channel including an inlet part, a characterization part and an outlet part;
• a manipulator situated in the characterization part between the inlet part and the outlet part of the flow channel and configured to manipulate a cell in a continuous flow through the characterization part by applying deformation force to the cell in the characterization part;
• and
• a sensor situated in the characterization part and configured to sense a physical characteristic of the cell in the characterization part of the flow channel,
• wherein the manipulator and the sensor are configured to define a width of the characterization part of the flow channel as a gap formed between the manipulator and the sensor, the width being smaller than a size of the cell, and
• wherein the manipulator is configured to apply the deformation force to the cell by compressing the cell against the sensor,
• wherein the manipulator comprises a guiding portion and a tip portion, the guiding portion being inclined toward the sensor to define a decreasing gap between the manipulator and the sensor, the tip portion extending parallel to the sensor to define a constant gap between the manipulator and the sensor,
• further comprising a further sensor situated in the inlet part which is upstream of the characterization part and configured to detect the size of a cell in the inlet part of the flow channel,
• wherein the manipulator is configured to control a position of the movable unit within the flow channel to adjust the width of the characterization part of the flow channel, depending on the size of the cell detected by the further sensor.