Alignment and fusion of cells with an electrical field

An apparatus, comprising:

• a pairing region, comprising:
• a first microfluidic channel including a first impedance sensor, wherein the first microfluidic channel is in fluidic communication with a first fluid dispenser;
• and
• a second microfluidic channel including a second impedance sensor, wherein the second microfluidic channel is in fluidic communication with a second fluid dispenser;
• a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed:
• actuate the first fluid dispenser to move a first cell within the first microfluidic channel and actuate the second fluid dispenser to move a second cell within the second microfluidic channel until the first cell in the first microfluidic channel is aligned with the second cell in the second microfluidic channel within the same plane such that neither the first cell nor the second cell is closer to a merging chamber than the other of the first cell or the second cell;
• the merging chamber in fluid communication with the first microfluidic channel and the second microfluidic channel, wherein the merging chamber comprises a plurality of electrodes that, when activated, generate an electric field within the merging chamber,
• a third fluid dispenser fluidly coupled with the merging chamber at a side opposite a location at which the first microfluidic channel and the second microfluidic channel are coupled with the merging chamber,
• wherein the instructions, when executed:
• actuate the third fluid dispenser to move both of the first cell and the second cell, while aligned, through the merging chamber to fuse the first cell with the second cell to generate a third cell in the electric field generated by the plurality of electrodes, in response to alignment of the first cell in the first microfluidic channel with the second cell in the second microfluidic channel.