Rotation and deformation of human red blood cells with light from tapered fiber probes

Dynamic rotation and deformation of human red blood cells (RBCs) are extremely important to investigate the survival and mechanical features of cells, which will be of great physiological and pathological significance. Here, we report an optical approach that is capable of both rotating and deforming RBCs with light from two tapered fiber probes (TFPs). With laser beams at the wavelength of 980 nm injected into the TFPs, a single RBC was rotated around different axes while single or multiple RBCs were stretched by adjusting the points of action and magnitude of the optical forces from the TFPs. The biological safety of the approach was also discussed by taking the laser power required into account.