Dielectrophoretic digital sorting method utilizes a semiconductor controlled array of electrodes in a microfluidic chip to trap single cells in Dielectrophoretic (DEP) cages. Cell identification is ensured by the combination of fluorescent markers with image observation. Precision delivery is ensured by the semiconductor controlled motion of DEP cages in the flow cell.
Hydrodynamic traps allow for the isolation of an individual cell in a "trap" at a single given time by passive microfluidic transport. The number of isolated cells can be manipulated based on the number of traps in the system.
The Laser Capture Microdissection technique utilizes a laser to dissect and separate individual cells, or sections, from tissue samples of interest. The methods involve the observation of a cell under a microscope, so that a section for analysis can be identified and labeled so that the laser can cut the cell. Then, the cell can be extracted for analysis.
Manual single cell picking is a method where cells in a suspension are viewed under a microscope and individually picked using a micropipette.
Microfluidics allows for the isolation of individual cells for further analyses. The following principles  outline the various microfluidic processes for single-cell separation: droplet-in-oil based isolation, pneumatic membrane valving, and hydrodynamic cell traps. Droplet-in-oil based microfluidics uses oil-filled channels to hold separated aqueous droplets. This allows the single cell to be contained and isolated from the inside the oil based channels. Pneumatic membrane valves use the manipulation of air pressure, to isolate individual cells by membrane deflection. The manipulation of the pressure source allows the opening or closing of channels in a microfluidic network. Typically, the system requires an operator and is limited in throughput.
The technique Raman tweezers combines the use Raman spectroscopy and optical tweezers, which use a laser beam to trap and manipulate cells.
The development of hydrodynamic-based microfluidic biochips has been increasing over the years. In this technique, the cells are trapped in a particular region for single cell analysis (SCA). This usually occurs without any application of external force fields such as optical, electrical, magnetic or acoustic. There is a need to explore the insights of SCA in the cell's natural state, and development of these techniques is highly essential for that study. Researchers have highlighted the need to develop biochip devices to suit market and researcher demands. Hydrodynamic microfluidics facilitate the development of passive lab-on-chip applications.