Background What We Can Offer? Workflow Why Choose Us? Published Data FAQs Featured Services Feature Products
Accelerate Your Research and Development!
Are you currently facing challenges such as inconsistent cell counts, high reagent costs, lengthy manual processing, or the need for a portable, point-of-care solution? Our Cell Counting Microfluidic System Development Service at Creative Biolabs helps you overcome these hurdles and achieve accurate, automated, and high-throughput cell analysis. We provide bespoke solutions tailored to your unique research and diagnostic needs.
Contact our team to get an inquiry now!
Background
Cell counting is a fundamental and critical process in various fields, including basic research, drug discovery, clinical diagnostics, and biomanufacturing. Traditional methods, such as hemocytometry and flow cytometry, have limitations in terms of throughput, sample volume, cost, and portability. Microfluidic cell counting systems have emerged as a powerful alternative, miniaturizing the entire process onto a single chip. These systems leverage the principles of fluid dynamics at the microscale to precisely manipulate and count cells.
These systems often employ techniques such as impedance-based counting, optical detection (light scattering or fluorescence), or image-based analysis. By controlling the flow of fluid through microchannels, these devices can isolate and count individual cells with high accuracy. The small size and low power requirements of microfluidic devices make them ideal for developing portable, point-of-care diagnostics, particularly in resource-limited settings where traditional bulky equipment is not feasible. The technology's ability to handle small sample volumes directly from sources like blood, without extensive pre-processing, further highlights its transformative potential.
Fig.1 Particle counting methods based on microfluidic devices.1,3
Applications
The applications for our microfluidic cell counting systems span a wide range of scientific and clinical fields, offering solutions for challenges in each.
Bioprocessing and Biomanufacturing
Real-time monitoring of cell density, viability, and growth rates in bioreactors to optimize production of biologics, such as vaccines and recombinant proteins.
Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine
Accurate cell dose quantification for CAR T-cell therapy and other regenerative medicine treatments to ensure patient safety and therapeutic efficacy.
Drug Discovery and High-Throughput Screening
Rapid and automated counting of cells in multi-well plates to assess cell proliferation and cytotoxicity of drug candidates.
Point-of-Care Diagnostics
Development of portable, easy-to-use devices for rapid cell counting in clinical settings, such as complete blood counts or specific cell population analysis (e.g., CD4+ T cell counts for HIV monitoring).
Environmental and Food Science
Monitoring and enumeration of microorganisms and phytoplankton in water samples for quality control and environmental analysis.
What We Can Offer
Creative Biolabs offers a comprehensive suite of products and services to meet all your cell counting microfluidic needs. Our offerings are designed for maximum flexibility and tailored to your project requirements.
We design and fabricate bespoke microfluidic chips with tailored channel geometries, surface modifications, and material choices to optimize cell manipulation for your specific application.
A range of pre-designed, ready-to-use microfluidic chips for standard cell counting applications and simple assays.
Development of complete, automated platforms that combine a microfluidic chip with fluidic control, optical imaging, and data processing hardware and software.
A full-service offering that includes everything from initial concept and design to fabrication, validation, and final system delivery.
Microfluidic Assay Development
We develop and optimize specific cell counting and viability assays to run on our microfluidic platforms.
Leverage our specialized benefits—Request a quotation today
Workflow
Why Choose Us?
Creative Biolabs stands apart by offering a tailored approach that goes beyond off-the-shelf solutions. We combine decades of expertise in microfluidics with a deep understanding of cell biology to create systems that are not only technologically advanced but also perfectly suited to your scientific needs. Our platforms are designed for superior performance, offering advantages like automated operation, minimal sample consumption, and high-throughput capabilities.
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High Precision and Reproducibility: Our microfluidic systems offer a significant improvement in accuracy and consistency over manual counting methods. Published Data indicates that microfluidic-based systems can achieve a coefficient of variation of less than 5%.
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Reduced Sample and Reagent Costs: By working with microliter-scale volumes, our systems dramatically cut down on the amount of precious or expensive samples and reagents required.
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Automation and Efficiency: The integrated systems provide automated cell counting and analysis, eliminating human error, and reducing hands-on time from hours to minutes.
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Customization and Integration: We develop bespoke solutions, from chip design to software, that can be integrated seamlessly into your existing laboratory infrastructure and workflows.
Published Data
Fig.2 Microfluidic device for on-chip staining and counting.2,3
A study focused on the rapid, on-site monitoring of Legionella pneumophila in cooling tower water utilized a portable microfluidic system to overcome the limitations of traditional, time-consuming methods. The experiment involved a series of steps to prepare and analyze water samples, including pre-filtration with a 3-μm-pore-size filter to remove large particles, followed by concentration of bacterial cells onto a 0.2-μm-pore-size polycarbonate filter. This process ensured that a sufficient number of cells were present for analysis and that debris that could clog the microfluidic channels was eliminated. The results showed a high recovery rate for L. pneumophila cells, at approximately 82% and 76% for two different strains, demonstrating the system's effectiveness. The cell counts obtained with the portable microfluidic system were found to be similar to those from a standard fluorescence microscopy method, confirming its accuracy. The experiment successfully demonstrated that the system has a detection limit of 104 cells/ml, but even lower concentrations could be detected after the sample concentration steps. This highlights the system's capability for reliable and efficient on-site environmental monitoring.
FAQs
Q: What are the key performance differences between microfluidic cell counting and traditional hemocytometry?
A: Hemocytometry, while a simple and cost-effective manual method, is limited by its susceptibility to human error and low throughput. Microfluidic systems offer significant advantages in automation, requiring minimal manual intervention and enabling high-throughput analysis. They provide superior precision and repeatability, as they eliminate the variability inherent in manual counting. Additionally, these systems require a much smaller sample volume, conserving precious biological materials.
Q: What types of cells are typically analyzed using microfluidic systems?
A: Microfluidic technology is highly versatile and can be adapted to count a wide range of biological particles. These systems are commonly used for analyzing mammalian cells, as well as microbial cells like bacteria, yeast, and algae. The technology is also effective for enumerating specific cell populations in complex biological fluids, including whole blood and cerebrospinal fluid, often with minimal sample preparation.
Q: What factors influence the development timeline for a custom microfluidic system?
A: The time required to develop a custom microfluidic system is highly dependent on the project's complexity. Key factors include the intricacy of the chip design, the specific validation criteria for the target cell lines, and the level of system integration required. While a basic design may be prototyped relatively quickly, a comprehensive solution with advanced features and rigorous validation will naturally require more time.
Q: Can microfluidic systems integrate additional functions beyond cell counting?
A: Yes, a major advantage of microfluidic technology is its versatility. Systems can be designed to integrate a variety of functions on a single chip, moving beyond simple counting. This includes performing cell viability assays, sorting cells based on specific characteristics, and conducting single-cell analysis for genomics or proteomics studies. The ability to combine multiple steps on a single platform streamlines the entire workflow.
Q: How does a custom microfluidic system compare to a standard, off-the-shelf instrument in terms of value?
A: While commercial instruments offer a standardized solution, they may not meet the specific needs of specialized research. A custom microfluidic system is designed to provide a tailored solution that can significantly enhance scientific outcomes. By optimizing for a specific application, a custom system can improve data precision, reduce reagent consumption, and increase overall workflow efficiency, leading to a stronger return on investment over the life of the project.
Featured Services
Feature Products
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CAT No
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Material
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Product Name
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Application
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MFCH-001
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Glass
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Herringbone Microfluidic Chip
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Processing samples and reagents in nucleic acid analysis, blood analysis, immunoassays and point-of-care diagnostics.
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MFMM-0723-JS12
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Glass
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Double Emulsion Droplet Chip
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Our double emulsion microfluidic chip, incorporating localized modifications and a classic flow-focusing structure, is specifically designed to generate stable and uniform double emulsion droplets.
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MFCH-005
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PDMS
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3D Cell Culture Chip-Neuron
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Neuron cell culture and study of axon transport, axon protein synthesis, axon damage/regeneration, signal transduction of axon to somatic signal.
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MFCH-009
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PDMS
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Synvivo-Idealized Co-Culture Network Chips (IMN2 radial)
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SynBBB 3D Blood Brain Barrier Model/SynRAM 3D Inflammation Model/SynTumor 3D Cancer Model/SynTox 3D Toxicology Model
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MFMM1-GJS4
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COC
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BE-Doubleflow Standard
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Studying circulating particles, cell interactions and simple organ on chip system construction.
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MFMM1-GJS6
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COC
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BE-Transflow Custom
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Used to construct cell interface or Air-Liquid interface (ALI) to study more complex culture systems.
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Click here to explore our complete product catalog.
For detailed inquiries regarding our offerings, reach out to our specialists.
References
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Dang, Zenglin et al. "Particle Counting Methods Based on Microfluidic Devices." Micromachines vol. 14,9 1722. 1 Sep. 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14091722
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Yamaguchi, Nobuyasu et al. "Rapid on-site monitoring of Legionella pneumophila in cooling tower water using a portable microfluidic system." Scientific reports vol. 7,1 3092. 8 Jun. 2017, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-03293-9
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Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.
