With a variety of advantages, the advent of microfluidic chips has brought cell separation and sorting more possibilities. With years of experience focusing on microfluidic chip development, Creative Biolabs is capable of offering the highest standard microfluidic chip to help our customers tackling difficulties in cell separation and sorting.
Introduction of Microfluidic Cell Separation
Microfluidic technologies for cell separation in the biomedical field are booming in the recent 15 years. Benefitted from the microscale features approaching a single cell, microfluidic cell sorting devices have shown many attractive advantages compared to their forerunners (e.g., fluorescence-assisted cell sorting (FACS) and magnetic-assisted cell sorting (MACS)). With the advance in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine for point-of-care tests, the need for cell separation has been greatly expanded nowadays. In this context, microfluidic-based cell separation and cell sorting technologies have shown excellent performance.
Microfluidic-based Cancer Cell Separation
Microfluidic devices capable of measuring cellular biophysical properties can also prove useful for cancer cell detection. A few microfluidic devices have been developed to measure single-cell mechanical and/or electrical properties, enabling the discrimination of normal cells from malignant counterparts. For example, researchers developed a microfluidic optical stretcher for cancer cell mechanical characterization, indicating that cells with higher metastatic potentials (e.g., Mod-MCF-7) deformed more than normal cells (e.g., MCF-10). Furthermore, another group reported a microfluidic system for cell-type classification using both mechanical and electrical parameters of cells, demonstrating that electrical and mechanical parameters, when used in combination, can provide a higher cell classification success rate in distinguishing EMT6 (murine breast cancer cell lines).
Fig. 2 DLD cell sorting. 1,2
Magnetic Activated Micro-cell Sorters
Magnetic activated cell sorting relies on the interaction between cell surface antigens and antibodies conjugated to suspended magnetic particles. Magnetic bead-based techniques readily permit the manipulation of captured cancer cells using local magnetic fields. Multi-functional, integrated microfluidic devices capable of cancer cell separation, cell lysis, and genetic identification were reported. This platform consisted of an incubation module where target cancer cells are selectively captured onto functionalized magnetic beads, a control module for sample transportation, and a nucleic acid amplification module for cell lysis and genetic identification. Cancer cells (e.g., lung and ovarian carcinoma) were spiked into whole blood samples and loaded into the incubation chamber with pre-loaded magnetic beads coated with monoclonal antibodies. The cancer cells were specifically immobilized onto the surface of the magnetic beads with a recovery rate higher than 90%. The purified magnetic complexes were subsequently resuspended and transported to the cell lysis/reverse transcription chamber where the expressed genes associated with ovarian and lung cancer cells were successfully amplified.
Services at Creative Biolabs
Creative Biolabs has developed a comprehensive technology platform that is dedicated to developing and designing the microfluidic chip. We are confident in providing our customers with the highest standard microfluidic chip. We also provide microfluidic chip development services to meet customers’ different requirements. If you are looking for a better solution for cell sorting or separation, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.
Features and Benefits
Precise Cell Sorting
The microfluidic chips enable precise sorting of cells based on various physical and biochemical properties, such as size, shape, and dielectric properties. This precision ensures that the separated cell populations are highly pure and suitable for downstream applications.
Minimal Sample Volume
These microfluidic devices require minimal sample volumes, often in the nanoliter range. This feature is particularly beneficial when working with scarce or precious samples, such as patient-derived cells or rare cell populations.
Gentle Cell Handling
The gentle handling of cells within the microfluidic channels minimizes stress and potential damage to the cells. This is critical for maintaining cell viability and functionality, especially for sensitive cell types.
Label-Free Separation
Our chips offer label-free cell separation, relying on intrinsic cell properties rather than external labels or markers. This approach reduces preparation time and avoids potential interference from labeling agents.
High Customizability
Our microfluidic chips are highly customizable to meet specific research needs. Whether it's adjusting channel dimensions or incorporating different sorting mechanisms, we can tailor the chips to optimize performance for various applications.
References
Jiang, Zhao, et al. " An integrated microfluidic device for rapid and high-sensitivity analysis of circulating tumor cells." Scientific Reports 7 (2015): 42612.
under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.
Q&As
Q: What are the advantages of using microfluidic chips for cell sorting over traditional methods?
A: Microfluidic chips offer several advantages over traditional methods such as FACS and MACS, including higher precision, lower reagent consumption, gentler handling of cells, and the ability to perform label-free separation. They are also more compact and cost-effective.
Q: What types of cells can be separated using these microfluidic chips?
A: These chips can separate a wide variety of cells, including cancer cells, stem cells, blood cells, and even rare circulating tumor cells. The technology is versatile and can be adapted to different cell types based on their specific properties.
Q: How do microfluidic chips achieve label-free cell separation?
A: Microfluidic chips achieve label-free cell separation by exploiting intrinsic cell properties such as size, shape, density, and electrical properties. Techniques like dielectrophoresis and inertial focusing are used to manipulate and sort cells without the need for external labels.
Q: Can microfluidic chips be integrated with other analytical techniques?
A: Yes, microfluidic chips can be integrated with various analytical techniques such as imaging, immunofluorescence staining, and single-cell sequencing. This integration allows for comprehensive analysis of sorted cells, providing valuable insights into cellular functions and interactions.
Q: What customization options are available for microfluidic chips?
A: Microfluidic chips can be customized in terms of channel dimensions, sorting mechanisms, and material composition to meet specific research needs. This customization enhances the performance and applicability of the chips for various experimental setups and objectives.
Resources
Videos
Creative Biolabs has established a comprehensive microfluidics technique platform.
Fig. 2 DLD cell sorting. 1,2
