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Red blood cell magnetophoresis
Maciej Zborowski1, Graciela R Ostera, Lee R Moore
1Department of Biomedical Engineering/ND20, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44915, USA. zborow@bme.ri.ccf.org
Biophysical Journal
|April 2, 2003
Summary
Erythrocytes containing deoxygenated or methemoglobin exhibit paramagnetic properties, enabling their migration in magnetic fields. This cell magnetophoresis technique could be used to separate and analyze cells based on their magnetic characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Biomagnetism
Background:
- Hemoglobin's magnetic properties differ based on oxygenation state: deoxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin are paramagnetic, while oxyhemoglobin is diamagnetic.
- Erythrocytes possess high hemoglobin concentrations, suggesting potential for magnetic field-induced differential migration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential for differential migration of erythrocytes in a high magnetic field.
- To quantify cell magnetophoresis of erythrocytes with varying hemoglobin magnetic properties.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of cell tracking velocimetry.
- Measurement of erythrocyte migration velocity under a 1.40 T magnetic field with a 0.131 T/mm gradient.
- Comparison of magnetophoretic mobility for deoxygenated, methemoglobin-containing, and oxygenated erythrocytes.
Main Results:
- Erythrocytes with 100% deoxygenated hemoglobin showed a magnetophoretic mobility of 3.86 x 10(-6) mm(3) s/kg.
- Erythrocytes with 100% methemoglobin exhibited a similar mobility of 3.66 x 10(-6) mm(3) s/kg.
- Oxygenated erythrocytes displayed minimal mobility (-0.2 to +0.30 x 10(-6) mm(3) s/kg), indicating diamagnetic behavior.
Conclusions:
- Cell magnetophoresis is a viable method for separating erythrocytes based on hemoglobin's magnetic state.
- This technique offers a novel approach for cell characterization and separation for biochemical analysis.
- The differential magnetic properties of hemoglobin can be harnessed for biotechnological applications.