Microchip-based enumeration of human white blood cells

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Pathology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Flow cytometry is essential for medical testing but is limited by cost, size, and maintenance, restricting its use in resource-poor areas.
• Accurate cell enumeration is critical for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions.
• There is a need for accessible, cost-effective, and portable cell-counting alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe a protocol for cell counting using a simple microfluidic device.
• To demonstrate a method for performing total white blood cell (WBC) counts in a microfluidic format.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a simple microfluidic cell.
• Development of a protocol for total white blood cell (WBC) enumeration within the microfluidic device.
• Utilizing capture and immunolabeling of WBCs with an anti-CD45 antibody for detection.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of a microfluidic protocol for cell counting.
• Demonstration of total white blood cell (WBC) enumeration using immunolabeling within the microfluidic structure.

Conclusions:

• A simple microfluidic approach can be used for total white blood cell (WBC) counting.
• This method presents a potentially cost-effective and portable alternative to flow cytometry for cell enumeration in resource-limited settings.