Size-based cell sorting with a resistive pulse sensor and an electromagnetic pump in a microfluidic chip.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Cell Sorting

Background:

• Accurate detection and isolation of rare cells from biological samples are crucial for diagnostics.
• Existing cell sorting methods can be complex, time-consuming, or require cell labeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an automated, label-free microfluidic chip for size-based detection and sorting of target cells from human blood.
• To demonstrate the chip's efficacy in isolating specific cell types, such as A549 cells and T-lymphocytes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an electrokinetic microfluidic chip integrating a differential resistive pulse sensor (RPS) for cell detection.
• Employed an automated electromagnetic pump triggered by RPS signals to sort detected target cells.
• Verified cell viability post-sorting using Hoechst33342 and propidium iodide staining.

Main Results:

• The chip successfully detected and sorted A549 cells and T-lymphocytes from peripheral blood.
• Achieved sorting rates of up to 100 target cells per minute, suitable for rare cell isolation.
• Confirmed that the sorting process and electric field did not compromise cell viability.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfluidic chip offers a simple, automatic, and label-free solution for size-based rare target cell sorting.
• This technology holds significant potential for applications in medical diagnostics, particularly for circulating tumor cell detection.