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Mechano-Node-Pore Sensing: A Rapid, Label-Free Platform for Multi-Parameter Single-Cell Viscoelastic Measurements

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Microfluidic cellular enrichment and separation through differences in viscoelastic deformation.

Gonghao Wang¹, Kaci Crawford, Cory Turbyfield

¹George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332-0405, USA. todd.sulchek@me.gatech.edu.

|November 21, 2014

Summary

This study introduces a microfluidic method to separate leukemia cells from healthy cells by exploiting differences in their viscoelastic properties. The technique effectively enriches specific leukemia cell types based on their unique responses to compression and relaxation.

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Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Cell Biology
Microfluidics

Background:

Separating and enriching specific cell populations from complex mixtures remains a challenge in biological research and diagnostics.
Understanding cell viscoelasticity is crucial for developing novel cell manipulation techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and demonstrate a microfluidic approach for separating and enriching cell types based on their viscoelastic properties.
To investigate the differential flow trajectories of leukemia cell lines (K562, HL60) and healthy leukocytes under controlled compression and relaxation.

Main Methods:

A microfluidic device with periodic, diagonal ridges was designed to induce cell compression and lateral translation.
Cell viscoelasticity, stiffness, relaxation rate, and size were measured using atomic force microscopy and high-speed optical microscopy.
The device was optimized to exploit differences in cell relaxation times and responses to hydrodynamic forces.

Main Results:

Variations in cell viscoelasticity significantly affected the flow trajectories of K562 leukemia cells compared to HL60 cells and leukocytes.
The microfluidic device successfully enriched K562 cells by leveraging their distinct relaxation behaviors.
Cell sorting efficiency demonstrated a strong dependence on cell viscosity and the microfluidic channel design.

Conclusions:

Microfluidic cell sorting based on viscoelastic properties offers a promising method for separating specific cell types, including leukemia cells.
The developed technique allows for the enrichment of K562 leukemia cells from mixtures containing HL60 cells and healthy leukocytes.
This approach has potential applications in cancer research, diagnostics, and cell-based therapies.