Differential microfluidic sensor on printed circuit board for biological cells analysis.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Biosensing

Background:

• Coulter principle-based resistive pulse sensors are established for cell detection.
• Miniaturized micro-Coulter counters offer advantages for point-of-care diagnostics, particularly for rare cell enumeration like circulating tumor cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a microfluidic cytometer utilizing the Coulter principle for biological sample analysis.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using a printed circuit board substrate for cost-effective device fabrication.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a microfluidic cytometer on a SU-8 coated printed circuit board substrate.
• Implementation of a differential amplifier circuit for enhanced signal detection.
• Calibration of the sensor using polystyrene particles of standard sizes.
• Performance evaluation using HeLa cells for biological sample enumeration.

Main Results:

• The microfluidic cytometer successfully detected and enumerated biological samples (HeLa cells).
• The device, built on a cost-effective printed circuit board, demonstrated reliable performance.
• Electrical current changes were effectively correlated with particle passage through the sensing aperture.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfluidic cytometer based on the Coulter principle is a viable tool for cell enumeration.
• The use of printed circuit board substrate offers a low-cost and accessible platform for developing personalized healthcare monitoring devices.
• The device shows significant potential for point-of-care diagnostics and rare cell analysis.