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Clinical Microfluidic Chip Platform for the Isolation of Versatile Circulating Tumor Cells
Published on: October 13, 2023
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A laser-based technology for fabricating a soda-lime glass based microfluidic device for circulating tumour cell
Daniel Nieto1, Ramiro Couceiro2, Maria Aymerich1
1Microoptics and GRIN Optics Group, Applied Physics Department, Faculty of Physics, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela E15782, Spain.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces
|July 29, 2015
Summary
We created a novel laser fabrication method for microfluidic chips on glass. This technique successfully captures tumor cells, offering a promising tool for cancer research applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Optics
Background:
- Microfluidic devices are crucial for biological research and diagnostics.
- Fabricating microfluidic structures on glass typically involves complex and costly methods.
- Improving the morphological and optical properties of microfluidic channels is essential for device performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective and efficient laser-based technique for fabricating microfluidic microchips on soda-lime glass.
- To enhance the surface morphology and optical transparency of the fabricated microfluidic structures.
- To demonstrate the utility of the fabricated chips in a biomedical application, specifically cancer cell capture.
Main Methods:
- Utilized laser direct writing for the initial fabrication of microfluidic structures on soda-lime glass.
- Applied a post-thermal treatment using a CO2 laser to reshape and improve surface roughness and optical transparency.
- Functionalized the manufactured microfluidic chips with epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibodies for cell capture.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated microfluidic structures with improved morphological and optical qualities using the proposed laser technique.
- Demonstrated the effectiveness of the laser-fabricated chips in capturing Hec 1A tumor cells.
- Achieved successful cell arrest on the microchip pillars when cells were flowed through the device.
Conclusions:
- The developed laser-based fabrication technique offers a competitive and efficient method for producing high-quality microfluidic chips on glass substrates.
- The functionalized microfluidic chips show significant potential for translational applications in cancer research, particularly in cell-based assays and diagnostics.
- This approach provides a scalable and adaptable platform for advanced microfluidic device manufacturing.
