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Label-free Isolation and Enrichment of Cells Through Contactless Dielectrophoresis
Published on: September 3, 2013
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In-droplet cell concentration using dielectrophoresis
Song-I Han1, Hyun Soo Kim1, Arum Han2
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
|May 30, 2017
Summary
This study introduces an in-droplet cell concentrator for microfluidics. The device uses negative dielectrophoresis and droplet splitting to increase cell concentration, aiding cell biology experiments.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics
- Cell Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Cell concentration adjustment is crucial for cell biology experiments but challenging in droplet microfluidics.
- Centrifugation is a common method for cell concentration but not easily integrated into droplet systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an in-droplet cell concentrator for droplet microfluidics.
- To enable efficient cell concentration and manipulation within droplets.
Main Methods:
- Utilized negative dielectrophoresis (nDEP) to focus cells within a droplet.
- Employed asymmetric droplet splitting in a Y-shaped junction to isolate concentrated cells.
- Characterized performance using polystyrene particles and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells.
Main Results:
- Achieved up to 5.6-fold concentration increase for particles and 5-fold for cells.
- Demonstrated high recovery rates of 90% for particles and 98% for cells.
- Reduced daughter droplet volume by up to 84%.
Conclusions:
- The developed in-droplet cell concentrator effectively increases cell concentration in microfluidic droplets.
- This technology facilitates common cell assay steps like concentration adjustment, solution exchange, and cell separation within droplets.
- Adds a new capability to droplet microfluidics for advanced cell analysis.
Keywords:
Angled planar electrode pairDielectrophoresisDroplet microfluidicsIn-droplet cell concentration
