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Density00:56

Density

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Density is an important characteristic of substances, crucial in determining whether an object sinks or floats in a fluid. Its SI unit is kg/m3, and its cgs unit is g/cm3. The density of an object helps in identifying its composition, and also reveals information about the phase of the matter and its substructure. The densities of liquids and solids are roughly comparable, consistent with the fact that their atoms are in close contact. However, gases have much lower densities than liquids and...
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Cell separation was first achieved in 1964 by S. H. Seal, who separated large tumor cells from the smaller blood cells using filtration. Two years later, Pohl and Hawk performed experiments on how cells respond differently to a nonuniform electric field based on the cell type. Such observations were the inception of cell separation methods, which allow isolating a single cell type from a heterogeneous sample.
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The homogenate obtained after cell lysis contains various membrane-bound organelles that can be further separated into pure fractions by subcellular fractionation. These isolates are used to study specific cellular components, analyze localized protein activity, and are even employed in diagnostics. Fractionation is typically achieved using centrifugation methods, the most common being density-gradient and differential centrifugation.
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Centrifugation is a separation technique based on differences in density or size. It is commonly used to separate solids from aqueous interferents. During centrifugation, the sample is placed in centrifugation tubes and spun at high angular velocity, which allows centrifugal force to act differentially on the different densities or masses of the components. After spinning, the supernatant liquid is decanted. Depending on the specific application, either the pellet or the supernatant is retained...
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The development of flow cytometry techniques began in 1934 with initial attempts by Andrew Moldavan, a bacteriologist who counted the cells in a flowing capillary system. Moldavan pumped cells through a capillary tube focused under a microscope for visualization. The invention of photometry allowed the measurement of differentially-stained cells, and Louis Kamentsky developed the first multiparameter flow cytometer in 1965 to identify and count the cancer cells in cervical tissue specimens.
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Quantification of Cellular Densities and Antigenic Properties using Magnetic Levitation
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Sorting cells by their density.

Nazila Norouzi1, Heran C Bhakta1, William H Grover1

  • 1Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States of America.

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|July 21, 2017
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a 3D-printed microfluidic chip for label-free cell sorting based on density. The device achieves high enrichment of white blood cells, offering a simple and accessible method for biological research and diagnostics.

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Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Microfluidics
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Traditional cell sorting methods often rely on labels, which can be limiting.
  • Physical properties like cell size have high intra-type variation, hindering accurate sorting.
  • Cell density offers a more consistent physical property for discriminating cell types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a label-free cell sorting technique using intrinsic physical properties.
  • To demonstrate cell sorting based on density using a 3D-printed microfluidic device.
  • To provide accessible tools for researchers to replicate and simulate the cell sorting technology.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 3D-printed microfluidic chip with a horizontal micron-scale density gradient.
  • Employed Earth's gravity to allow cells to sediment to their buoyant density.
  • Separated cells into different outlets based on their density as the channel splits.

Main Results:

  • Successfully sorted polymer microbeads by material (polyethylene, polystyrene).
  • Achieved significant enrichment of white blood cells from whole blood (0.1% to ~98%).
  • Demonstrated a 1000x enrichment factor for white blood cells.

Conclusions:

  • The 3D-printed density sorter chip offers a simple, high-resolution, and high-throughput method for cell separation.
  • The technology is easily replicable using 3D printing and supported by simulation software.
  • This approach is suitable for isolating rare cell types in various research and clinical applications.