Automated Microfluidic Instrument for Label-Free and High-Throughput Cell Separation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Cell Separation Technology

Background:

• Microfluidic cell separation technologies are increasingly reported.
• A significant challenge remains in developing compact, automated microfluidic instruments due to the integration complexity of macro- and microfluidic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and develop a novel, automated microfluidic instrument for size-based, label-free, and high-throughput cancer cell separation.
• To address the limitations of current automated cell separation systems.

Main Methods:

• Development of a fully integrated microfluidic device featuring a flow regulatory chip and two cell separation chips.
• Integration of robust fluid-driven and control units for precise fluid infusion and cell separation.
• Utilization of optimized control programs for automated operation.

Main Results:

• Successful automated sorting of human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7 from diluted human blood.
• Achieved a high recovery ratio of approximately 85% for MCF-7 cells.
• Demonstrated rapid processing time of approximately 23 minutes for 5 mL of blood.

Conclusions:

• The developed microfluidic instrument provides an effective solution for automated, label-free, and high-throughput cancer cell separation.
• The instrument shows significant potential for biomedical applications including cell separation, enrichment, and concentration for cell culture and analysis.