Label-free sorting of soft microparticles using a bioinspired synthetic cilia array.

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Microfluidics
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Cell isolation is crucial for biological studies and clinical applications.
• Existing cell separation technologies face limitations in throughput and non-destructive capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel microfluidic system for label-free cell separation using active cilia.
• To investigate cilia-particle interactions and cell isolation dynamics through 3D simulations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 3D simulation approach combining the immersed boundary method and lattice Boltzmann method.
• Modeled soft particles and cilia using spring-connected network and point-particle schemes.
• Simulated cilia-particle interactions within a microfluidic channel with patterned cilia arrays.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that active cilia arrays can influence particle trajectories based on biophysical properties.
• Showcased the ability of stimulated cilia arrays to continuously and non-destructively separate cells into subpopulations.
• Identified cell separation based on size, shape, and stiffness.

Conclusions:

• Developed a design map for a programmable microfluidic device for cell subpopulation isolation.
• The proposed biocompatible, label-free design achieves high-throughput separation, complementing existing technologies.
• This active ciliary system offers a promising approach for advanced cell separation in research and medicine.