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High-throughput cell focusing and separation via acoustofluidic tweezers
Mengxi Wu1, Kejie Chen, Shujie Yang
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27707, USA. tony.huang@duke.edu.
Lab on a Chip
|August 23, 2018
Summary
A novel three-dimensional acoustofluidic tweezers (3D-AFT) method efficiently separates microparticles and cells using acoustics and hydrodynamics. This high-throughput, label-free technique offers precise, gentle cell handling for diverse biological and clinical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Microfluidics
- Acoustic Cell Sorting
Background:
- Particle and cell separation is crucial for biological and biomedical applications.
- Existing microfluidic techniques often lack precision, speed, or biocompatibility.
- There is a need for advanced methods for high-purity microparticle and cell separation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a precise, fast, and biocompatible method for microparticle and cell separation.
- To enhance throughput and efficiency compared to existing acoustophoresis techniques.
- To demonstrate the versatility of the developed method for various separation tasks.
Main Methods:
- Integration of acoustics and hydrodynamics into a three-dimensional acoustofluidic tweezers (3D-AFT) system.
- Utilizing label-free separation principles.
- Achieving high-purity fractionation of microparticles and cells.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated separation of 10, 12, and 15 micron particles at a throughput of up to 500 μl min-1.
- Successfully separated erythrocytes, leukocytes, and cancer cells.
- Achieved an order of magnitude increase in throughput compared to other acoustophoresis methods.
Conclusions:
- The 3D-AFT method provides a highly efficient and gentle approach for microparticle and cell separation.
- This technique offers a viable alternative for various separation demands, including potential clinical applications.
- The label-free and high-throughput nature of 3D-AFT enhances its applicability in biological research and diagnostics.
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