High-density micro-well array with aptamer-silver conjugates for cell sorting and imaging at single cells.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Medical Diagnostics
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Cell behavior changes are key indicators of diseases, necessitating advanced cell sorting and imaging methods.
• Micro-fabrication technologies enable the development of miniaturized devices for sophisticated cell research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a portable, user-friendly chip with a high-density micro-well array for specific cell capture and imaging.
• To develop a sandwich assay using aptamer-silver conjugates and fluorescent probes for single-cell analysis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a portable chip featuring a high-density periodic micro-well array (19,200 wells).
• Implementation of a sandwich assay utilizing aptamer-silver conjugates and FAM-functionalized reporter probes.
• Testing the specificity of the assay against various cell lines, including HEK-293, MCF-7, U2OS, and Ramos cells, with a focus on CCRF-CEM cells.

Main Results:

• The developed chip successfully captured and imaged target cells with high specificity.
• The sandwich assay demonstrated superior specificity towards CCRF-CEM cells compared to other tested cell lines.
• Each micro-well provided abundant information for single-cell analysis.

Conclusions:

• The high-density micro-well array chip is a promising tool for specific cell imaging and characterization.
• The assay's adaptability allows for expansion to other cell types with appropriate aptamer selection.
• This technology holds potential for significant contributions to future medical diagnostics.