Magnetic Cell Centrifuge Platform Performance Study with Different Microsieve Pore Geometries

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell Biology
• Oncology

Background:

• Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are vital biomarkers, but their heterogeneity and rarity pose significant isolation challenges.
• Maintaining CTC structural integrity and viability during separation is critical for accurate clinical analysis.
• The Magnetic Cell Centrifuge Platform (MCCP) previously combined magnetic labeling with size-based separation for CTC capture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of different microsieve pore geometries for improving CTC capture yield in the MCCP.
• To optimize the MCCP design for enhanced isolation of target cells from peripheral blood samples.
• To evaluate the impact of pore geometry on cell capture efficiency and device performance.

Main Methods:

• Finite element numerical simulations were used to model trapped cells within rectangular and circular pore geometries, comparing contact forces.
• The MCCP device performance was experimentally evaluated under both constant pressure and constant flow rate conditions.
• Isolation efficiency was validated using magnetically labeled Hela cells (target) and unlabeled Hela cells (background).

Main Results:

• Circular microsieve pore geometries demonstrated superior performance compared to rectangular ones.
• The optimized MCCP achieved 97% purity of target cells with a sample throughput of up to 2 μL/s.
• A 66-fold enrichment of target cells was achieved, demonstrating significant improvement in isolation efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Circular pore geometry is more effective for enhancing CTC capture and purity in MCCP systems.
• The findings provide a basis for designing more efficient MCCP systems for clinical applications.
• Optimized MCCP technology can improve the detection and analysis of circulating tumor cells.