Stiffness based enrichment of leukemia cells using microfluidics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Improving cancer patient survival necessitates advanced diagnostic strategies for early detection of cancer cells.
• Detecting low levels of cancer cells, especially residual disease post-treatment, requires highly sensitive methods or cell enrichment techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a label-free microfluidic device for enriching leukemia cells from healthy cells.
• To leverage inherent differences in cell biophysical properties for efficient cell sorting.

Main Methods:

• A microfluidic device with diagonal ridges was designed to separate cells based on stiffness.
• The device utilizes differential cell compression and translation to isolate leukemia cells from white blood cells.
• Flow cytometry was used in conjunction with the microfluidic device for enhanced detection of low cancer cell concentrations.

Main Results:

• The microfluidic device achieved an enrichment factor exceeding 760 for Jurkat leukemia cells from white blood cells.
• The device demonstrated adjustable sensitivity and specificity by selecting different outlets for analysis.
• Pre-enrichment using the microfluidic device significantly accelerated the detection of low leukemia cell levels via flow cytometry.

Conclusions:

• Microfluidic biomechanical sorting offers a promising tool for enriching leukemia cells, thereby improving downstream diagnostic analyses.
• This technology has the potential to enhance the early detection and monitoring of leukemia.
• The ability to sort cells based on stiffness opens avenues for improved cancer diagnostics and therapeutic strategies.