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Updated: Oct 19, 2025
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Clinical Microfluidic Chip Platform for the Isolation of Versatile Circulating Tumor Cells
Published on: October 13, 2023
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AFM-compatible microfluidic platform for affinity-based capture and nanomechanical characterization of circulating
Muhammedin Deliorman1, Farhad K Janahi2, Pavithra Sukumar1
1Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Microsystems & Nanoengineering
|September 27, 2021
Summary
Metastatic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are softer and more deformable than localized CTCs. This finding, using a novel microfluidic-atomic force microscopy platform, aids in cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
Background:
- Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are key drivers of cancer metastasis.
- Understanding CTC nanomechanics is crucial for tracking cancer progression.
- Prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis can be improved by CTC analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a platform for isolating and nanomechanically characterizing CTCs from prostate cancer patients.
- To investigate the differences in nanomechanical properties between localized and metastatic CTCs.
- To assess the utility of the developed platform for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
Main Methods:
- A combined microfluidic-atomic force microscopy (AFM) platform was developed.
- Antibody-antigen capture (anti-EpCAM, anti-PSA, anti-PSMA) was used for CTC isolation.
- AFM was employed to measure elasticity and adhesion of captured CTCs.
Main Results:
- The platform efficiently captured CTCs from localized and metastatic prostate cancer patients.
- Metastatic CTCs exhibited decreased elasticity and increased deformability compared to localized CTCs.
- Adhesion force was similar, but metastatic CTCs showed fewer multiple adhesion events.
Conclusions:
- The developed platform is robust for isolating and nanomechanically characterizing CTCs.
- Nanomechanical properties of CTCs correlate with cancer stage (localized vs. metastatic).
- This approach holds potential for improving prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
