Rapid switching and durable on-chip spark-cavitation-bubble cell sorter

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Microfluidics
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Conventional fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) is crucial for cell research but has limitations including large instrument size, aerosol generation, and cross-contamination.
• Existing microfluidic cell sorters often involve complex fabrication and off-chip setups, hindering their widespread adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, simple, and easy-to-operate microfluidic cell sorter utilizing spark-cavitation bubbles.
• To achieve fast and accurate cell sorting within a fully enclosed microfluidic chip, addressing limitations of conventional FACS.

Main Methods:

• A microfluidic chip integrated with platinum and tungsten electrodes was used to generate spark cavitation bubbles via high-voltage discharge.
• A novel control strategy was implemented for dynamic adjustment of discharge time to stabilize bubble size for continuous sorting.
• Theoretical modeling and experimental validation were performed to optimize sorting parameters and evaluate performance.

Main Results:

• The developed sorter demonstrated a short switching time of 150 μs and a long lifespan exceeding 100 million actions.
• Achieved a sorting rate of 1200 events per second (eps) and a total analysis throughput of up to 10,000 eps.
• Sorting at 4000 eps yielded high purity (>80%) and recovery rates (>90%), with negligible impact on HeLa cell viability.

Conclusions:

• The spark-cavitation-bubble-based microfluidic cell sorter offers a promising, efficient, and enclosed alternative to traditional cell sorting methods.
• The simple design and effective sorting performance make this technology suitable for various cell research applications.
• The dynamic control strategy enhances sorting stability and reliability, paving the way for improved cell analysis.