Label-free enrichment of human adipose-derived stem cells using a continuous microfluidic sorting cascade

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Biotechnology
• Stem Cell Biology

Background:

• Human adipose tissue is a primary source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
• Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are typically isolated via tissue digestion, yielding a mixed cell population.
• Current methods for ADSC purification can be inefficient, impacting the quality of the final stem cell product.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable, high-throughput, and label-free microfluidic system for enriching ADSCs.
• To improve the quality and expansion capacity of purified ADSCs for clinical applications.
• To facilitate the generation of transplantation-scale stem cell products.

Main Methods:

• Development of a continuous microfluidic sorter cascade.
• Integration of spiral-shaped inertial and deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) sorters.
• Separation of cells based on size differences in tissue-digested human adipose samples.

Main Results:

• Achieved >90% separation efficiency in cell count characterization.
• Demonstrated a 6-fold enhancement in expansion capacity of the enriched ADSC sub-population.
• Successfully enriched ADSCs from tissue-digested human adipose samples using a label-free approach.

Conclusions:

• The microfluidic sorter cascade effectively enriches ADSCs, improving stem cell product quality.
• This technology enhances ADSC expansion capacity, crucial for generating transplantation-scale cell numbers.
• The developed system holds significant potential for research and clinical applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.