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Ultrahigh-Throughput, Real-Time Flow Cytometry for Rare Cell Quantification from Whole Blood
Mahmut Kamil Aslan1, Yingchao Meng1, Yanan Zhang2,3
1Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1, Zürich 8093, Switzerland.
ACS Sensors
|January 3, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a novel ultrahigh-throughput fluorescence cytometer for real-time cell analysis. The system achieves rapid detection of rare events, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), with high sensitivity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Traditional flow cytometry faces limitations in throughput and rare event detection.
- Accurate quantification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is crucial for cancer diagnostics and monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an ultrahigh-throughput, real-time fluorescence cytometer.
- To demonstrate its capability for sensitive rare event detection, specifically CTCs in peripheral blood.
Main Methods:
- Integration of a viscoelastic microfluidic system with a CMOS linear image sensor.
- Development of a custom C++ control program and GUI for real-time data processing.
- Application of the system for quantifying patient-derived CTCs in peripheral blood.
Main Results:
- Achieved analytical throughputs exceeding 400,000 species per second.
- Demonstrated high sensitivity for rare event detection (6 CTCs per million blood cells).
- Realized a volumetric throughput of over 3 mL/min for CTC analysis.
Conclusions:
- The developed fluorescence cytometer offers unprecedented throughput and sensitivity for cell analysis.
- This platform shows significant potential as a clinical tool for early cancer detection and patient monitoring.
- The system enables real-time quantification of rare cells, advancing diagnostic capabilities.
