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Updated: Jun 14, 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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Label-Free Microfluidic Apheresis of Circulating Tumor Cell Clusters
Li Zhan1,2, Jon Edd1,3, Avanish Mishra1,2,3
1Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02129, USA.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|August 29, 2024
Summary
A new method, Precision Apheresis for Non-invasive Debulking of cell Aggregates (PANDA), efficiently isolates rare circulating tumor cell clusters (CTCCs) from large blood volumes. This breakthrough advances cancer research and early detection by improving CTCC recovery.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Oncology
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Circulating tumor cell clusters (CTCCs) are crucial for metastasis but are extremely rare in blood.
- Existing CTCC isolation technologies lack the high throughput, yield, and low-stress conditions needed for apheresis-scale screening.
- Apheresis, screening large blood volumes, is vital for accessing these rare CTCCs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel label-free method for high-throughput isolation of CTCCs from undiluted blood.
- To develop a technology capable of meeting apheresis requirements for CTCC recovery.
- To enable routine isolation of ultrarare CTCCs for improved cancer diagnostics and research.
Main Methods:
- Development of Precision Apheresis for Non-invasive Debulking of cell Aggregates (PANDA), a chip-based size-sorting technology.
- Optimization of cell focusing in whole blood using secondary transverse flow and margination.
- Continuous processing of blood from undiluted samples to clean buffer.
Main Results:
- PANDA achieved a throughput of 1.4 billion cells per second, processing 1 L/h.
- Recovery of >90% of spiked HeLa cell clusters from 100 mL of undiluted blood samples.
- Demonstrated low shear stress (≤15 Pa), short device residence time (≤20 s), and >99.9% return of blood components.
Conclusions:
- PANDA technology enables efficient, label-free isolation of CTCCs from large blood volumes without dilution.
- The method meets critical apheresis requirements, paving the way for routine clinical application.
- This advancement supports increased recovery of clinically significant tumor cell populations for cancer research, early detection, and treatment strategies.
