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A Microfluidic Chip for the Versatile Chemical Analysis of Single Cells
Published on: October 15, 2013
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Target sequence of single cells captured by a polymeric microfluidic device.
Rintaro Oyama1, Masataka Mori2, Hiroki Matsumiya2
1School of Medicine, Second Department of Surgery, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1, Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-Ku Kitakyushu-Shi, Fukuoka, 807-8555, Japan. rintarooyama@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp.
Scientific Reports
|August 12, 2025
Summary
Detecting rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood is challenging. This study developed a microfluidic device method for DNA extraction and targeted sequencing from single CTCs, enabling accurate genetic mutation analysis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
- Genomics
Background:
- Detecting rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the bloodstream is crucial for cancer diagnosis and monitoring.
- Previous work established a polymeric microfluidic device with high capture efficiency for lung cancer cell lines using epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibodies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for DNA extraction from single CTCs captured in a microfluidic device.
- To perform targeted sequencing of extracted DNA using the Cancer Hotspot Panel v2.
- To optimize cell fixation for enhanced sequencing efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a polymeric microfluidic device with EpCAM antibodies for CTC capture.
- Developed a DNA extraction protocol for single captured cells.
- Employed targeted sequencing with the Cancer Hotspot Panel v2.
- Optimized cell fixation using preserver fluid and 100% ethanol.
Main Results:
- Direct sequencing of fixed single CTCs yielded high coverage uniformity, outperforming whole-genome sequencing.
- The method demonstrated high clinical applicability in blood samples from lung cancer patients.
- Achieved high sensitivity (99.4%), specificity (99.5%), and AUC (1) for mutation detection.
Conclusions:
- Single CTCs captured via microfluidic devices are sufficient for accurate genetic mutation analysis.
- The developed method offers a sensitive and specific approach for CTC-based genomic profiling.
- This technique holds promise for advancing liquid biopsy applications in oncology.
