Focused traveling surface acoustic wave-based acoustofluidic chip for label-free cell sorting.
Jingxiang Deng1,2, Yang Yang3, Zixin Wang4
1Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China. zhaoyang@ime.ac.cn.
The Analyst
|March 24, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel acoustofluidic chip using focused traveling surface acoustic waves (FTSAW) for label-free sorting of white blood cells. The FTSAW chip achieves high purity and viability, advancing cell sorting technology.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Acoustofluidics
- Cell Sorting Technology
Background:
- Effective label-free sorting of red and white blood cells is vital for single-cell analysis and immune cell engineering.
- Current methods relying on single physical properties face significant challenges in achieving efficient cell separation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel cell sorting method using a focused traveling surface acoustic wave (FTSAW)-based acoustofluidic chip.
- To leverage FTSAW acoustofluidics for comprehensive response to multiple cell physical characteristics, enabling precise sorting.
Main Methods:
- Design and fabrication of an FTSAW acoustofluidic chip with focused interdigital transducers (FIDTs) on lithium niobate.
- Utilized a microchannel structure with single-side sheath flow focusing and bifurcated sorting.
- Conducted parameter optimization experiments using polystyrene beads and blood cell samples.
Main Results:
- Achieved high-purity (∼90%) white blood cell sorting.
- Maintained high biological viability (∼98%) of sorted cells.
- Demonstrated the chip's ability to respond to multiple physical characteristics like size, density, morphology, and deformability.
Conclusions:
- The FTSAW-based acoustofluidic chip shows significant potential for effective and label-free cell sorting.
- Its advantages, including non-contact operation and compatibility with cell culture media, position it as a key pre-processing technology for microfluidic systems.
