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Time-dependent cell adhesion to lectin-coated surfaces as a predictor of flow-based separation efficiency.
1Department of Bioinformatics and Telemedicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|April 18, 2026
Summary
Single-cell force spectroscopy reveals how cell adhesion time predicts lectin-mediated cancer cell capture in microfluidics. Understanding this adhesion kinetics is key for developing effective cancer diagnostics and cell separation technologies.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Cell surface glycosylation changes in cancer, offering potential biomarkers.
- Lectins can distinguish cancer cells from normal cells via glycan binding.
- Predicting lectin-based cell capture under flow requires understanding adhesion dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if time-dependent cell adhesion measured by Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy (SCFS) can predict lectin-mediated cell capture efficiency in microfluidics.
- To establish a quantitative framework for optimizing glycan-mediated cell separation.
- To explore biophysics-informed approaches for cancer diagnostics and cell enrichment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy (SCFS) to measure adhesion forces at defined contact times (0.1-5s).
- Employed fluorescent microscopy for lectin binding assessment.
- Conducted parallel microfluidic assays to measure cell capture under varying flow rates.
- Mathematically estimated effective contact times based on microchannel geometry and flow velocity.
Main Results:
- Pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) showed specific adhesion to MAL lectins, while normal cells (hTERT-HPNE) interacted with PHA-E lectins.
- Adhesion strength and binding events increased with contact time, reaching a plateau around 1.5-3s.
- Cell capture efficiency in microfluidics correlated with SCFS-derived adhesion kinetics, requiring a critical contact time threshold.
- High flow rates (>1000 µL/h) reduced contact time below the threshold, preventing cell adhesion.
Conclusions:
- SCFS-derived adhesion kinetics accurately predict flow-based cell capture efficiency in lectin-coated microchannels.
- A quantitative framework was established for tuning flow conditions to enhance selectivity in glycan-mediated cell separation.
- This integrative approach supports the development of biophysics-informed diagnostics and label-free microfluidic enrichment of cancer cells.
