Novel microchip system is developed for immunomagnetic cancer cell
High-throughput microchip is able to detect cancer cells at 90% yield.
Researchers from Purdue University (IN, USA) are developing a microchip system capable of the high-throughput detection of rare types of cancer cells circulating in a patient’s bloodstream.
Based on a combination of immunomagnetic separation and microfluidics, the system employs magnetic beads functionalized with antigens or antibodies that recognize and bind to either breast or lung cancer cells in the sample. The bound target cells flow parallel to a microchip at rates of ml/min and are drawn by a magnetic field towards a silcon mesh containing a series of apertures. The mesh allows the passage of unbound beads, thereby trapping the target cells that may then be analyzed.
Using this system, “the cells can be readily retrieved for further usage and the chip can be re-used for subsequent experiments,” explained Cagri Savran, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University, and a researcher on the project.
In a recent paper, Savran and co-workers described the characterization of the system with the detection of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and lung cancer cells (A549) in culture media using anti-EpCAM conjugated magnetic beads. Validation of the system indicated that it is capable of high-throughput detection of cells with concentrations as low as 0.8 cells/ml in large sample volumes (12 ml).
The team at Purdue University are currently collaborating with oncologists at the Indiana University School of Medicine (IN, USA) to further develop the technology. Savran commented: “We expect this system to be useful in a wide variety of settings, including detection of rare cells for clinical applications.”
Sources: Cell-detection system promising for medical research, diagnostics; Chang CL, Savran CA, Jalal S, Matei DE. Micro-aperture chip system for high-throughput immunomagnetic cell detection. IEEE Sensors J. doi: 10.1109/ICSENS.2012.6411336. 1–4 (2012).
