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Oshabaheebwa S, Delianides CA, Patwardhan AA, Evans EN, Sekyonda Z, Bode A, Apio FM, Mutuluuza CK, Sheehan VA, Suster MA, Gurkan UA, Mohseni P. A miniaturized wash-free microfluidic assay for electrical impedance-based assessment of red blood cell-mediated microvascular occlusion. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 258:116352. [PMID: 38718635 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
The production of HbS - an abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) - in sickle cell disease (SCD) results in poorly deformable red blood cells (RBCs) that are prone to microcapillary occlusion, causing tissue ischemia and organ damage. Novel treatments, including gene therapy, may reduce SCD morbidity, but methods to functionally evaluate RBCs remain limited. Previously, we presented the microfluidic impedance red cell assay (MIRCA) for rapid assessment of RBC deformability, employing electrical impedance-based readout to measure RBC occlusion of progressively narrowing micropillar openings. We describe herein the design, development, validation, and clinical utility of the next-generation MIRCA assay, featuring enhanced portability, rapidity, and usability. It incorporates a miniaturized impedance analyzer and features a simplified wash-free operation that yields an occlusion index (OI) within 15 min as a new metric for RBC occlusion. We show a correlation between OI and percent fetal hemoglobin (%HbF), other laboratory biomarkers of RBC hemolysis, and SCD severity. To demonstrate the assay's versatility, we tested RBC samples from treatment-naïve SCD patients in Uganda that yielded OI levels similar to those from hydroxyurea (HU)-treated patients in the U.S., highlighting the role of %HbF in protecting against microcapillary occlusion independent of other pharmacological effects. The MIRCA assay could also identify a subset of HU-treated patients with high occlusion risks, suggesting that they may require treatment adjustments including a second-line therapy to improve their outcomes. This work demonstrates the potential of the MIRCA assay for accelerated evaluation of RBC health, function, and therapeutic effect in an ex vivo model of the microcapillary networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon Oshabaheebwa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Christopher A Delianides
- Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Akshay A Patwardhan
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Erica N Evans
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Zoe Sekyonda
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Allison Bode
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | | | | | - Vivien A Sheehan
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Michael A Suster
- Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Umut A Gurkan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
| | - Pedram Mohseni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA; Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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2
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Li SS, Xue CD, Li YJ, Chen XM, Zhao Y, Qin KR. Microfluidic characterization of single-cell biophysical properties and the applications in cancer diagnosis. Electrophoresis 2024; 45:1212-1232. [PMID: 37909658 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202300177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell biophysical properties play a crucial role in regulating cellular physiological states and functions, demonstrating significant potential in the fields of life sciences and clinical diagnostics. Therefore, over the last few decades, researchers have developed various detection tools to explore the relationship between the biophysical changes of biological cells and human diseases. With the rapid advancement of modern microfabrication technology, microfluidic devices have quickly emerged as a promising platform for single-cell analysis offering advantages including high-throughput, exceptional precision, and ease of manipulation. Consequently, this paper provides an overview of the recent advances in microfluidic analysis and detection systems for single-cell biophysical properties and their applications in the field of cancer. The working principles and latest research progress of single-cell biophysical property detection are first analyzed, highlighting the significance of electrical and mechanical properties. The development of data acquisition and processing methods for real-time, high-throughput, and practical applications are then discussed. Furthermore, the differences in biophysical properties between tumor and normal cells are outlined, illustrating the potential for utilizing single-cell biophysical properties for tumor cell identification, classification, and drug response assessment. Lastly, we summarize the limitations of existing microfluidic analysis and detection systems in single-cell biophysical properties, while also pointing out the prospects and future directions of their applications in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Shan Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Chun-Dong Xue
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Yong-Jiang Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Ming Chen
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Stomach Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Kai-Rong Qin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
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Urbanska M, Guck J. Single-Cell Mechanics: Structural Determinants and Functional Relevance. Annu Rev Biophys 2024; 53:367-395. [PMID: 38382116 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-030822-030629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The mechanical phenotype of a cell determines its ability to deform under force and is therefore relevant to cellular functions that require changes in cell shape, such as migration or circulation through the microvasculature. On the practical level, the mechanical phenotype can be used as a global readout of the cell's functional state, a marker for disease diagnostics, or an input for tissue modeling. We focus our review on the current knowledge of structural components that contribute to the determination of the cellular mechanical properties and highlight the physiological processes in which the mechanical phenotype of the cells is of critical relevance. The ongoing efforts to understand how to efficiently measure and control the mechanical properties of cells will define the progress in the field and drive mechanical phenotyping toward clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Urbanska
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany; ,
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany; ,
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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4
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Pouraria H, Houston JP. Elasticity of Carrier Fluid: A Key Factor Affecting Mechanical Phenotyping in Deformability Cytometry. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:822. [PMID: 39064333 PMCID: PMC11278870 DOI: 10.3390/mi15070822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Recently, microfluidics deformability cytometry has emerged as a powerful tool for high-throughput mechanical phenotyping of large populations of cells. These methods characterize cells by their mechanical fingerprints by exerting hydrodynamic forces and monitoring the resulting deformation. These devices have shown great promise for label-free cytometry, yet there is a critical need to improve their accuracy and reconcile any discrepancies with other methods, such as atomic force microscopy. In this study, we employ computational fluid dynamics simulations and uncover how the elasticity of frequently used carrier fluids, such as methylcellulose dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline, is significantly influential to the resulting cellular deformation. We conducted CFD simulations conventionally used within the deformability cytometry field, which neglect fluid elasticity. Subsequently, we incorporated a more comprehensive model that simulates the viscoelastic nature of the carrier fluid. A comparison of the predicted stresses between these two approaches underscores the significance of the emerging elastic stresses in addition to the well-recognized viscous stresses along the channel. Furthermore, we utilize a two-phase flow model to predict the deformation of a promyelocyte (i.e., HL-60 cell type) within a hydrodynamic constriction channel. The obtained results highlight a substantial impact of the elasticity of carrier fluid on cellular deformation and raise questions about the accuracy of mechanical property estimates derived by neglecting elastic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica P. Houston
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;
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Chapman M, Rajagopal V, Stewart A, Collins DJ. Critical review of single-cell mechanotyping approaches for biomedical applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3036-3063. [PMID: 38804123 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00978e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Accurate mechanical measurements of cells has the potential to improve diagnostics, therapeutics and advance understanding of disease mechanisms, where high-resolution mechanical information can be measured by deforming individual cells. Here we evaluate recently developed techniques for measuring cell-scale stiffness properties; while many such techniques have been developed, much of the work examining single-cell stiffness is impacted by difficulties in standardization and comparability, giving rise to large variations in reported mechanical moduli. We highlight the role of underlying mechanical theories driving this variability, and note opportunities to develop novel mechanotyping devices and theoretical models that facilitate convenient and accurate mechanical characterisation. Moreover, many high-throughput approaches are confounded by factors including cell size, surface friction, natural population heterogeneity and convolution of elastic and viscous contributions to cell deformability. We nevertheless identify key approaches based on deformability cytometry as a promising direction for further development, where both high-throughput and accurate single-cell resolutions can be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Chapman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Vijay Rajagopal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Alastair Stewart
- ARC Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - David J Collins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Graeme Clarke Institute University of Melbourne Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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Kondapaneni RV, Gurung SK, Nakod PS, Goodarzi K, Yakati V, Lenart NA, Rao SS. Glioblastoma mechanobiology at multiple length scales. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2024; 160:213860. [PMID: 38640876 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2024.213860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a primary brain cancer, is one of the most aggressive forms of human cancer, with a very low patient survival rate. A characteristic feature of GBM is the diffuse infiltration of tumor cells into the surrounding brain extracellular matrix (ECM) that provide biophysical, topographical, and biochemical cues. In particular, ECM stiffness and composition is known to play a key role in controlling various GBM cell behaviors including proliferation, migration, invasion, as well as the stem-like state and response to chemotherapies. In this review, we discuss the mechanical characteristics of the GBM microenvironment at multiple length scales, and how biomaterial scaffolds such as polymeric hydrogels, and fibers, as well as microfluidic chip-based platforms have been employed as tissue mimetic models to study GBM mechanobiology. We also highlight how such tissue mimetic models can impact the field of GBM mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghu Vamsi Kondapaneni
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Sumiran Kumar Gurung
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Pinaki S Nakod
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Kasra Goodarzi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Venu Yakati
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Nicholas A Lenart
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Shreyas S Rao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
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7
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Heng Y, Zheng X, Xu Y, Yan J, Li Y, Sun L, Yang H. Microfluidic device featuring micro-constrained channels for multi-parametric assessment of cellular biomechanics and high-precision mechanical phenotyping of gastric cells. Anal Chim Acta 2024; 1301:342472. [PMID: 38553127 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2024.342472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cellular biomechanics plays a significant role in the regulation of cellular physiological and pathological processes. In recent years, multiple methods have been developed to evaluate cellular biomechanics, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), micropipette aspiration, and magnetic tweezers. However, most of these methods only focus on a single parameter and cannot automate the process at a high-efficiency level. A novel microfluidic method is necessary to achieve the simultaneous multi-parametric measurement of cellular biomechanics and high-precision cellular mechanical phenotyping at high throughput. RESULTS To tackle the issue concerning the low-throughput and cellular single-parameter evaluation, we designed and fabricated a microfluidic chip featuring multiple micro-constrained channels structure, providing a simultaneous multi-parametric assessment of cellular biomechanics, including elastic modulus, recovery capability, and deformability. We compared the biomechanical properties of normal human gastric mucosal epithelial cells (GES-1) and human gastric cancer cells (AGS and MKN-45) by the chip. Results demonstrated that the elastic modulus of GES-1, AGS, and MKN-45 cells decreased sequentially, which was the opposite of their invasiveness and metastasis potential, suggesting the inverse correlation between cellular elastic modulus and malignancy. Meanwhile, the recovery capability and deformability of GES-1, AGS, and MKN-45 cells increased sequentially, demonstrating the positive correlation between cellular deformability and malignancy. Furthermore, multiple parameters were used to distinguish gastric cancer cells from normal gastric cells via machine learning. An accuracy of over 94.8% for identifying gastric cancer cells was achieved. SIGNIFICANCE This study provides a deep insight into the biophysical mechanism of gastric cancer metastasis at the single-cell level and possesses great potential to function as a valuable tool for single-cell analysis, thereby facilitating high-precision and high-throughput discrimination of cellular phenotypes that are not easily discernible through single-marker analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Heng
- Robotics and Microsystems Center, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Xinyu Zheng
- Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China; Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215025, China
| | - Youyuan Xu
- Robotics and Microsystems Center, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Jiaqi Yan
- Robotics and Microsystems Center, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Lining Sun
- Robotics and Microsystems Center, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Robotics and Microsystems Center, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China.
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8
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Chen Y, Jiang L, Zhang X, Ni Z, Xiang N. Viscoelastic-Sorting Integrated Deformability Cytometer for High-Throughput Sorting and High-Precision Mechanical Phenotyping of Tumor Cells. Anal Chem 2023; 95:18180-18187. [PMID: 38018866 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The counts and phenotypes of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in whole blood are useful for disease monitoring and prognostic assessment of cancer. However, phenotyping CTCs in the blood is difficult due to the presence of a large number of background blood cells, especially some blood cells with features similar to those of tumor cells. Herein, we presented a viscoelastic-sorting integrated deformability cytometer (VSDC) for high-throughput label-free sorting and high-precision mechanical phenotyping of tumor cells. A sorting chip for removing large background blood cells and a detection chip for detecting multiple cellular mechanical properties were integrated into our VSDC. Our VSDC has a sorting efficiency and a purity of over 95% and over 81% for tumor cells, respectively. Furthermore, multiple mechanical parameters were used to distinguish tumor cells from white blood cells using machine learning. An accuracy of over 97% for identifying tumor cells was successfully achieved with the highest identification accuracy of 99.4% for MCF-7 cells. It is envisioned that our VSDC will open up new avenues for high-throughput and label-free single-cell analysis in various biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Xiaozhe Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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Soteriou D, Kubánková M, Schweitzer C, López-Posadas R, Pradhan R, Thoma OM, Györfi AH, Matei AE, Waldner M, Distler JHW, Scheuermann S, Langejürgen J, Eckstein M, Schneider-Stock R, Atreya R, Neurath MF, Hartmann A, Guck J. Rapid single-cell physical phenotyping of mechanically dissociated tissue biopsies. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:1392-1403. [PMID: 37024677 PMCID: PMC10651479 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01015-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
During surgery, rapid and accurate histopathological diagnosis is essential for clinical decision making. Yet the prevalent method of intra-operative consultation pathology is intensive in time, labour and costs, and requires the expertise of trained pathologists. Here we show that biopsy samples can be analysed within 30 min by sequentially assessing the physical phenotypes of singularized suspended cells dissociated from the tissues. The diagnostic method combines the enzyme-free mechanical dissociation of tissues, real-time deformability cytometry at rates of 100-1,000 cells s-1 and data analysis by unsupervised dimensionality reduction and logistic regression. Physical phenotype parameters extracted from brightfield images of single cells distinguished cell subpopulations in various tissues, enhancing or even substituting measurements of molecular markers. We used the method to quantify the degree of colon inflammation and to accurately discriminate healthy and tumorous tissue in biopsy samples of mouse and human colons. This fast and label-free approach may aid the intra-operative detection of pathological changes in solid biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Despina Soteriou
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markéta Kubánková
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christine Schweitzer
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rocío López-Posadas
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rashmita Pradhan
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Oana-Maria Thoma
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andrea-Hermina Györfi
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alexandru-Emil Matei
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Waldner
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg H W Distler
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | - Markus Eckstein
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Regine Schneider-Stock
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Raja Atreya
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus F Neurath
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arndt Hartmann
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany.
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Sun J, Huang X, Chen J, Xiang R, Ke X, Lin S, Xuan W, Liu S, Cao Z, Sun L. Recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies. Analyst 2023; 148:4922-4938. [PMID: 37743834 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01150j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Cell sorting is an essential prerequisite for cell research and has great value in life science and clinical studies. Among the many microfluidic cell sorting technologies, label-free methods based on the size of different cell types have been widely studied. However, the heterogeneity in size for cells of the same type and the inevitable size overlap between different types of cells would result in performance degradation in size-based sorting. To tackle such challenges, deformation-assisted technologies are receiving more attention recently. Cell deformability is an inherent biophysical marker of cells that reflects the changes in their internal structures and physiological states. It provides additional dimensional information for cell sorting besides size. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies. According to how the deformability is characterized and the form in which the force acts, the technologies can be divided into two categories: (1) the indirect category including transit-time-based and image-based methods, and (2) the direct category including microstructure-based and hydrodynamics-based methods. Finally, the separation performance and the application scenarios of each method, the existing challenges and future outlook are discussed. Deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies are expected to realize greater potential in the label-free analysis of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Xiwei Huang
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Jin Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Rikui Xiang
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Xiang Ke
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Siru Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Weipeng Xuan
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Shan Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, China
| | - Zhen Cao
- College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Lingling Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
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11
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Shalchi-Amirkhiz P, Bensch T, Proschmann U, Stock AK, Ziemssen T, Akgün K. Pilot study on the influence of acute alcohol exposure on biophysical parameters of leukocytes. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1243155. [PMID: 37614440 PMCID: PMC10442941 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1243155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: This pilot study explores the influence of acute alcohol exposure on cell mechanical properties of steady-state and activated leukocytes conducted with real-time deformability cytometry. Methods: Nineteen healthy male volunteers were enrolled to investigate the effect of binge drinking on biophysical properties and cell counts of peripheral blood leukocytes. Each participant consumed an individualized amount of alcohol to achieve a blood alcohol concentration of 1.2 ‰ as a mean peak. In addition, we also incubated whole blood samples from healthy donors with various ethanol concentrations and performed stimulation experiments using lipopolysaccharide and CytoStim™ in the presence of ethanol. Results: Our findings indicate that the biophysical properties of steady-state leukocytes are not significantly affected by a single episode of binge drinking within the first two hours. However, we observed significant alterations in relative cell counts and a shift toward a memory T cell phenotype. Moreover, exposure to ethanol during stimulation appears to inhibit the cytoskeleton reorganization of monocytes, as evidenced by a hindered increase in cell deformability. Conclusion: Our observations indicate the promising potential of cell mechanical analysis in understanding the influence of ethanol on immune cell functions. Nevertheless, additional investigations in this field are warranted to validate biophysical properties as biomarkers or prognostic indicators for alcohol-related changes in the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puya Shalchi-Amirkhiz
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tristan Bensch
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Undine Proschmann
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine of the TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, School of Science, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katja Akgün
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
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12
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Ren J, Fan L. A reliable elasticity sensing method for analysis of cell entosis using microfluidic cytometer. Biomed Eng Lett 2023; 13:175-183. [PMID: 37124106 PMCID: PMC10130291 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-023-00264-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell entosis is a novel cell death process starting from cell-in-cell invasion. In general, cancer cells own higher incidence rate of cell entosis comparing to non-cancerous cells. Studies arguing whether cell entosis is a tumor suppressing process or a tumor accelerating process can deepen our understanding of tumor development. Cell elasticity is recognized as one of tumor malignant biomarkers. There have been some researchers studying cell elasticity in cell entosis. However, existing cell elasticity sensing technique (i.e. micropipette aspiration) can hardly be reliable neither high-throughput. In this work, we introduce an elasticity sensing method for quantifying both cell elasticity in cell-in-cell structures and single floating cells using a microfluidic cytometer. We not only argue our cell elasticity sensing method is reliable for already occurred entosis but also apply such method on predicting the "outer" cells in entosis of different cell types. The elasticity sensing method proposed in this manuscript is able to provide an effective and reliable way to further study deeper mechanism in cell entosis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13534-023-00264-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifeng Ren
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Fundamental Research on Biomechanics in Clinical Application, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069 China
| | - Lei Fan
- Centre for Robotics and Automation, Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518057 China
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13
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Jeong MH, Im H, Dahl JB. Non-contact microfluidic analysis of the stiffness of single large extracellular vesicles from IDH1-mutated glioblastoma cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES 2023; 8:2201412. [PMID: 37649709 PMCID: PMC10465107 DOI: 10.1002/admt.202201412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
In preparation for leveraging extracellular vesicles (EVs) for disease diagnostics and therapeutics, fundamental research is being done to understand EV biological, chemical, and physical properties. Most published studies have investigated nanoscale EVs and focused on EV biochemical content. There is much less understanding of large microscale EV characteristics and EV mechanical properties. We recently introduced a non-contact microfluidic technique that measures the stiffness of large EVs (>1 μm diameter). This pilot study probes the robustness of the microfluidic technique to distinguish between EV populations by comparing stiffness distributions of large EVs derived from glioblastoma cell lines. EVs derived from cells expressing the IDH1 mutation, a common glioblastoma mutation known to disrupt lipid metabolism, were stiffer than those expressed from wild-type cells in a statistical comparison of sample medians. A supporting lipidomics analysis showed that the IDH1 mutation increased the amount of saturated lipids in EVs. Taken together, these data encourage further investigation into the potential of high-throughput microfluidics to distinguish between large EV populations that differ in biomolecular composition. These findings contribute to the understanding of EV biomechanics, in particular for the less studied microscale EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Ho Jeong
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Hyungsoon Im
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Joanna B Dahl
- Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02025, USA
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14
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Salipante PF. Microfluidic techniques for mechanical measurements of biological samples. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:011303. [PMID: 38505816 PMCID: PMC10903441 DOI: 10.1063/5.0130762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The use of microfluidics to make mechanical property measurements is increasingly common. Fabrication of microfluidic devices has enabled various types of flow control and sensor integration at micrometer length scales to interrogate biological materials. For rheological measurements of biofluids, the small length scales are well suited to reach high rates, and measurements can be made on droplet-sized samples. The control of flow fields, constrictions, and external fields can be used in microfluidics to make mechanical measurements of individual bioparticle properties, often at high sampling rates for high-throughput measurements. Microfluidics also enables the measurement of bio-surfaces, such as the elasticity and permeability properties of layers of cells cultured in microfluidic devices. Recent progress on these topics is reviewed, and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F. Salipante
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Polymers and Complex Fluids Group, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
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15
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Taraconat P, Gineys JP, Isebe D, Nicoud F, Mendez S. Red blood cell rheology during a complete blood count: A proof of concept. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280952. [PMID: 36706122 PMCID: PMC9882912 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Counting and sizing blood cells in hematological analyzers is achieved using the Coulter principle. The cells flow in a micro-aperture in which a strong electrical field is imposed, so that an electrical perturbation, called pulse, is measured each time a cell crosses the orifice. The pulses are expected to contain information on the shape and deformability of Red Blood Cells (RBCs), since recent studies state that RBCs rotate and deform in the micro-orifice. By implementing a dedicated numerical model, the present study sheds light on a variety of cells dynamics, which leads to different associated pulse signatures. Furthermore, simulations provide new insights on how RBCs shapes and mechanical properties affect the measured signals. Those numerical observations are confirmed by experimental assays. Finally, specific features are introduced for assessing the most relevant characteristics from the various pulse signatures and shown to highlight RBCs alterations induced by drugs. In summary, this study paves the way to a characterization of RBC rheology by routine hematological instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Taraconat
- Horiba Medical, Montpellier, France
- Institut Montpellierain Alexander Grothendieck, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail: (PT); (SM)
| | | | | | - Franck Nicoud
- Institut Montpellierain Alexander Grothendieck, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Simon Mendez
- Institut Montpellierain Alexander Grothendieck, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- * E-mail: (PT); (SM)
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16
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Paul R, Zhang KS, Kurosu Jalil M, Castaño N, Kim S, Tang SKY. Hydrodynamic dissection of Stentor coeruleus in a microfluidic cross junction. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:3508-3520. [PMID: 35971861 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00527a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Stentor coeruleus, a single-cell ciliated protozoan, is a model organism for wound healing and regeneration studies. Despite Stentor's large size (up to 2 mm in extended state), microdissection of Stentor remains challenging. In this work, we describe a hydrodynamic cell splitter, consisting of a microfluidic cross junction, capable of splitting Stentor cells in a non-contact manner at a high throughput of ∼500 cells per minute under continuous operation. Introduction of asymmetry in the flow field at the cross junction leads to asymmetric splitting of the cells to generate cell fragments as small as ∼8.5 times the original cell size. Characterization of cell fragment viability shows reduced 5-day survival as fragment size decreases and as the extent of hydrodynamic stress imposed on the fragments increases. Our results suggest that cell fragment size and composition, as well as mechanical stress, play important roles in the long-term repair of Stentor cells and warrant further investigations. Nevertheless, the hydrodynamic splitter can be useful for studying phenomena immediately after cell splitting, such as the closure of wounds in the plasma membrane which occurs on the order of 100-1000 seconds in Stentor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajorshi Paul
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Kevin S Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Myra Kurosu Jalil
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Nicolas Castaño
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Sungu Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Sindy K Y Tang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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17
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Chen Y, Guo K, Jiang L, Zhu S, Ni Z, Xiang N. Microfluidic deformability cytometry: A review. Talanta 2022; 251:123815. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.123815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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18
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19
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Behera N, Chakraborty S. Electrically modulated relaxation dynamics of pre-stretched droplets post switched-off uniaxial extensional flow. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:3678-3697. [PMID: 35502790 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01813b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Droplets are known to elongate in extensional flow and exhibit capillary instabilities following flow cessation. Under several practical scenarios, where the deformed drops are exposed to electrified environments, the interplay between capillary and electric forces can further modulate the capillary-driven instability that may lead to novel drop evolution, which has not yet been explored. In the present study, we probe the transient droplet deformation under combined electrohydrodynamic and extensional flows, with a particular focus on the relaxation dynamics in a post-elongation phase, as the external flow field is withdrawn while the electric field remains on. Based on pre-relaxed droplet morphology and electric field strength, the drops appear to relax faster or slower, leading to a steady-state or a plethora of breakup events. The slightly deformed drops relax into stable prolate or oblate shape depending on the electrophysical properties of the fluid pairs. On the other hand, under large deformation limit, our results reveal that in the post-elongation phase, the electric field may either stabilize the droplet or may enforce its breakup primarily via two modes: mid-pinching and end-pinching. We have shown that the post-relaxation events can be mapped into the relevant parametric phase space as a function of the relative strengths of the various forcing parameters as well as geometric parameters. These results present new avenues of droplet manipulation in industrial and microfluidic applications by utilizing unique connectivity between the relaxation kinematics and imposed electrical forcing, a paradigm that has hitherto remained unaddressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalinikanta Behera
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal-721302, India.
| | - Suman Chakraborty
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal-721302, India.
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20
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Matthews K, Lamoureux ES, Myrand-Lapierre ME, Duffy SP, Ma H. Technologies for measuring red blood cell deformability. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1254-1274. [PMID: 35266475 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01058a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Human red blood cells (RBCs) are approximately 8 μm in diameter, but must repeatedly deform through capillaries as small as 2 μm in order to deliver oxygen to all parts of the body. The loss of this capability is associated with the pathology of many diseases, and is therefore a potential biomarker for disease status and treatment efficacy. Measuring RBC deformability is a difficult problem because of the minute forces (∼pN) that must be exerted on these cells, as well as the requirements for throughput and multiplexing. The development of technologies for measuring RBC deformability date back to the 1960s with the development of micropipette aspiration, ektacytometry, and the cell transit analyzer. In the past 10 years, significant progress has been made using microfluidics by leveraging the ability to precisely control fluid flow through microstructures at the size scale of individual RBCs. These technologies have now surpassed traditional methods in terms of sensitivity, throughput, consistency, and ease of use. As a result, these efforts are beginning to move beyond feasibility studies and into applications to enable biomedical discoveries. In this review, we provide an overview of both traditional and microfluidic techniques for measuring RBC deformability. We discuss the capabilities of each technique and compare their sensitivity, throughput, and robustness in measuring bulk and single-cell RBC deformability. Finally, we discuss how these tools could be used to measure changes in RBC deformability in the context of various applications including pathologies caused by malaria and hemoglobinopathies, as well as degradation during storage in blood bags prior to blood transfusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerryn Matthews
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erik S Lamoureux
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marie-Eve Myrand-Lapierre
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Simon P Duffy
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hongshen Ma
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Urologic Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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21
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Onwudiwe K, Obayemi J, Hu J, Oparah J, Onyekanne C, Nwazojie C, Aina T, Uzonwanne V, Salifu A, Soboyejo W. Investigation of creep properties and the cytoskeletal structures of non-tumorigenic breast cells and triple-negative breast cancer cells. J Biomed Mater Res A 2021; 110:1004-1020. [PMID: 34967111 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.37348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This article presents the correlation of creep and viscoelastic properties to the cytoskeletal structure of both tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic cells. Unique shear assay and strain mapping techniques were used to study the creep and viscoelastic properties of single non-tumorigenic and tumorigenic cells. At least 20 individual cells, three locations per cell, were studied. From the results, lower densities in the volume of actin, and keratin 18 structures were observed with the progression of cancer and were correlated to the increased creep rates and reduced mechanical properties (Young's moduli and viscosities) of tumorigenic (MDA-MB-231) cells. The study reveals significant differences between the creep and viscoelastic properties of non-tumorigenic breast cells versus tumorigenic cells. The variations in the creep strain rates are shown to be well characterized by lognormal distributions, while the statistical variations in the viscoelastic properties are well-described by normal distributions. The implications of the results are discussed for the study of discrete cell behaviors, strain and viscoelastic responses of the cell, and the role of cell cytoskeleton in the onset and progression of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Killian Onwudiwe
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomaterials Lab, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - John Obayemi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Gateway Park Life Sciences Center, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jingjie Hu
- Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.,Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Josephine Oparah
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomaterials Lab, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Chinyerem Onyekanne
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomaterials Lab, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Chukwudalu Nwazojie
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomaterials Lab, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Toyin Aina
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomaterials Lab, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Vanessa Uzonwanne
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ali Salifu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Gateway Park Life Sciences Center, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Winston Soboyejo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomaterials Lab, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Gateway Park Life Sciences Center, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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22
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Li P, Liu X, Kojima M, Huang Q, Arai T. Automated Cell Mechanical Characterization by On-Chip Sequential Squeezing: From Static to Dynamic. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:8083-8094. [PMID: 34171189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells are harmless biomarkers for cell identification and disease diagnosis. Although many systems have been developed to evaluate the static mechanical properties of cells for biomedical research, their robustness, effectiveness, and cost do not meet clinical requirements or the experiments with a large number of cell samples. In this paper, we propose an approach for on-chip cell mechanical characterization by analyzing the dynamic behavior of cells as they pass through multiple constrictions. The proposed serpentine microfluidic channel consisted of 20 constrictions connected in series and divided into five rows for tracking cell dynamic behavior. Assisted by computer vision, the squeezing time of each cell through five rows of constrictions was automatically collected and filtered to evaluate the cell's mechanical deformability. We observed a decreasing passage time and increasing dynamic deformability of the cells as they passed through the multiple constrictions. The deformability increase rate of the HeLa cells was eight times greater than that of MEF cells. Moreover, the weak correlation between the deformability increase rate and the cell size indicated that cell recognition based on measuring the deformability increase rate could hardly be affected by the cell size variation. These findings showed that the deformability increase rate of the cell under on-chip sequential squeezing as a new index has great potential in cancer cell recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyun Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Masaru Kojima
- Department of Materials Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka 560-8531, Japan
| | - Qiang Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Tatsuo Arai
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
- Center for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
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23
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Hymel SJ, Fujioka H, Khismatullin DB. Modeling of Deformable Cell Separation in a Microchannel with Sequenced Pillars. ADVANCED THEORY AND SIMULATIONS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/adts.202100086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott J. Hymel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Tulane University New Orleans LA 70118 USA
| | - Hideki Fujioka
- Center for Computational Science Tulane University New Orleans LA 70118 USA
| | - Damir B. Khismatullin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Tulane University New Orleans LA 70118 USA
- Center for Computational Science Tulane University New Orleans LA 70118 USA
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24
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Viscoelastic Properties in Cancer: From Cells to Spheroids. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071704. [PMID: 34359874 PMCID: PMC8304080 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
AFM-based rheology methods enable the investigation of the viscoelastic properties of cancer cells. Such properties are known to be essential for cell functions, especially for malignant cells. Here, the relevance of the force modulation method was investigated to characterize the viscoelasticity of bladder cancer cells of various invasiveness on soft substrates, revealing that the rheology parameters are a signature of malignancy. Furthermore, the collagen microenvironment affects the viscoelastic moduli of cancer cell spheroids; thus, collagen serves as a powerful proxy, leading to an increase of the dynamic moduli vs. frequency, as predicted by a double power law model. Taken together, these results shed new light on how cancer cells and tissues adapt their viscoelastic properties depending on their malignancy and the microenvironment. This method could be an attractive way to control their properties in the future, based on the similarity of spheroids with in vivo tumor models.
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25
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Sadek SH, Rubio M, Lima R, Vega EJ. Blood Particulate Analogue Fluids: A Review. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:2451. [PMID: 34065125 PMCID: PMC8126041 DOI: 10.3390/ma14092451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidics has proven to be an extraordinary working platform to mimic and study blood flow phenomena and the dynamics of components of the human microcirculatory system. However, the use of real blood increases the complexity to perform these kinds of in vitro blood experiments due to diverse problems such as coagulation, sample storage, and handling problems. For this reason, interest in the development of fluids with rheological properties similar to those of real blood has grown over the last years. The inclusion of microparticles in blood analogue fluids is essential to reproduce multiphase effects taking place in a microcirculatory system, such as the cell-free layer (CFL) and Fähraeus-Lindqvist effect. In this review, we summarize the progress made in the last twenty years. Size, shape, mechanical properties, and even biological functionalities of microparticles produced/used to mimic red blood cells (RBCs) are critically exposed and analyzed. The methods developed to fabricate these RBC templates are also shown. The dynamic flow/rheology of blood particulate analogue fluids proposed in the literature (with different particle concentrations, in most of the cases, relatively low) is shown and discussed in-depth. Although there have been many advances, the development of a reliable blood particulate analogue fluid, with around 45% by volume of microparticles, continues to be a big challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Hassan Sadek
- Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de los Materiales and Instituto de Computación Científica Avanzada (ICCAEx), Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain; (S.H.S.); (M.R.)
| | - Manuel Rubio
- Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de los Materiales and Instituto de Computación Científica Avanzada (ICCAEx), Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain; (S.H.S.); (M.R.)
| | - Rui Lima
- MEtRICs, Mechanical Engineering Department, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- Transport Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Emilio José Vega
- Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de los Materiales and Instituto de Computación Científica Avanzada (ICCAEx), Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain; (S.H.S.); (M.R.)
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Zak A, Merino-Cortés SV, Sadoun A, Mustapha F, Babataheri A, Dogniaux S, Dupré-Crochet S, Hudik E, He HT, Barakat AI, Carrasco YR, Hamon Y, Puech PH, Hivroz C, Nüsse O, Husson J. Rapid viscoelastic changes are a hallmark of early leukocyte activation. Biophys J 2021; 120:1692-1704. [PMID: 33730552 PMCID: PMC8204340 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.02.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To accomplish their critical task of removing infected cells and fighting pathogens, leukocytes activate by forming specialized interfaces with other cells. The physics of this key immunological process are poorly understood, but it is important to understand them because leukocytes have been shown to react to their mechanical environment. Using an innovative micropipette rheometer, we show in three different types of leukocytes that, when stimulated by microbeads mimicking target cells, leukocytes become up to 10 times stiffer and more viscous. These mechanical changes start within seconds after contact and evolve rapidly over minutes. Remarkably, leukocyte elastic and viscous properties evolve in parallel, preserving a well-defined ratio that constitutes a mechanical signature specific to each cell type. Our results indicate that simultaneously tracking both elastic and viscous properties during an active cell process provides a new, to our knowledge, way to investigate cell mechanical processes. Our findings also suggest that dynamic immunomechanical measurements can help discriminate between leukocyte subtypes during activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Zak
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France; Institut de Chimie Physique, CNRS UMR8000, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | | | - Anaïs Sadoun
- Aix-Marseille University, LAI UM 61, Marseille, France; Inserm, UMR_S 1067, Marseille, France; CNRS, UMR 7333, Marseille, France
| | - Farah Mustapha
- Aix-Marseille University, LAI UM 61, Marseille, France; Inserm, UMR_S 1067, Marseille, France; CNRS, UMR 7333, Marseille, France; Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Avin Babataheri
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Stéphanie Dogniaux
- Integrative analysis of T cell activation team, Institut Curie-PSL Research University, INSERM U932, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Dupré-Crochet
- Institut de Chimie Physique, CNRS UMR8000, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Elodie Hudik
- Institut de Chimie Physique, CNRS UMR8000, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Hai-Tao He
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Marseille, France
| | - Abdul I Barakat
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Yolanda R Carrasco
- B Lymphocyte Dynamics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB)-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yannick Hamon
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CIML, Marseille, France
| | - Pierre-Henri Puech
- Aix-Marseille University, LAI UM 61, Marseille, France; Inserm, UMR_S 1067, Marseille, France; CNRS, UMR 7333, Marseille, France
| | - Claire Hivroz
- Integrative analysis of T cell activation team, Institut Curie-PSL Research University, INSERM U932, Paris, France
| | - Oliver Nüsse
- Institut de Chimie Physique, CNRS UMR8000, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Julien Husson
- LadHyX, CNRS, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France.
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27
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Li Z, Yang X, Zhang Q, Yang W, Zhang H, Liu L, Liang W. Non-invasive acquisition of mechanical properties of cells via passive microfluidic mechanisms: A review. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:031501. [PMID: 34178202 PMCID: PMC8205512 DOI: 10.1063/5.0052185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The demand to understand the mechanical properties of cells from biomedical, bioengineering, and clinical diagnostic fields has given rise to a variety of research studies. In this context, how to use lab-on-a-chip devices to achieve accurate, high-throughput, and non-invasive acquisition of the mechanical properties of cells has become the focus of many studies. Accordingly, we present a comprehensive review of the development of the measurement of mechanical properties of cells using passive microfluidic mechanisms, including constriction channel-based, fluid-induced, and micropipette aspiration-based mechanisms. This review discusses how these mechanisms work to determine the mechanical properties of the cell as well as their advantages and disadvantages. A detailed discussion is also presented on a series of typical applications of these three mechanisms to measure the mechanical properties of cells. At the end of this article, the current challenges and future prospects of these mechanisms are demonstrated, which will help guide researchers who are interested to get into this area of research. Our conclusion is that these passive microfluidic mechanisms will offer more preferences for the development of lab-on-a-chip technologies and hold great potential for advancing biomedical and bioengineering research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghua Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
| | - Xieliu Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
| | - Wenguang Yang
- School of Electromechanical and Automotive Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The People's Hospital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Wenfeng Liang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China
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28
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Liang M, Yang D, Zhou Y, Li P, Zhong J, Ai Y. Single-Cell Stretching in Viscoelastic Fluids with Electronically Triggered Imaging for Cellular Mechanical Phenotyping. Anal Chem 2021; 93:4567-4575. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c05009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Minhui Liang
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, 487372 Singapore
| | - Dahou Yang
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, 487372 Singapore
| | - Yinning Zhou
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, 487372 Singapore
| | - Peixian Li
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, 487372 Singapore
| | - Jianwei Zhong
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, 487372 Singapore
| | - Ye Ai
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, 487372 Singapore
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29
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Gensbittel V, Kräter M, Harlepp S, Busnelli I, Guck J, Goetz JG. Mechanical Adaptability of Tumor Cells in Metastasis. Dev Cell 2020; 56:164-179. [PMID: 33238151 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The most dangerous aspect of cancer lies in metastatic progression. Tumor cells will successfully form life-threatening metastases when they undergo sequential steps along a journey from the primary tumor to distant organs. From a biomechanics standpoint, growth, invasion, intravasation, circulation, arrest/adhesion, and extravasation of tumor cells demand particular cell-mechanical properties in order to survive and complete the metastatic cascade. With metastatic cells usually being softer than their non-malignant counterparts, high deformability for both the cell and its nucleus is thought to offer a significant advantage for metastatic potential. However, it is still unclear whether there is a finely tuned but fixed mechanical state that accommodates all mechanical features required for survival throughout the cascade or whether tumor cells need to dynamically refine their properties and intracellular components at each new step encountered. Here, we review the various mechanical requirements successful cancer cells might need to fulfill along their journey and speculate on the possibility that they dynamically adapt their properties accordingly. The mechanical signature of a successful cancer cell might actually be its ability to adapt to the successive microenvironmental constraints along the different steps of the journey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Gensbittel
- INSERM UMR_S1109, Tumor Biomechanics, Strasbourg, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France
| | - Martin Kräter
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sébastien Harlepp
- INSERM UMR_S1109, Tumor Biomechanics, Strasbourg, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France
| | - Ignacio Busnelli
- INSERM UMR_S1109, Tumor Biomechanics, Strasbourg, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Jacky G Goetz
- INSERM UMR_S1109, Tumor Biomechanics, Strasbourg, France; Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France.
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30
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Liu Y, Zografos K, Fidalgo J, Duchêne C, Quintard C, Darnige T, Filipe V, Huille S, du Roure O, Oliveira MSN, Lindner A. Optimised hyperbolic microchannels for the mechanical characterisation of bio-particles. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:9844-9856. [PMID: 32996949 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01293a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The transport of bio-particles in viscous flows exhibits a rich variety of dynamical behaviour, such as morphological transitions, complex orientation dynamics or deformations. Characterising such complex behaviour under well controlled flows is key to understanding the microscopic mechanical properties of biological particles as well as the rheological properties of their suspensions. While generating regions of simple shear flow in microfluidic devices is relatively straightforward, generating straining flows in which the strain rate is maintained constant for a sufficiently long time to observe the objects' morphologic evolution is far from trivial. In this work, we propose an innovative approach based on optimised design of microfluidic converging-diverging channels coupled with a microscope-based tracking method to characterise the dynamic behaviour of individual bio-particles under homogeneous straining flow. The tracking algorithm, combining a motorised stage and a microscopy imaging system controlled by external signals, allows us to follow individual bio-particles transported over long-distances with high-quality images. We demonstrate experimentally the ability of the numerically optimised microchannels to provide linear velocity streamwise gradients along the centreline of the device, allowing for extended consecutive regions of homogeneous elongation and compression. We selected three test cases (DNA, actin filaments and protein aggregates) to highlight the ability of our approach for investigating dynamics of objects with a wide range of sizes, characteristics and behaviours of relevance in the biological world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Liu
- PMMH, CNRS, ESPCI Paris PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, F-75005, Paris, France.
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31
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Narasimhan BN, Ting MS, Kollmetz T, Horrocks MS, Chalard AE, Malmström J. Mechanical Characterization for Cellular Mechanobiology: Current Trends and Future Prospects. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:595978. [PMID: 33282852 PMCID: PMC7689259 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.595978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate mechanical characterization of adherent cells and their substrates is important for understanding the influence of mechanical properties on cells themselves. Recent mechanobiology studies outline the importance of mechanical parameters, such as stress relaxation and strain stiffening on the behavior of cells. Numerous techniques exist for probing mechanical properties and it is vital to understand the benefits of each technique and how they relate to each other. This mini review aims to guide the reader through the toolbox of mechanical characterization techniques by presenting well-established and emerging methods currently used to assess mechanical properties of substrates and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Badri Narayanan Narasimhan
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Matthew S. Ting
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Tarek Kollmetz
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Matthew S. Horrocks
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anaïs E. Chalard
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jenny Malmström
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
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32
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Ren J, Li Y, Hu S, Liu Y, Tsao SW, Lau D, Luo G, Tsang CM, Lam RHW. Nondestructive quantification of single-cell nuclear and cytoplasmic mechanical properties based on large whole-cell deformation. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4175-4185. [PMID: 33030494 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00725k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cell nuclei have been recognized to reflect and modulate important cell behaviors such as migration and cancer cell malignant tendency. However, these nuclear properties are difficult to characterize accurately using conventional measurement methods, which are often based on probing or deforming local sites over a nuclear region. The corresponding results are sensitive to the measurement position, and they are not decoupled from the cytoplasmic properties. Microfluidics is widely recognized as a promising technique for bioassay and phenotyping. In this report, we develop a simple and nondestructive approach for the single-cell quantification of nuclear elasticity based on microfluidics by considering different deformation levels of a live cell captured along a confining microchannel. We apply two inlet pressure levels to drive the flow of human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells (NP460) and human nasopharyngeal cancerous cells (NPC43) into the microchannels. A model considering the essential intracellular components (cytoplasm and nucleus) for describing the mechanics of a cell deforming along the confining microchannel is used to back-calculate the cytoplasmic and nuclear properties. On the other hand, we also apply a widely used chemical nucleus extraction technique to examine its possible effects (e.g., reduced nuclear modulus and reduced lamin A/C expression). To determine if the decoupled nuclear properties are representative of cancer-related attributes, we classify the NP460 and NPC43 cells using the decoupled physical properties as classification factors, resulting in an accuracy of 79.1% and a cell-type specificity exceeding 74%. It should be mentioned that the cells can be recollected at the device outlet after the nondestructive measurement. Hence, the reported cell elasticity measurement can be combined with downstream genetic and biochemical assays for general cell research and cancer diagnostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifeng Ren
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Yongshu Li
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Shuhuan Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. and BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong, China and Guangdong High-Throughput Sequencing Research Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Sai Wah Tsao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Denvid Lau
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Guannan Luo
- Department of Economics and Finance, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi Man Tsang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Raymond H W Lam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. and City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China and Centre for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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33
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Jung W, Li J, Chaudhuri O, Kim T. Nonlinear Elastic and Inelastic Properties of Cells. J Biomech Eng 2020; 142:100806. [PMID: 32253428 PMCID: PMC7477719 DOI: 10.1115/1.4046863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical forces play an important role in various physiological processes, such as morphogenesis, cytokinesis, and migration. Thus, in order to illuminate mechanisms underlying these physiological processes, it is crucial to understand how cells deform and respond to external mechanical stimuli. During recent decades, the mechanical properties of cells have been studied extensively using diverse measurement techniques. A number of experimental studies have shown that cells are far from linear elastic materials. Cells exhibit a wide variety of nonlinear elastic and inelastic properties. Such complicated properties of cells are known to emerge from unique mechanical characteristics of cellular components. In this review, we introduce major cellular components that largely govern cell mechanical properties and provide brief explanations of several experimental techniques used for rheological measurements of cell mechanics. Then, we discuss the representative nonlinear elastic and inelastic properties of cells. Finally, continuum and discrete computational models of cell mechanics, which model both nonlinear elastic and inelastic properties of cells, will be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonyeong Jung
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, 206 S. Martin Jischke Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Jing Li
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, 206 S. Martin Jischke Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Ovijit Chaudhuri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, 440 Escondido Mall, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Taeyoon Kim
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, 206 S. Martin Jischke Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907
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34
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Huang H, Dai C, Shen H, Gu M, Wang Y, Liu J, Chen L, Sun L. Recent Advances on the Model, Measurement Technique, and Application of Single Cell Mechanics. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6248. [PMID: 32872378 PMCID: PMC7504142 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the cell was discovered by humans, it has been an important research subject for researchers. The mechanical response of cells to external stimuli and the biomechanical response inside cells are of great significance for maintaining the life activities of cells. These biomechanical behaviors have wide applications in the fields of disease research and micromanipulation. In order to study the mechanical behavior of single cells, various cell mechanics models have been proposed. In addition, the measurement technologies of single cells have been greatly developed. These models, combined with experimental techniques, can effectively explain the biomechanical behavior and reaction mechanism of cells. In this review, we first introduce the basic concept and biomechanical background of cells, then summarize the research progress of internal force models and experimental techniques in the field of cell mechanics and discuss the latest mechanical models and experimental methods. We summarize the application directions of cell mechanics and put forward the future perspectives of a cell mechanics model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jizhu Liu
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (H.H.); (C.D.); (H.S.); (M.G.); (Y.W.); (L.S.)
| | - Liguo Chen
- School of Mechanical and Electric Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Robotics, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China; (H.H.); (C.D.); (H.S.); (M.G.); (Y.W.); (L.S.)
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35
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Piergiovanni M, Galli V, Holzner G, Stavrakis S, DeMello A, Dubini G. Deformation of leukaemia cell lines in hyperbolic microchannels: investigating the role of shear and extensional components. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:2539-2548. [PMID: 32567621 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00166j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells are of enormous interest in a diverse range of physio and pathological situations of clinical relevance. Unsurprisingly, a variety of microfluidic platforms have been developed in recent years to study the deformability of cells, most commonly employing pure shear or extensional flows, with and without direct contact of the cells with channel walls. Herein, we investigate the effects of shear and extensional flow components on fluid-induced cell deformation by means of three microchannel geometries. In the case of hyperbolic microchannels, cell deformation takes place in a flow with constant extensional rate, under non-zero shear conditions. A sudden expansion at the microchannel terminus allows one to evaluate shape recovery subsequent to deformation. Comparison with other microchannel shapes, that induce either pure shear (straight channel) or pure extensional (cross channel) flows, reveals different deformation modes. Such an analysis is used to confirm the softening and stiffening effects of common treatments, such as cytochalasin D and formalin on cell deformability. In addition to an experimental analysis of leukaemia cell deformability, computational fluid dynamic simulations are used to deconvolve the role of the aforementioned flow components in the cell deformation dynamics. In general terms, the current study can be used as a guide for extracting deformation/recovery dynamics of leukaemia cell lines when exposed to various fluid dynamic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Piergiovanni
- Laboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics (LaBS), Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32 - 20133 Milan, Italy.
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36
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Hymel SJ, Lan H, Khismatullin DB. Elongation Index as a Sensitive Measure of Cell Deformation in High-Throughput Microfluidic Systems. Biophys J 2020; 119:493-501. [PMID: 32697978 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the promising approaches for high-throughput screening of cell mechanotype is microfluidic deformability cytometry (mDC), in which the apparent deformation index (DI) of the cells stretched by extensional flow at the stagnation point of a cross-slot microchannel is measured. The DI is subject to substantial measurement errors due to cell offset from the flow centerline and velocity fluctuations in inlet channels, leading to artificial widening of DI versus cell size plots. Here, we simulated an mDC experiment using a custom computational algorithm for viscoelastic cell migration. Cell motion and deformation in a cross-slot channel was modeled for fixed or randomized values of cellular mechanical properties (diameter, shear elasticity, cortical tension) and initial cell placement, with or without sinusoidal fluctuations between the inlet velocities. Our numerical simulation indicates that mDC loses sensitivity to changes in shear elasticity when the offset distance exceeds 5 μm, and just 1% velocity fluctuation causes an 11.7% drop in the DI. The obtained relationships between the cell diameter, shear elasticity, and offset distance were used to establish a new measure of cell deformation, referred to as the "elongation index" (EI). In the randomized study, the EI scatter plots were visibly separated for the low- and high-elasticity populations of cells, with a mean of 300 and 3500 Pa, whereas the standard DI output was unable to distinguish between these two groups of cells. The successful suppression of the offset artifacts with a narrower data distribution was shown for the EI output of MCF-7 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J Hymel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Hongzhi Lan
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Damir B Khismatullin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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37
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Rodriguez-Quijada C, Dahl JB. Non-contact microfluidic mechanical property measurements of single apoptotic bodies. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2020; 1865:129657. [PMID: 32512171 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cells exchange information by secreting micro- and nanosized extracellular vesicles (EVs), ranging from exosomes (30-100 nm) to apoptotic bodies (ABs, 1-5 μm). There is still much to understand about fundamental EV biological, physical, and chemical properties before clinical applications can be developed. EV mechanical properties have only been measured with atomic force microscopy (AFM) with its problematic adhesion and hard substrate effects. To understand EV mechanical behavior in less extreme mechanical conditions relevant to blood flow and many soft tissue environments, a non-contact measurement technique is needed. METHODS We measured the mechanical properties of single microscale ABs derived from human blood plasma using non-contact microfluidics. EVs were gently stretched in extensional flow, similar to a traditional tensile test, and a linear mechanical model was applied to estimate mechanical stiffnesses from the observed stretching. RESULTS The effective shear elastic modulus of ABs in non-contact flow conditions is approximately 5.6 ± 0.5 Pa, 7 orders of magnitude lower than previously reported AFM-measured biological exosome stiffnesses and 200 times smaller than suspended cells. CONCLUSIONS Apoptotic bodies are very soft in fluid environments and exhibit lower effective stiffnesses than suspended cells. By measuring ABs in a natural fluid environment and low-force regime without hard probes and surfaces, we achieved closer agreement with linear mechanical theory and therefore more accurate stiffness measurements. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE AFM manufacturers and users should consider implementing new mechanical models to interpret AFM force indentation curves so that accurate extracellular vesicle mechanical properties can be extracted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanna B Dahl
- Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, United States of America.
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38
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Urbanska M, Muñoz HE, Shaw Bagnall J, Otto O, Manalis SR, Di Carlo D, Guck J. A comparison of microfluidic methods for high-throughput cell deformability measurements. Nat Methods 2020; 17:587-593. [PMID: 32341544 PMCID: PMC7275893 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-020-0818-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The mechanical phenotype of a cell is an inherent biophysical marker of its state and function, with many applications in basic and applied biological research. Microfluidics-based methods have enabled single-cell mechanophenotyping at throughputs comparable to those of flow cytometry. Here, we present a standardized cross-laboratory study comparing three microfluidics-based approaches for measuring cell mechanical phenotype: constriction-based deformability cytometry (cDC), shear flow deformability cytometry (sDC) and extensional flow deformability cytometry (xDC). All three methods detect cell deformability changes induced by exposure to altered osmolarity. However, a dose-dependent deformability increase upon latrunculin B-induced actin disassembly was detected only with cDC and sDC, which suggests that when exposing cells to the higher strain rate imposed by xDC, cellular components other than the actin cytoskeleton dominate the response. The direct comparison presented here furthers our understanding of the applicability of the different deformability cytometry methods and provides context for the interpretation of deformability measurements performed using different platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Urbanska
- Biotechnology Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hector E Muñoz
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Josephine Shaw Bagnall
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Oliver Otto
- Biotechnology Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen in kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Scott R Manalis
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Jochen Guck
- Biotechnology Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany.
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39
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Salari A, Appak-Baskoy S, Ezzo M, Hinz B, Kolios MC, Tsai SSH. Dancing with the Cells: Acoustic Microflows Generated by Oscillating Cells. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1903788. [PMID: 31829522 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201903788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The interaction of a sound or ultrasound wave with an elastic object, such as a microbubble, can give rise to a steady-state microstreaming flow in its surrounding liquid. Many microfluidic strategies for cell and particle manipulation, and analyte mixing, are based on this type of flow. In addition, there are reports that acoustic streaming can be generated in biological systems, for instance, in a mammalian inner ear. Here, new observations are reported that individual cells are able to induce microstreaming flow, when they are excited by controlled acoustic waves in vitro. Single adherent cells are exposed to an acoustic field inside a microfluidic device. The cell-induced microstreaming is then investigated by monitoring flow tracers around the cell, while the structure and extracellular environment of the cell are altered using different chemicals. The observations suggest that the maximum streaming flow induced by an MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell can reach velocities on the order of mm s-1 , and this maximum velocity is primarily governed by the overall cell stiffness. Therefore, such cell-induced microstreaming measurements, including flow pattern and velocity magnitude, may be used as label-free proxies of cellular mechanical properties, such as stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alinaghi Salari
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Sila Appak-Baskoy
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Maya Ezzo
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Boris Hinz
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1G6, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Michael C Kolios
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
- Department of Physics, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Scott S H Tsai
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
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40
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Samassa F, Ferrari ML, Husson J, Mikhailova A, Porat Z, Sidaner F, Brunner K, Teo TH, Frigimelica E, Tinevez JY, Sansonetti PJ, Thoulouze MI, Phalipon A. Shigella impairs human T lymphocyte responsiveness by hijacking actin cytoskeleton dynamics and T cell receptor vesicular trafficking. Cell Microbiol 2020; 22:e13166. [PMID: 31957253 PMCID: PMC7187243 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Strategies employed by pathogenic enteric bacteria, such as Shigella, to subvert the host adaptive immunity are not well defined. Impairment of T lymphocyte chemotaxis by blockage of polarised edge formation has been reported upon Shigella infection. However, the functional impact of Shigella on T lymphocytes remains to be determined. Here, we show that Shigella modulates CD4+ T cell F‐actin dynamics and increases cell cortical stiffness. The scanning ability of T lymphocytes when encountering antigen‐presenting cells (APC) is subsequently impaired resulting in decreased cell–cell contacts (or conjugates) between the two cell types, as compared with non‐infected T cells. In addition, the few conjugates established between the invaded T cells and APCs display no polarised delivery and accumulation of the T cell receptor to the contact zone characterising canonical immunological synapses. This is most likely due to the targeting of intracellular vesicular trafficking by the bacterial type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors IpaJ and VirA. The collective impact of these cellular reshapings by Shigella eventually results in T cell activation dampening. Altogether, these results highlight the combined action of T3SS effectors leading to T cell defects upon Shigella infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatoumata Samassa
- Molecular Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1202, Paris, France
| | - Mariana L Ferrari
- Molecular Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1202, Paris, France
| | - Julien Husson
- Laboratoire d'Hydrodynamique (LadHyX), Ecole polytechnique, CNRS, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | | | - Ziv Porat
- Flow Cytometry Unit, Life Sciences Core Facility, Weizmann Institute of Sciences, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Katja Brunner
- Molecular Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1202, Paris, France
| | - Teck-Hui Teo
- Molecular Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1202, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Philippe J Sansonetti
- Molecular Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1202, Paris, France.,Chaire de Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | | | - Armelle Phalipon
- Molecular Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1202, Paris, France
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41
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Armistead FJ, Gala De Pablo J, Gadêlha H, Peyman SA, Evans SD. Physical Biomarkers of Disease Progression: On-Chip Monitoring of Changes in Mechanobiology of Colorectal Cancer Cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3254. [PMID: 32094413 PMCID: PMC7039955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59952-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease can induce changes to subcellular components, altering cell phenotype and leading to measurable bulk-material mechanical properties. The mechanical phenotyping of single cells therefore offers many potential diagnostic applications. Cells are viscoelastic and their response to an applied stress is highly dependent on the magnitude and timescale of the actuation. Microfluidics can be used to measure cell deformability over a wide range of flow conditions, operating two distinct flow regimes (shear and inertial) which can expose subtle mechanical properties arising from subcellular components. Here, we investigate the deformability of three colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines using a range of flow conditions. These cell lines offer a model for CRC metastatic progression; SW480 derived from primary adenocarcinoma, HT29 from a more advanced primary tumor and SW620 from lymph-node metastasis. HL60 (leukemia cells) were also studied as a model circulatory cell, offering a non-epithelial comparison. We demonstrate that microfluidic induced flow deformation can be used to robustly detect mechanical changes associated with CRC progression. We also show that single-cell multivariate analysis, utilising deformation and relaxation dynamics, offers potential to distinguish these different cell types. These results point to the benefit of multiparameter determination for improving detection and accuracy of disease stage diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fern J Armistead
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Julia Gala De Pablo
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Hermes Gadêlha
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sally A Peyman
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Stephen D Evans
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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42
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Guck J. Some thoughts on the future of cell mechanics. Biophys Rev 2019; 11:667-670. [PMID: 31529360 PMCID: PMC6815292 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-019-00597-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Guck
- Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Staudtstr. 2, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.
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43
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A Microfluidic Deformability Assessment of Pathological Red Blood Cells Flowing in a Hyperbolic Converging Microchannel. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10100645. [PMID: 31557932 PMCID: PMC6843121 DOI: 10.3390/mi10100645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The loss of the red blood cells (RBCs) deformability is related with many human diseases, such as malaria, hereditary spherocytosis, sickle cell disease, or renal diseases. Hence, during the last years, a variety of technologies have been proposed to gain insights into the factors affecting the RBCs deformability and their possible direct association with several blood pathologies. In this work, we present a simple microfluidic tool that provides the assessment of motions and deformations of RBCs of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients, under a well-controlled microenvironment. All of the flow studies were performed within a hyperbolic converging microchannels where single-cell deformability was assessed under a controlled homogeneous extensional flow field. By using a passive microfluidic device, RBCs passing through a hyperbolic-shaped contraction were measured by a high-speed video microscopy system, and the velocities and deformability ratios (DR) calculated. Blood samples from 27 individuals, including seven healthy controls and 20 having ESKD with or without diabetes, were analysed. The obtained data indicates that the proposed device is able to detect changes in DR of the RBCs, allowing for distinguishing the samples from the healthy controls and the patients. Overall, the deformability of ESKD patients with and without diabetes type II is lower in comparison with the RBCs from the healthy controls, with this difference being more evident for the group of ESKD patients with diabetes. RBCs from ESKD patients without diabetes elongate on average 8% less, within the hyperbolic contraction, as compared to healthy controls; whereas, RBCs from ESKD patients with diabetes elongate on average 14% less than the healthy controls. The proposed strategy can be easily transformed into a simple and inexpensive diagnostic microfluidic system to assess blood cells deformability due to the huge progress in image processing and high-speed microvisualization technology.
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44
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A Taylor analogy model for droplet dynamics in planar extensional flow. Chem Eng Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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45
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Hymel SJ, Lan H, Fujioka H, Khismatullin DB. Cell trapping in Y-junction microchannels: A numerical study of the bifurcation angle effect in inertial microfluidics. PHYSICS OF FLUIDS (WOODBURY, N.Y. : 1994) 2019; 31:082003. [PMID: 31406457 PMCID: PMC6688893 DOI: 10.1063/1.5113516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The majority of microfluidic technologies for cell sorting and isolation involve bifurcating (e.g., Y- or T-shaped junction) microchannels to trap the cells of a specific type. However, the microfluidic trapping efficiency remains low, independently of whether the cells are separated by a passive or an active sorting method. Using a custom computational algorithm, we studied the migration of separated deformable cells in a Y-junction microchannel, with a bifurcation angle ranging from 30° to 180°. Single or two cells of initially spherical shape were considered under flow conditions corresponding to inertial microfluidics. Through the numerical simulation, we identified the effects of cell size, cytoplasmic viscoelasticity, cortical tension, flow rate, and bifurcation angle on the critical separation distance for cell trapping. The results of this study show that the trapping and isolation of blood cells, and circulating tumor cells in a Y-junction microchannel was most efficient and least dependent on the flow rate at the bifurcation angle of 120°. At this angle, the trapping efficiency for white blood cells and circulating tumor cells increased, respectively, by 46% and 43%, in comparison with the trapping efficiency at 60°. The efficiency to isolate invasive tumor cells from noninvasive ones increased by 32%. This numerical study provides important design criteria to optimize microfluidic technology for deformability-based cell sorting and isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hongzhi Lan
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Hideki Fujioka
- Center for Computational Science, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, USA
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46
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Armistead FJ, Gala De Pablo J, Gadêlha H, Peyman SA, Evans SD. Cells Under Stress: An Inertial-Shear Microfluidic Determination of Cell Behavior. Biophys J 2019; 116:1127-1135. [PMID: 30799072 PMCID: PMC6428867 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The deformability of a cell is the direct result of a complex interplay between the different constituent elements at the subcellular level, coupling a wide range of mechanical responses at different length scales. Changes to the structure of these components can also alter cell phenotype, which points to the critical importance of cell mechanoresponse for diagnostic applications. The response to mechanical stress depends strongly on the forces experienced by the cell. Here, we use cell deformability in both shear-dominant and inertia-dominant microfluidic flow regimes to probe different aspects of the cell structure. In the inertial regime, we follow cellular response from (visco-)elastic through plastic deformation to cell structural failure and show a significant drop in cell viability for shear stresses >11.8 kN/m2. Comparatively, a shear-dominant regime requires lower applied stresses to achieve higher cell strains. From this regime, deformation traces as a function of time contain a rich source of information including maximal strain, elastic modulus, and cell relaxation times and thus provide a number of markers for distinguishing cell types and potential disease progression. These results emphasize the benefit of multiple parameter determination for improving detection and will ultimately lead to improved accuracy for diagnosis. We present results for leukemia cells (HL60) as a model circulatory cell as well as for a colorectal cancer cell line, SW480, derived from primary adenocarcinoma (Dukes stage B). SW480 were also treated with the actin-disrupting drug latrunculin A to test the sensitivity of flow regimes to the cytoskeleton. We show that the shear regime is more sensitive to cytoskeletal changes and that large strains in the inertial regime cannot resolve changes to the actin cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fern J Armistead
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Gala De Pablo
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Hermes Gadêlha
- Department of Mathematics, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Sally A Peyman
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen D Evans
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.
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47
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Fregin B, Czerwinski F, Biedenweg D, Girardo S, Gross S, Aurich K, Otto O. High-throughput single-cell rheology in complex samples by dynamic real-time deformability cytometry. Nat Commun 2019; 10:415. [PMID: 30679420 PMCID: PMC6346011 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08370-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In life sciences, the material properties of suspended cells have attained significance close to that of fluorescent markers but with the advantage of label-free and unbiased sample characterization. Until recently, cell rheological measurements were either limited by acquisition throughput, excessive post processing, or low-throughput real-time analysis. Real-time deformability cytometry expanded the application of mechanical cell assays to fast on-the-fly phenotyping of large sample sizes, but has been restricted to single material parameters as the Young's modulus. Here, we introduce dynamic real-time deformability cytometry for comprehensive cell rheological measurements at up to 100 cells per second. Utilizing Fourier decomposition, our microfluidic method is able to disentangle cell response to complex hydrodynamic stress distributions and to determine viscoelastic parameters independent of cell shape. We demonstrate the application of our technology for peripheral blood cells in whole blood samples including the discrimination of B- and CD4+ T-lymphocytes by cell rheological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob Fregin
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen bei kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 42, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Fabian Czerwinski
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen bei kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 42, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Doreen Biedenweg
- Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 8, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Salvatore Girardo
- Biotechnology Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Tatzberg 47/49, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Gross
- Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 8, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung e.V., Standort Greifswald, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 42, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Konstanze Aurich
- Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 8, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Oliver Otto
- Zentrum für Innovationskompetenz: Humorale Immunreaktionen bei kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen, Universität Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 42, 17489, Greifswald, Germany.
- Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung e.V., Standort Greifswald, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Fleischmannstr. 42, 17489, Greifswald, Germany.
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48
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A Passive Microfluidic Device Based on Crossflow Filtration for Cell Separation Measurements: A Spectrophotometric Characterization. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2018; 8:bios8040125. [PMID: 30544881 PMCID: PMC6316345 DOI: 10.3390/bios8040125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Revised: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic devices have been widely used as a valuable research tool for diagnostic applications. Particularly, they have been related to the successful detection of different diseases and conditions by assessing the mechanical properties of red blood cells (RBCs). Detecting deformability changes in the cells and being able to separate those cells may be a key factor in assuring the success of detection of some blood diseases with diagnostic devices. To detect and separate the chemically modified RBCs (mimicking disease-infected RBCs) from healthy RBCs, the present work proposes a microfluidic device comprising a sequence of pillars with different gaps and nine different outlets used to evaluate the efficiency of the device by measuring the optical absorption of the collected samples. This latter measurement technique was tested to distinguish between healthy RBCs and RBCs chemically modified with glutaraldehyde. The present study indicates that it was possible to detect a slight differences between the samples using an optical absorption spectrophotometric setup. Hence, the proposed microfluidic device has the potential to perform in one single step a partial passive separation of RBCs based on their deformability.
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49
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Hirano K, Iwaki T, Ishido T, Yoshikawa Y, Naruse K, Yoshikawa K. Stretching of single DNA molecules caused by accelerating flow on a microchip. J Chem Phys 2018; 149:165101. [PMID: 30384753 DOI: 10.1063/1.5040564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA elongation induced by fluidic stress was investigated on a microfluidic chip composed of a large inlet pool and a narrow channel. Through single-DNA observation with fluorescence microscopy, the manner of stretching of individual T4 DNA molecules (166 kbp) was monitored near the area of accelerating flow with narrowing streamlines. The results showed that the DNA long-axis length increased in a sigmoidal manner depending on the magnitude of flow acceleration, or shear, along the DNA chain. To elucidate the physical mechanism of DNA elongation, we performed a theoretical study by adopting a model of a coarse-grained nonlinear elastic polymer chain elongated by shear stress due to acceleration flow along the chain direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Hirano
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395 Japan
| | - Takafumi Iwaki
- Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Oita 879-5593, Japan
| | - Tomomi Ishido
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395 Japan
| | - Yuko Yoshikawa
- Faculty of Life and Medical Science, Doshisha Universiy, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Keiji Naruse
- Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Kenichi Yoshikawa
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395 Japan
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50
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Pimenta F, Sousa RG, Alves MA. Optimization of flow-focusing devices for homogeneous extensional flow. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2018; 12:054103. [PMID: 30271518 PMCID: PMC6143375 DOI: 10.1063/1.5037472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We present a methodology for the shape optimization of flow-focusing devices with the purpose of creating a wide region of homogeneous extensional flow, characterized by a uniform strain-rate along the centerline of the devices. The numerical routines employed include an optimizer, a finite-volume solver, and a mesh generator operating on geometries with the walls parameterized by Bézier curves. The optimizations are carried out for devices with different geometric characteristics (channel aspect ratio and length). The performance of the optimized devices is assessed for varying Reynolds numbers, velocity ratio between streams, and fluid rheology. Brownian dynamics simulations are also performed to evaluate the stretching and relaxation of λ-DNA molecules in the devices. Overall, the optimized flow-focusing devices generate a homogeneous extensional flow over a range of conditions typically found in microfluidics. At high Weissenberg numbers, the extension of λ-DNA molecules in the optimized flow-focusing devices is close to that obtained in an ideal planar extensional flow with an equivalent Hencky strain. The devices presented in this study can be useful in microfluidic applications taking advantage of homogeneous extensional flows and easy control of the Hencky strain and strain-rate.
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