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Namgung B, Dai H, Prathyushaa Vikraman P, Saha T, Sengupta S, Lin Jang H. An inexpensive "do-it-yourself" device for rapid generation of uniform tumor spheroids. DEVICE 2024; 2:100255. [PMID: 38617078 PMCID: PMC11008532 DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2024.100255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cancer cell culture models such as tumor spheroids better recapitulate in vivo tumors than conventional two-dimensional (2D) models. However, two major challenges limit the routine use of 3D tumor spheroids. Firstly, most existing methods of generating tumor spheroids are not high-throughput. Secondly, tumor spheroids generated using current methods are highly variable in dimension. Here, we describe a simple 'Do-It-Yourself (DIY)' device that can be assembled for less than $7 of parts and generate uniform tumor spheroids in a high-throughput manner. We used a simple phone coin vibrating motor to superimpose the vibration for breaking a laminar jet of cell-loaded alginate solution into equally sized spherical beads. We generated 3,970 tumor spheroids/min, which exhibited a hypoxic core recapitulating in vivo tumors and could be used to test the diffusion efficacy of anticancer drugs. Such low-cost, easy-to-fabricate, simple-to-operate systems with high-throughput outcomes are essential to democratize and standardize cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bumseok Namgung
- Center for Engineered Therapeutics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hongqing Dai
- Center for Engineered Therapeutics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Contributed equally
| | - Pooja Prathyushaa Vikraman
- Center for Engineered Therapeutics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Contributed equally
| | - Tanmoy Saha
- Center for Engineered Therapeutics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shiladitya Sengupta
- Center for Engineered Therapeutics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hae Lin Jang
- Center for Engineered Therapeutics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Liu Y, Xu H, Li T, Wang W. Microtechnology-enabled filtration-based liquid biopsy: challenges and practical considerations. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:994-1015. [PMID: 33710188 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01101k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Liquid biopsy, an important enabling technology for early diagnosis and dynamic monitoring of cancer, has drawn extensive attention in the past decade. With the rapid developments of microtechnology, it has been possible to manipulate cells at the single-cell level, which dramatically improves the liquid biopsy capability. As the microtechnology-enabled liquid biopsy matures from proof-of-concept demonstrations towards practical applications, a main challenge it is facing now is to process clinical samples which are usually of a large volume while containing very rare targeted cells in complex backgrounds. Therefore, a high-throughput liquid biopsy which is capable of processing liquid samples with a large volume in a reasonable time along with a high recovery rate of rare targeted cells from complex clinical liquids is in high demand. Moreover, the purity, viability and release feasibility of recovered targeted cells are the other three key impact factors requiring careful considerations. To date, among the developed techniques, micropore-type filtration has been acknowledged as the most promising solution to address the aforementioned challenges in practical applications. However, the presently reported studies about micropore-type filtration are mostly based on trial and error for device designs aiming at different cancer types, which requires lots of efforts. Therefore, there is an urgent need to investigate and elaborate the fundamental theories of micropore-type filtration and key features that influence the working performances in the liquid biopsy of real clinical samples to promote the application efficacy in practical applications. In this review, the state of the art of microtechnology-enabled filtration is systematically and comprehensively summarized. Four key features of the filtration, including throughput, purity, viability and release feasibility of the captured targeted cells, are elaborated to provide the guidelines for filter designs. The recent progress in the filtration mode modulation and sample standardization to improve the filtration performance of real clinical samples is also discussed. Finally, this review concludes with prospective views for future developments of filtration-based liquid biopsy to promote its application efficacy in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoping Liu
- Institute of Microelectronics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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Luo J, Chen C, Li Q. White blood cell counting at point-of-care testing: A review. Electrophoresis 2020; 41:1450-1468. [PMID: 32356920 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
White blood cells, which are also called leukocytes, are found in the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against infections and foreign invaders. Conventional methods of leukocyte analysis provide valuable and accurate information to medical specialists. Analyzing and diagnosing of a disease requires a combination of multiple biomarkers, in some cases, however, such as personal health care, this will occupy some medical resources and causes unnecessary consumption. Traditional method (such as flow cytometer) for WBC counting is time and labor consuming. Compared to gold standard (flow-based fraction/micropore filtration) or improved filtration methods for WBC counting, this is still a lengthy and time consuming process and can lead to membrane fouling due to the rapid accumulation of biological materials. Therefore, the analysis of WBC counts requires more compact and efficient equipment. The microfluidic technologies, powered by different field (force, thermal, acoustic, optical, magnetic) and other methods for leukocyte counting and analysis, are much cost-efficient and can be used in in-home or in resource-limited areas to achieve Point-of-Care (POC). In this review, we highlight the mainstream devices that have been commercialized and extensively employed for patients for WBC counting, Next, we present some recent development with regards to leucocyte counting (mainly microfluidic technologies) and comment on their relative merits. We aim to focus and discuss the possibility of achieving POC and help researchers to tackle individual challenges accordingly. Finally, we offer some technologies in addition to previous detection devices, such as image recognition technology and cloud computing, which we believe have great potential to further promote real-time detection and improve medical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianke Luo
- College of Glasgow, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Chunmei Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Health Industry Co., Ltd of the Fifth Xiangya Hospital, Hunan, P. R. China.,The Second Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, P. R. China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P. R. China
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Park YM, Lim SY, Jeong SW, Song Y, Bae NH, Hong SB, Choi BG, Lee SJ, Lee KG. Flexible nanopillar-based electrochemical sensors for genetic detection of foodborne pathogens. NANO CONVERGENCE 2018; 5:15. [PMID: 29904621 PMCID: PMC5988775 DOI: 10.1186/s40580-018-0147-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Flexible and highly ordered nanopillar arrayed electrodes have brought great interest for many electrochemical applications, especially to the biosensors, because of its unique mechanical and topological properties. Herein, we report an advanced method to fabricate highly ordered nanopillar electrodes produced by soft-/photo-lithography and metal evaporation. The highly ordered nanopillar array exhibited the superior electrochemical and mechanical properties in regard with the wide space to response with electrolytes, enabling the sensitive analysis. As-prepared gold and silver electrodes on nanopillar arrays exhibit great and stable electrochemical performance to detect the amplified gene from foodborne pathogen of Escherichia coli O157:H7. Additionally, lightweight, flexible, and USB-connectable nanopillar-based electrochemical sensor platform improves the connectivity, portability, and sensitivity. Moreover, we successfully confirm the performance of genetic analysis using real food, specially designed intercalator, and amplified gene from foodborne pathogens with high reproducibility (6% standard deviation) and sensitivity (10 × 1.01 CFU) within 25 s based on the square wave voltammetry principle. This study confirmed excellent mechanical and chemical characteristics of nanopillar electrodes have a great and considerable electrochemical activity to apply as genetic biosensor platform in the fields of point-of-care testing (POCT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo Min Park
- Nano-bio Application Team, National NanoFab Center (NNFC), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Young Lim
- Nano-bio Application Team, National NanoFab Center (NNFC), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Soon Woo Jeong
- Nano-bio Application Team, National NanoFab Center (NNFC), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Younseong Song
- Nano-bio Application Team, National NanoFab Center (NNFC), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Nam Ho Bae
- Nano-bio Application Team, National NanoFab Center (NNFC), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Division of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Hanbat National University, Daejeon, 34158 Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Bok Hong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Samcheok, 25913 Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Gill Choi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Samcheok, 25913 Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Jae Lee
- Nano-bio Application Team, National NanoFab Center (NNFC), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung G. Lee
- Nano-bio Application Team, National NanoFab Center (NNFC), Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
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