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Li H, Harvey DH, Dai J, Swingle SP, Compton AM, Sugali CK, Dhamodaran K, Yao J, Lin TY, Sulchek T, Kim T, Ethier CR, Mao W. Characterization, enrichment, and computational modeling of cross-linked actin networks in trabecular meshwork cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.21.608970. [PMID: 39229235 PMCID: PMC11370370 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.21.608970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Cross-linked actin networks (CLANs) are prevalent in the glaucomatous trabecular meshwork (TM), yet their role in ocular hypertension remains unclear. We used a human TM cell line that spontaneously forms fluorescently-labeled CLANs (GTM3L) to explore the origin of CLANs, developed techniques to increase CLAN incidence in GMT3L cells, and computationally studied the biomechanical properties of CLAN-containing cells. Methods GTM3L cells were fluorescently sorted for viral copy number analysis. CLAN incidence was increased by (i) differential sorting of cells by adhesion, (ii) cell deswelling, and (iii) cell selection based on cell stiffness. GTM3L cells were also cultured on glass or soft hydrogel to determine substrate stiffness effects on CLAN incidence. Computational models were constructed to mimic and study the biomechanical properties of CLANs. Results All GTM3L cells had an average of 1 viral copy per cell. LifeAct-GFP expression level did not affect CLAN incidence rate, but CLAN rate was increased from ~0.28% to ~50% by a combination of adhesion selection, cell deswelling, and cell stiffness-based sorting. Further, GTM3L cells formed more CLANs on a stiff vs. a soft substrate. Computational modeling predicted that CLANs contribute to higher cell stiffness, including increased resistance of the nucleus to tensile stress when CLANs are physically linked to the nucleus. Conclusions It is possible to greatly enhance CLAN incidence in GTM3L cells. CLANs are mechanosensitive structures that affect cell biomechanical properties. Further research is needed to determine the effect of CLANs on TM biomechanics and mechanobiology as well as the etiology of CLAN formation in the TM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Li
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Devon H Harvey
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Jiannong Dai
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Steven P Swingle
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Anthony M Compton
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Chenna Kesavulu Sugali
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Kamesh Dhamodaran
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Jing Yao
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Tsai-Yu Lin
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Todd Sulchek
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Taeyoon Kim
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - C Ross Ethier
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Weiming Mao
- Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
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2
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Yanamandra AK, Zhang J, Montalvo G, Zhou X, Biedenweg D, Zhao R, Sharma S, Hoth M, Lautenschläger F, Otto O, Del Campo A, Qu B. PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensing governs NK-cell killing efficiency and infiltration in three-dimensional matrices. Eur J Immunol 2024; 54:e2350693. [PMID: 38279603 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350693] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in eliminating tumorigenic cells. Efficient locating and killing of target cells in complex three-dimensional (3D) environments are critical for their functions under physiological conditions. However, the role of mechanosensing in regulating NK-cell killing efficiency in physiologically relevant scenarios is poorly understood. Here, we report that the responsiveness of NK cells is regulated by tumor cell stiffness. NK-cell killing efficiency in 3D is impaired against softened tumor cells, whereas it is enhanced against stiffened tumor cells. Notably, the durations required for NK-cell killing and detachment are significantly shortened for stiffened tumor cells. Furthermore, we have identified PIEZO1 as the predominantly expressed mechanosensitive ion channel among the examined candidates in NK cells. Perturbation of PIEZO1 abolishes stiffness-dependent NK-cell responsiveness, significantly impairs the killing efficiency of NK cells in 3D, and substantially reduces NK-cell infiltration into 3D collagen matrices. Conversely, PIEZO1 activation enhances NK killing efficiency as well as infiltration. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensing is crucial for NK killing functions, highlighting the role of mechanosensing in NK-cell killing efficiency under 3D physiological conditions and the influence of environmental physical cues on NK-cell functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana K Yanamandra
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jingnan Zhang
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Galia Montalvo
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
- Department of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Xiangda Zhou
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Doreen Biedenweg
- Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Renping Zhao
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Shulagna Sharma
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Markus Hoth
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Lautenschläger
- Department of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Oliver Otto
- Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Aránzazu Del Campo
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Chemistry Department, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Bin Qu
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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3
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Xu Z, Chen Z, Yang S, Chen S, Guo T, Chen H. Passive Focusing of Single Cells Using Microwell Arrays for High-Accuracy Image-Activated Sorting. Anal Chem 2024; 96:347-354. [PMID: 38153415 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04195] [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: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Sorting single cells from a population was of critical importance in areas such as cell line development and cell therapy. Image-based sorting is becoming a promising technique for the nonlabeling isolation of cells due to the capability of providing the details of cell morphology. This study reported the focusing of cells using microwell arrays and the following automatic size sorting based on the real-time recognition of cells. The simulation first demonstrated the converged streamlines to the symmetrical plane contributed to the focusing effect. Then, the influence of connecting microchannel, flowing length, particle size, and the sample flow rate on the focusing effect was experimentally analyzed. Both microspheres and cells could be aligned in a straight line at the Reynolds number (Re) of 0.027-0.187 and 0.027-0.08, respectively. The connecting channel was proved to drastically improve the focusing performance. Afterward, a tapered microwell array was utilized to focus sphere/cell spreading in a wide channel to a straight line. Finally, a custom algorithm was employed to identify and sort the size of microspheres/K562 cells with a throughput of 1 event/s and an accuracy of 97.8/97.1%. The proposed technique aligned cells to a straight line at low Reynolds numbers and greatly facilitated the image-activated sorting without the need for a high-speed camera or flow control components with high frequency. Therefore, it is of enormous application potential in the field of nonlabeled separation of single cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Xu
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhenlin Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Kowloon, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shiming Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Siyuan Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tianruo Guo
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Huaying Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Wang T, Fang Q, Huang L. Investigation of geometry-dependent sensing characteristics of microfluidic for single-cell 3D localization. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2024; 95:014102. [PMID: 38197766 DOI: 10.1063/5.0172520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Flow cytometry-based measurement techniques have been widely used for single-cell characterizations, such as impedance, size, and dielectric properties. However, in the measurement process, the reliability of the output measurement signal directly affects the ability of the microsystem to judge the characteristics of single cells. Here, we designed a multiple nonparallel electrode structure for single-cell 3D localization. The performance of the structures was studied by analyzing the changes in electric field strength and the output differential current. The effects of microchannel height, sensing electrode distance, electrode inclination angle, and electrode width on output signals are investigated by analyzing the current change and electric field strength of single cells passing from the center of the microchannel. The numerical simulation results indicate that, when the microchannel height is 20 µm, the distance of the sensing electrodes is 100 µm, the inclination angle is 30°, the electrode width is 20 µm, and the optimal signal quality can be obtained. Reducing the height of the flow channel and shortening the sensing electrode spacing can significantly improve the signal amplitude. When the channel height is 20 µm, the signal intensity increases by 80% than that of 30 µm. The signal intensity of induced current with the sensing electrode spacing of 100 µm is 42% higher than that with the spacing of 120 µm. We analyzed the presence of multiple independent cells and adherent cells in the detection area and demonstrated through simulation that the signal changes caused by multi-cells can be superimposed by multiple single-cell signals. The induced current signal intensity of the same volume of cells with an ellipticity of 1 is 49% lower than that of cells with an ellipticity of 4. Based on the numerical investigation, we expect that the optimal geometry structure design will aid in the development of better performance signal cell impedance cytometry microsystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument and School of Instrument Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Qiang Fang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument and School of Instrument Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Liang Huang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument and School of Instrument Science and Opto-Electronics Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
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5
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Li G, Ji Y, Wu Y, Liu Y, Li H, Wang Y, Chi M, Sun H, Zhu H. Multistage microfluidic cell sorting method and chip based on size and stiffness. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 237:115451. [PMID: 37327603 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
High performance sorting of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood is key to liquid biopsies. Size-based deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) technique is widely used in cell sorting. But conventional microcolumns have poor fluid regulation ability, which limits the sorting performance of DLD. When the size difference between CTCs and leukocytes is small (e.g., less than 3 μm), not only DLD, many size-based separation techniques fail due to low specificity. CTCs have been confirmed to be softer than leukocytes, which could serve as a basis for sorting. In this study, we presented a multistage microfluidic CTCs sorting method, first sorting CTCs using a size-based two-array DLD chip, then purifying CTCs mixed by leukocytes using a stiffness-based cone channel chip, and finally identifying cell types using Raman techniques. The entire CTCs sorting and analysis process was label free, highly pure, high-throughput and efficient. The two-array DLD chip employed a droplet-shaped microcolumn (DMC) developed by optimization design rather than empirical design. Attributed to the excellent fluid regulation capability of DMC, the CTCs sorter system developed by parallelizing four DMC two-array DLD chips was able to process a sample of 2.5 mL per minute with a recovery efficiency of 96.30 ± 2.10% and a purity of 98.25 ± 2.48%. To isolate CTCs mixed dimensionally by leukocytes, a cone channel sorting method and chip were developed based on solid and hydrodynamic coupled analysis. The cone channel chip allowed CTCs to pass through the channel and entrap leukocytes, improving the purity of CTCs mixed by leukocytes by 1.8-fold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaolin Li
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Ji
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yihui Wu
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.
| | - Yongshun Liu
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Huan Li
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China.
| | - Yimeng Wang
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mingbo Chi
- Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics (CIOMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Hongyan Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongquan Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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6
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Raj A, Ramirez K, Young KM, Stone N, Shankles P, Ali MNR, Compton AM, Lam W, Alexeev A, Sulchek T. Label-free microfluidic isolation of functional and viable lymphocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2023; 17:054102. [PMID: 37736019 PMCID: PMC10511259 DOI: 10.1063/5.0161047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The separation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) into constituent blood cell types is a vital step to obtain immune cells for autologous cell therapies. The ability to separate PBMCs using label-free microfluidic techniques, based on differences in biomechanical properties, can have a number of benefits over other conventional techniques, including lower cost, ease of use, and avoidance of animal-derived labeling antibodies. Here, we report a microfluidic device that uses compressive diagonal ridges to separate PBMCs into highly pure samples of viable and functional lymphocytes. The technique utilizes the differences in the biophysical properties of PBMC sub-populations to direct the lymphocytes and monocytes into separate outlets. The biophysical properties of the monocytes and lymphocytes from healthy donors were first characterized using atomic force microscopy. Lymphocytes were found to be significantly stiffer than monocytes, with a mean cell stiffness of 1495 and 931 Pa, respectively. The differences in biophysical properties resulted in distinct trajectories through the microchannel terminating at different outlets, resulting in a lymphocyte sample with purity and viability both greater than 96% with no effect on the cells' ability to produce interferon gamma, a cytokine crucial for innate and adaptive immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Raj
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Katily Ramirez
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, USA
| | - Katherine M. Young
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Nicholas Stone
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Peter Shankles
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Mehdia Nadeem Rajab Ali
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Anthony Malik Compton
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | | | - Alexander Alexeev
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Todd Sulchek
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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7
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Ozcelik A, Gucluer S, Keskin T. Continuous Flow Separation of Live and Dead Cells Using Gravity Sedimentation. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1570. [PMID: 37630106 PMCID: PMC10456911 DOI: 10.3390/mi14081570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
The separation of target cell species is an important step for various biomedical applications ranging from single cell studies to drug testing and cell-based therapies. The purity of cell solutions is critical for therapeutic application. For example, dead cells and debris can negatively affect the efficacy of cell-based therapies. This study presents a cost-effective method for the continuous separation of live and dead cells using a 3D resin-printed microfluidic device. Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells are used for cell separation experiments. Both numerical and experimental studies are presented to show the effectiveness of the presented device for the isolation of dead cells from cell solutions. The experimental results show that the 3D-printed microfluidic device successfully separates live and dead cells based on density differences. Separation efficiencies of over 95% are achieved at optimum flow rates, resulting in purer cell populations in the outlets. This study highlights the simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and potential applications of the 3D-printed microfluidic device for cell separation. The implementation of 3D printing technology in microfluidics holds promise for advancing the field and enabling the production of customized devices for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adem Ozcelik
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin 09010, Türkiye; (S.G.)
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8
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Murashko AV, Frolova AA, Akovantseva AA, Kotova SL, Timashev PS, Efremov YM. The cell softening as a universal indicator of cell damage during cytotoxic effects. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130348. [PMID: 36977439 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
Cytotoxicity assays are essential tests in studies on the safety and biocompatibility of various substances and on the efficiency of anticancer drugs. The most frequently used assays commonly require application of externally added labels and read only collective response of cells. Recent studies show that the internal biophysical parameters of cells can be associated with the cellular damage. Therefore, using atomic force microscopy, we assessed the changes in the viscoelastic parameters of cells treated with eight different common cytotoxic agents to gain a more systematic view of the occurring mechanical changes. With the robust statistical analysis to account for both the cell-level variability and the experimental reproducibility, we have found that cell softening is a common response after each treatment. More precisely, the combined changes in the viscoelastic parameters of power-law rheology model led to a significant decrease of the apparent elastic modulus. The comparison with the morphological parameters (cytoskeleton and cell shape) demonstrated a higher sensitivity of the mechanical parameters versus the morphological ones. The obtained results support the idea of cell mechanics-based cytotoxicity tests and suggest a common way of a cell responding to damaging actions by softening.
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Grigorev GV, Lebedev AV, Wang X, Qian X, Maksimov GV, Lin L. Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:117. [PMID: 36671952 PMCID: PMC9856164 DOI: 10.3390/bios13010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The utilizations of microfluidic chips for single RBC (red blood cell) studies have attracted great interests in recent years to filter, trap, analyze, and release single erythrocytes for various applications. Researchers in this field have highlighted the vast potential in developing micro devices for industrial and academia usages, including lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip systems. This article critically reviews the current state-of-the-art and recent advances of microfluidics for single RBC analyses, including integrated sensors and microfluidic platforms for microscopic/tomographic/spectroscopic single RBC analyses, trapping arrays (including bifurcating channels), dielectrophoretic and agglutination/aggregation studies, as well as clinical implications covering cancer, sepsis, prenatal, and Sickle Cell diseases. Microfluidics based RBC microarrays, sorting/counting and trapping techniques (including acoustic, dielectrophoretic, hydrodynamic, magnetic, and optical techniques) are also reviewed. Lastly, organs on chips, multi-organ chips, and drug discovery involving single RBC are described. The limitations and drawbacks of each technology are addressed and future prospects are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgii V. Grigorev
- Data Science and Information Technology Research Center, Tsinghua Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California in Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- School of Information Technology, Cherepovets State University, 162600 Cherepovets, Russia
| | - Alexander V. Lebedev
- Machine Building Department, Bauman Moscow State University, 105005 Moscow, Russia
| | - Xiaohao Wang
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiang Qian
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - George V. Maksimov
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Physical metallurgy Department, Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education National Research Technological University “MISiS”, 119049 Moscow, Russia
| | - Liwei Lin
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California in Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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McCorry MC, Reardon KF, Black M, Williams C, Babakhanova G, Halpern JM, Sarkar S, Swami NS, Mirica KA, Boermeester S, Underhill A. Sensor technologies for quality control in engineered tissue manufacturing. Biofabrication 2022; 15:10.1088/1758-5090/ac94a1. [PMID: 36150372 PMCID: PMC10283157 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac94a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The use of engineered cells, tissues, and organs has the opportunity to change the way injuries and diseases are treated. Commercialization of these groundbreaking technologies has been limited in part by the complex and costly nature of their manufacture. Process-related variability and even small changes in the manufacturing process of a living product will impact its quality. Without real-time integrated detection, the magnitude and mechanism of that impact are largely unknown. Real-time and non-destructive sensor technologies are key for in-process insight and ensuring a consistent product throughout commercial scale-up and/or scale-out. The application of a measurement technology into a manufacturing process requires cell and tissue developers to understand the best way to apply a sensor to their process, and for sensor manufacturers to understand the design requirements and end-user needs. Furthermore, sensors to monitor component cells' health and phenotype need to be compatible with novel integrated and automated manufacturing equipment. This review summarizes commercially relevant sensor technologies that can detect meaningful quality attributes during the manufacturing of regenerative medicine products, the gaps within each technology, and sensor considerations for manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Clare McCorry
- Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute, Manchester, NH 03101, United States of America
| | - Kenneth F Reardon
- Chemical and Biological Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521, United States of America
| | - Marcie Black
- Advanced Silicon Group, Lowell, MA 01854, United States of America
| | - Chrysanthi Williams
- Access Biomedical Solutions, Trinity, Florida 34655, United States of America
| | - Greta Babakhanova
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey M Halpern
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States of America
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States of America
| | - Sumona Sarkar
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, United States of America
| | - Nathan S Swami
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, United States of America
| | - Katherine A Mirica
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, United States of America
| | - Sarah Boermeester
- Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute, Manchester, NH 03101, United States of America
| | - Abbie Underhill
- Scientific Bioprocessing Inc., Pittsburgh, PA 15238, United States of America
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11
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Bain FM, Che JLC, Jassinskaja M, Kent DG. Lessons from early life: understanding development to expand stem cells and treat cancers. Development 2022; 149:277217. [PMID: 36217963 PMCID: PMC9724165 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201070] [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] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal is a process that is essential for the development and homeostasis of the blood system. Self-renewal expansion divisions, which create two daughter HSCs from a single parent HSC, can be harnessed to create large numbers of HSCs for a wide range of cell and gene therapies, but the same process is also a driver of the abnormal expansion of HSCs in diseases such as cancer. Although HSCs are first produced during early embryonic development, the key stage and location where they undergo maximal expansion is in the foetal liver, making this tissue a rich source of data for deciphering the molecules driving HSC self-renewal. Another equally interesting stage occurs post-birth, several weeks after HSCs have migrated to the bone marrow, when HSCs undergo a developmental switch and adopt a more dormant state. Characterising these transition points during development is key, both for understanding the evolution of haematological malignancies and for developing methods to promote HSC expansion. In this Spotlight article, we provide an overview of some of the key insights that studying HSC development have brought to the fields of HSC expansion and translational medicine, many of which set the stage for the next big breakthroughs in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona M. Bain
- Department of Biology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - James L. C. Che
- Department of Biology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Maria Jassinskaja
- Department of Biology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - David G. Kent
- Department of Biology, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
- Author for correspondence ()
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12
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Szittner Z, Péter B, Kurunczi S, Székács I, Horváth R. Functional blood cell analysis by label-free biosensors and single-cell technologies. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 308:102727. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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13
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Young KM, Shankles PG, Chen T, Ahkee K, Bules S, Sulchek T. Scaling microfluidic throughput with flow-balanced manifolds to simply control devices with multiple inlets and outlets. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2022; 16:034104. [PMID: 35600502 PMCID: PMC9118023 DOI: 10.1063/5.0080510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics can bring unique functionalities to cell processing, but the small channel dimensions often limit the throughput for cell processing that prevents scaling necessary for key applications. While processing throughput can be improved by increasing cell concentration or flow rate, an excessive number or velocity of cells can result in device failure. Designing parallel channels can linearly increase the throughput by channel number, but for microfluidic devices with multiple inlets and outlets, the design of the channel architecture with parallel channels can result in intractable numbers of inlets and outlets. We demonstrate an approach to use multiple parallel channels for complex microfluidic designs that uses a second manifold layer to connect three inlets and five outlets per channel in a manner that balances flow properties through each channel. The flow balancing in the individual microfluidic channels was accomplished through a combination of analytical and finite element analysis modeling. Volumetric flow and cell flow velocity were measured in each multiplexed channel to validate these models. We demonstrate eight-channel operation of a label-free mechanical separation device that retains the accuracy of a single channel separation. Using the parallelized device and a model biomechanical cell system for sorting of cells based on their viability, we processed over 16 × 106 cells total over three replicates at a rate of 5.3 × 106 cells per hour. Thus, parallelization of complex microfluidics with a flow-balanced manifold system can enable higher throughput processing with the same number of inlet and outlet channels to control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. Young
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Peter G. Shankles
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Theresa Chen
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Kelly Ahkee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Sydney Bules
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Todd Sulchek
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:. Phone: (404) 385-1887
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14
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Yeh PY, Snijders AM, Wang D. ViaChip for Size-based Enrichment of Viable Cells. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS. B, CHEMICAL 2022; 353:131159. [PMID: 34975229 PMCID: PMC8716015 DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2021.131159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Live cells acquire different fates including apoptosis, necrosis, and senescence in response to stress and stimuli. Rapid and label-free enrichment of live cells from a mixture of cells adopting various cell fates remains a challenge. We developed a ViaChip for high-throughput enrichment of Viable cells via size-based separation on a multi-stage microfluidic Chip. Our chip takes advantage of the characteristic increase in cell size during cellular senescence and decreases during apoptosis and necrosis, in comparison to their viable and healthy counterparts. The core component of our ViaChip is a slanted and tunable 3D filter array in the vertical direction (z-gap) for rapid and continuous cell sieving. The shape of the 3D filter array is optimized for target cells to prevent clogging during continuous separation. We demonstrated enrichment of live human and mouse mesenchymal stem cells in culture and from live animals, as well as the removal of senescent and necrotic MSCs, respectively, achieving an enrichment efficiency of ~67% with the continuous flow at 1.5 mL/hour. With further improvements in throughput and separation efficiency, our ViaChip could find applications in cell-based drug screening for anti-cancer and anti-aging cell therapies.
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15
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Kiru L, Zlitni A, Tousley AM, Dalton GN, Wu W, Lafortune F, Liu A, Cunanan KM, Nejadnik H, Sulchek T, Moseley ME, Majzner RG, Daldrup-Link HE. In vivo imaging of nanoparticle-labeled CAR T cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2102363119. [PMID: 35101971 PMCID: PMC8832996 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102363119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic osteosarcoma has a poor prognosis with a 2-y, event-free survival rate of ∼15 to 20%, highlighting the need for the advancement of efficacious therapeutics. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a potent strategy for eliminating tumors by harnessing the immune system. However, clinical trials with CAR T cells in solid tumors have encountered significant challenges and have not yet demonstrated convincing evidence of efficacy for a large number of patients. A major bottleneck for the success of CAR T-cell therapy is our inability to monitor the accumulation of the CAR T cells in the tumor with clinical-imaging techniques. To address this, we developed a clinically translatable approach for labeling CAR T cells with iron oxide nanoparticles, which enabled the noninvasive detection of the iron-labeled T cells with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic imaging (PAT), and magnetic particle imaging (MPI). Using a custom-made microfluidics device for T-cell labeling by mechanoporation, we achieved significant nanoparticle uptake in the CAR T cells, while preserving T-cell proliferation, viability, and function. Multimodal MRI, PAT, and MPI demonstrated homing of the T cells to osteosarcomas and off-target sites in animals administered with T cells labeled with the iron oxide nanoparticles, while T cells were not visualized in animals infused with unlabeled cells. This study details the successful labeling of CAR T cells with ferumoxytol, thereby paving the way for monitoring CAR T cells in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Kiru
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Aimen Zlitni
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | | | | | - Wei Wu
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Famyrah Lafortune
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Anna Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Kristen May Cunanan
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Hossein Nejadnik
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Todd Sulchek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Michael Eugene Moseley
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Robbie G Majzner
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Heike Elisabeth Daldrup-Link
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305;
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
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16
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Elsemary MT, Maritz MF, Smith LE, Warkiani M, Bandara V, Napoli S, Barry SC, Coombs JT, Thierry B. Inertial Microfluidic Purification of CAR-T-Cell Products. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2021; 6:e2101018. [PMID: 34881810 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202101018] [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: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy is rapidly becoming a frontline cancer therapy. However, the manufacturing process is time-, labor- and cost-intensive, and it suffers from significant bottlenecks. Many CAR-T products fail to reach the viability release criteria set by regulators for commercial cell therapy products. This results in non-recoupable costs for the manufacturer and is detrimental to patients who may not receive their scheduled treatment or receive out-of-specification suboptimal formulation. It is demonstrated here that inertial microfluidics can, within minutes, efficiently deplete nonviable cells from low-viability CAR-T cell products. The percentage of viable cells increases from 40% (SD ± 0.12) to 71% (SD ± 0.09) for untransduced T cells and from 51% (SD ± 0.12) to 71% (SD ± 0.09) for CAR-T cells, which meets the clinical trials' release parameters. In addition, the processing of CAR-T cells formulated in CryStor yields a 91% reduction in the amount of the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide. Inertial microfluidic processing has no detrimental effects on the proliferation and cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells. Interestingly, ≈50% of T-regulatory and T-suppressor cells are depleted, suggesting the potential for inertial microfluidic processing to tune the phenotypical composition of T-cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona T Elsemary
- Future Industries Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Michelle F Maritz
- Future Industries Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Louise E Smith
- Future Industries Institute, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Majid Warkiani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | | | - Silvana Napoli
- Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5006, Australia
| | - Simon C Barry
- Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5006, Australia
| | | | - Benjamin Thierry
- Future Industries Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
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17
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Choi G, Tang Z, Guan W. Microfluidic high-throughput single-cell mechanotyping: Devices and
applications. NANOTECHNOLOGY AND PRECISION ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.1063/10.0006042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gihoon Choi
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802,
USA
| | - Zifan Tang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802,
USA
| | - Weihua Guan
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802,
USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802,
USA
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18
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Mustafa A, Pedone E, Marucci L, Moschou D, Lorenzo MD. A flow-through microfluidic chip for continuous dielectrophoretic separation of viable and non-viable human T-cells. Electrophoresis 2021; 43:501-508. [PMID: 34717293 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Effective methods for rapid sorting of cells according to their viability are critical in T cells based therapies to prevent any risk to patients. In this context, we present a novel microfluidic device that continuously separates viable and non-viable T-cells according to their dielectric properties. A dielectrophoresis (DEP) force is generated by an array of castellated microelectrodes embedded into a microfluidic channel with a single inlet and two outlets; cells subjected to positive DEP forces are drawn toward the electrodes array and leave from the top outlet, those subjected to negative DEP forces are repelled away from the electrodes and leave from the bottom outlet. Computational fluid dynamics is used to predict the device separation efficacy, according to the applied alternative current (AC) frequency, at which the cells move from/to a negative/positive DEP region and the ionic strength of the suspension medium. The model is used to support the design of the operational conditions, confirming a separation efficiency, in terms of purity, of 96% under an applied AC frequency of 1.5 × 106 Hz and a flow rate of 20 μl/h. This work represents the first example of effective continuous sorting of viable and non-viable human T-cells in a single-inlet microfluidic chip, paving the way for lab-on-a-chip applications at the point of need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adil Mustafa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Centre for Biosensors, Bioelectronics and Biodevices, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Current address: Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Elisa Pedone
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Lucia Marucci
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Despina Moschou
- Centre for Biosensors, Bioelectronics and Biodevices, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Mirella Di Lorenzo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Centre for Biosensors, Bioelectronics and Biodevices, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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19
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Chrit FE, Raj A, Young KM, Stone NE, Shankles PG, Lokireddy K, Flowers C, Waller EK, Alexeev A, Sulchek T. Microfluidic Platform to Transduce Cell Viability to Distinct Flow Pathways for High-Accuracy Sensing. ACS Sens 2021; 6:3789-3799. [PMID: 34546721 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c01770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mechanical properties of cells such as stiffness can act as biomarkers to sort or detect cell functional properties such as viability. In this study, we report the use of a microfluidic device as a high-sensitivity sensor that transduces cell biomechanics to cell separation to accurately detect viability. Cell populations are flowed and deflected at a number of skew ridges such that deflection per ridge, cell-ridge interaction time, and cell size can all be used as sensor inputs to accurately determine the cell state. The angle of the ridges was evaluated to optimize the differences in cell translation between viable and nonviable cells while allowing continuous flow. In the first mode of operation, we flowed viable and nonviable cells through the device and conducted a sensitivity analysis by recording the cell's total deflection as a binary classifier that differentiates viable from nonviable cells. The performance of the sensor was assessed using an area under the curve (AUC) analysis to be 0.97. By including additional sensor inputs in the second mode of operation, we conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) to further improve the identification of the cell state by clustering populations with little overlap between viable and nonviable cells. We therefore found that microfluidic separation devices can be used to efficiently sort cells and accurately sense viability in a label-free manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Ezahra Chrit
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Abhishek Raj
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Katherine M. Young
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Nicholas E. Stone
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Peter G. Shankles
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Kesiharjun Lokireddy
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Christopher Flowers
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton NE Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Edmund K. Waller
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton NE Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Alexander Alexeev
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Todd Sulchek
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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20
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Yellen BB, Zawistowski JS, Czech EA, Sanford CI, SoRelle ED, Luftig MA, Forbes ZG, Wood KC, Hammerbacher J. Massively parallel quantification of phenotypic heterogeneity in single-cell drug responses. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabf9840. [PMID: 34533995 PMCID: PMC8448449 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf9840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell analysis tools have made substantial advances in characterizing genomic heterogeneity; however, tools for measuring phenotypic heterogeneity have lagged due to the increased difficulty of handling live biology. Here, we report a single-cell phenotyping tool capable of measuring image-based clonal properties at scales approaching 100,000 clones per experiment. These advances are achieved by exploiting a previously unidentified flow regime in ladder microfluidic networks that, under appropriate conditions, yield a mathematically perfect cell trap. Machine learning and computer vision tools are used to control the imaging hardware and analyze the cellular phenotypic parameters within these images. Using this platform, we quantified the responses of tens of thousands of single cell–derived acute myeloid leukemia (AML) clones to targeted therapy, identifying rare resistance and morphological phenotypes at frequencies down to 0.05%. This approach can be extended to higher-level cellular architectures such as cell pairs and organoids and on-chip live-cell fluorescence assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin B Yellen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Celldom Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | | | - Eric A Czech
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Caleb I Sanford
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Elliott D SoRelle
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Micah A Luftig
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Virology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | - Kris C Wood
- Celldom Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jeff Hammerbacher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
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21
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Stone NE, Raj A, Young KM, DeLuca AP, Chrit FE, Tucker BA, Alexeev A, McDonald J, Benigno BB, Sulchek T. Label-free microfluidic enrichment of cancer cells from non-cancer cells in ascites. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18032. [PMID: 34504124 PMCID: PMC8429413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96862-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The isolation of a patient's metastatic cancer cells is the first, enabling step toward treatment of that patient using modern personalized medicine techniques. Whereas traditional standard-of-care approaches select treatments for cancer patients based on the histological classification of cancerous tissue at the time of diagnosis, personalized medicine techniques leverage molecular and functional analysis of a patient's own cancer cells to select treatments with the highest likelihood of being effective. Unfortunately, the pure populations of cancer cells required for these analyses can be difficult to acquire, given that metastatic cancer cells typically reside in fluid containing many different cell populations. Detection and analyses of cancer cells therefore require separation from these contaminating cells. Conventional cell sorting approaches such as Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting or Magnetic Activated Cell Sorting rely on the presence of distinct surface markers on cells of interest which may not be known nor exist for cancer applications. In this work, we present a microfluidic platform capable of label-free enrichment of tumor cells from the ascites fluid of ovarian cancer patients. This approach sorts cells based on differences in biomechanical properties, and therefore does not require any labeling or other pre-sort interference with the cells. The method is also useful in the cases when specific surface markers do not exist for cells of interest. In model ovarian cancer cell lines, the method was used to separate invasive subtypes from less invasive subtypes with an enrichment of ~ sixfold. In ascites specimens from ovarian cancer patients, we found the enrichment protocol resulted in an improved purity of P53 mutant cells indicative of the presence of ovarian cancer cells. We believe that this technology could enable the application of personalized medicine based on analysis of liquid biopsy patient specimens, such as ascites from ovarian cancer patients, for quick evaluation of metastatic disease progression and determination of patient-specific treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Stone
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Abhishek Raj
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihar, 801103, India
| | - Katherine M Young
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0535, USA
| | - Adam P DeLuca
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Carver College of Medicine, Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Fatima Ezahra Chrit
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Budd A Tucker
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Carver College of Medicine, Institute for Vision Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Alexander Alexeev
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - John McDonald
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0405, USA
| | | | - Todd Sulchek
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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22
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Li H, Luo Q, Shan W, Cai S, Tie R, Xu Y, Lin Y, Qian P, Huang H. Biomechanical cues as master regulators of hematopoietic stem cell fate. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5881-5902. [PMID: 34232331 PMCID: PMC8316214 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03882-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) perceive both soluble signals and biomechanical inputs from their microenvironment and cells themselves. Emerging as critical regulators of the blood program, biomechanical cues such as extracellular matrix stiffness, fluid mechanical stress, confined adhesiveness, and cell-intrinsic forces modulate multiple capacities of HSCs through mechanotransduction. In recent years, research has furthered the scientific community's perception of mechano-based signaling networks in the regulation of several cellular processes. However, the underlying molecular details of the biomechanical regulatory paradigm in HSCs remain poorly elucidated and researchers are still lacking in the ability to produce bona fide HSCs ex vivo for clinical use. This review presents an overview of the mechanical control of both embryonic and adult HSCs, discusses some recent insights into the mechanisms of mechanosensing and mechanotransduction, and highlights the application of mechanical cues aiming at HSC expansion or differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghu Li
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Luo
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Shan
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuyang Cai
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruxiu Tie
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yulin Xu
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Lin
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Pengxu Qian
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China.
- Dr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - He Huang
- Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, 310012, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
- Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China.
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23
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Teplický T, Mateašík A, Balázsiová Z, Kajo K, Vallová M, Filová B, Trnka M, Čunderlíková B. Phenotypical modifications of immune cells are enhanced by extracellular matrix. Exp Cell Res 2021; 405:112710. [PMID: 34174319 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112710] [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: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Immune cells not only constitute tumour microenvironment but they may even affect disease prognosis as a result of dual functional roles that they may play in tumour tissues. Two frequently used established immune cell lines (lymphocytic Jurkat and monocytic THP-1) were used to test whether microenvironmental factors, especially molecular components of extracellular matrix, can shape the phenotype of immune cells. Proliferation, morphological and phenotypical analyses were applied to compare behaviour of the immune cells, typically cultured as suspensions in culture medium, with their behaviour in collagen type I-based and Matrigel-based 3D cultures. Density of both immune cell types in routine suspension cultures affected their subsequent proliferation in extracellular matrices. THP-1 cells appeared to be more sensitive to their surrounding microenvironment as judged from extracellular matrix type-dependent changes in their cell doubling times and from slight increase in their diameters in both extracellular matrix-containing cell cultures. Moreover, even chemically uninduced monocytic THP-1 cells were present in a minor fraction as CD68 positive cell population in collagen type I matrix indicating their partial differentiation to macrophages. Observed modifications of immune cells by microenvironmental factors may have profound implications for their roles in healthy and pathological tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor Teplický
- Institute of Medical Physics, Biophysics, Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Anton Mateašík
- International Laser Centre, Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Balázsiová
- Institute of Medical Physics, Biophysics, Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Karol Kajo
- Department of Pathology, St. Elisabeth Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia; Biomedical Research Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Miroslava Vallová
- Department of Pathology, St. Elisabeth Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Barbora Filová
- Institute of Medical Physics, Biophysics, Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Trnka
- Institute of Medical Physics, Biophysics, Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Beata Čunderlíková
- Institute of Medical Physics, Biophysics, Informatics and Telemedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia; International Laser Centre, Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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24
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Meng H, Chowdhury TT, Gavara N. The Mechanical Interplay Between Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Gelatin-Based Substrates Measured by Atomic Force Microscopy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:697525. [PMID: 34235158 PMCID: PMC8255986 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.697525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional methods to assess hMSCs differentiation typically require long-term culture until cells show marked expression of histological markers such as lipid accumulation inside the cytoplasm or mineral deposition onto the surrounding matrix. In parallel, stem cell differentiation has been shown to involve the reorganization of the cell’s cytoskeleton shortly after differentiation induced by soluble factors. Given the cytoskeleton’s role in determining the mechanical properties of adherent cells, the mechanical characterization of stem cells could thus be a potential tool to assess cellular commitment at much earlier time points. In this study, we measured the mechanical properties of hMSCs cultured on soft gelatin-based hydrogels at multiple time points after differentiation induction toward adipogenic or osteogenic lineages. Our results show that the mechanical properties of cells (stiffness and viscosity) and the organization of the actin cytoskeleton are highly correlated with lineage commitment. Most importantly, we also found that the mechanical properties and the topography of the gelatin substrate in the vicinity of the cells are also altered as differentiation progresses toward the osteogenic lineage, but not on the adipogenic case. Together, these results confirm the biophysical changes associated with stem cell differentiation and suggest a mechanical interplay between the differentiating stem cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxu Meng
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tina T Chowdhury
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Núria Gavara
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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25
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The role of physical cues in the development of stem cell-derived organoids. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2021; 51:105-117. [PMID: 34120215 PMCID: PMC8964551 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-021-01551-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Organoids are a novel three-dimensional stem cells’ culture system that allows the in vitro recapitulation of organs/tissues structure complexity. Pluripotent and adult stem cells are included in a peculiar microenvironment consisting of a supporting structure (an extracellular matrix (ECM)-like component) and a cocktail of soluble bioactive molecules that, together, mimic the stem cell niche organization. It is noteworthy that the balance of all microenvironmental components is the most critical step for obtaining the successful development of an accurate organoid instead of an organoid with heterogeneous morphology, size, and cellular composition. Within this system, mechanical forces exerted on stem cells are collected by cellular proteins and transduced via mechanosensing—mechanotransduction mechanisms in biochemical signaling that dictate the stem cell specification process toward the formation of organoids. This review discusses the role of the environment in organoids formation and focuses on the effect of physical components on the developmental system. The work starts with a biological description of organoids and continues with the relevance of physical forces in the organoid environment formation. In this context, the methods used to generate organoids and some relevant published reports are discussed as examples showing the key role of mechanosensing–mechanotransduction mechanisms in stem cell-derived organoids.
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26
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Biochip with multi-planar electrodes geometry for differentiation of non-spherical bioparticles in a microchannel. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11880. [PMID: 34088942 PMCID: PMC8178319 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91109-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A biosensor capable of differentiating cells or other microparticles based on morphology finds significant biomedical applications. Examples may include morphological determination in the cellular division process, differentiation of bacterial cells, and cellular morphological variation in inflammation and cancer etc. Here, we present a novel integrated multi-planar microelectrodes geometry design that can distinguish a non-spherical individual particle flowing along a microchannel based on its electrical signature. We simulated multi-planar electrodes design in COMSOL Multiphysics and have shown that the changes in electrical field intensity corresponding to multiple particle morphologies can be distinguished. Our initial investigation has shown that top-bottom electrodes configuration produces significantly enhanced signal strength for a spherical particle as compared to co-planar configuration. Next, we integrated the co-planar and top-bottom configurations to develop a multi-planar microelectrode design capable of electrical impedance measurement at different spatial planes inside a microchannel by collecting multiple output signatures. We tested our integrated multi-planar electrode design with particles of different elliptical morphologies by gradually changing spherical particle dimensions to the non-spherical. The computed electrical signal ratio of non-spherical to spherical particle shows a very good correlation to predict the particle morphology. The biochip sensitivity is also found be independent of orientation of the particle flowing in the microchannel. Our integrated design will help develop the technology that will allow morphological analysis of various bioparticles in a microfluidic channel in the future.
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27
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Cermeño EA, O'Melia MJ, Han WM, Veith A, Barber G, Huang EH, Thomas SN, García AJ. Hydrodynamic shear-based purification of cancer cells with enhanced tumorigenic potential. Integr Biol (Camb) 2021; 12:1-11. [PMID: 31965190 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyz038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Tumor-initiating cells (TICs), a subpopulation of cancerous cells with high tumorigenic potential and stem-cell-like properties, drive tumor progression and are resistant to conventional therapies. Identification and isolation of TICs are limited by their low frequency and lack of robust markers. Here, we characterize the heterogeneous adhesive properties of a panel of human and murine cancer cells and demonstrate differences in adhesion strength among cells, which exhibit TIC properties and those that do not. These differences in adhesion strength were exploited to rapidly (~10 min) and efficiently isolate cancerous cells with increased tumorigenic potential in a label-free manner by use of a microfluidic technology. Isolated murine and human cancer cells gave rise to larger tumors with increased growth rate and higher frequency in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice, respectively. This rapid and label-free TIC isolation technology has the potential to be a valuable tool for facilitating research into TIC biology and the development of more efficient diagnostics and cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efraín A Cermeño
- Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Meghan J O'Melia
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech/Emory, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Woojin M Han
- Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Austin Veith
- Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Graham Barber
- Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emina H Huang
- Lerner Research Institute, Department of Cancer Biology, Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Susan N Thomas
- Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Andrés J García
- Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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28
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Ambekar YS, Singh M, Scarcelli G, Rueda EM, Hall BM, Poché RA, Larin KV. Characterization of retinal biomechanical properties using Brillouin microscopy. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2020; 25:JBO-200208LR. [PMID: 32981240 PMCID: PMC7519206 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.25.9.090502] [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: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE The retina is critical for vision, and several diseases may alter its biomechanical properties. However, assessing the biomechanical properties of the retina nondestructively is a challenge due to its fragile nature and location within the eye globe. Advancements in Brillouin spectroscopy have provided the means for nondestructive investigations of retina biomechanical properties. AIM We assessed the biomechanical properties of mouse retinas using Brillouin microscopy noninvasively and showed the potential of Brillouin microscopy to differentiate the type and layers of retinas based on stiffness. APPROACH We used Brillouin microscopy to quantify stiffness of fresh and paraformaldehyde (PFA)-fixed retinas. As further proof-of-concept, we demonstrated a change in the stiffness of a retina with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced damage, compared to an undamaged sample. RESULTS We found that the retina layers with higher cell body density had higher Brillouin modulus compared to less cell-dense layers. We have also demonstrated that PFA-fixed retina samples were stiffer compared with fresh samples. Further, NMDA-induced neurotoxicity leads to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and reactive gliosis, increasing the stiffness of the RGC layer. CONCLUSION Brillouin microscopy can be used to characterize the stiffness distribution of the layers of the retina and can be used to differentiate tissue at different conditions based on biomechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogeshwari S. Ambekar
- University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Manmohan Singh
- University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Giuliano Scarcelli
- University of Maryland, Fischell Department of Bioengineering, College Park, Maryland, United States
| | - Elda M. Rueda
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Benjamin M. Hall
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Ross A. Poché
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, United States
- Address all correspondence to Ross A. Poché, E-mail: ; Kirill V. Larin, E-mail:
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- University of Houston, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Houston, Texas, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Houston, Texas, United States
- Address all correspondence to Ross A. Poché, E-mail: ; Kirill V. Larin, E-mail:
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29
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Labib M, Philpott DN, Wang Z, Nemr C, Chen JB, Sargent EH, Kelley SO. Magnetic Ranking Cytometry: Profiling Rare Cells at the Single-Cell Level. Acc Chem Res 2020; 53:1445-1457. [PMID: 32662263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity in biological systems presents major challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and also complicates the deconvolution of complex cellular phenomena. Single-cell analysis methods provide information that is not masked by the intrinsic heterogeneity of the bulk population and can therefore be applied to gain insights into heterogeneity among different cell subpopulations with fine resolution. Over the last 5 years, an explosion in the number of single-cell measurement methods has occurred. However, most of these methods are applicable to pure populations of cultured cells and are not able to handle high levels of phenotypic heterogeneity or a large background of nontarget cells. Microfluidics is an attractive tool for single cell manipulation as it enables individual encasing of single cells, allowing for high-throughput analysis with precise control of the local environment. Our laboratory has developed a new microfluidics-based analytical strategy to meet this unmet need referred to as magnetic ranking cytometry (MagRC). Cells expressing a biomarker of interest are labeled with receptor-coated magnetic nanoparticles and isolated from nontarget cells using a microfluidic device. The device ranks the cells according to the level of bound magnetic nanoparticles, which corresponds to the expression level of a target biomarker. Over the last several years, two generations of MagRC devices have been developed for different applications. The first-generation MagRC devices are powerful tools for the quantitation and analysis of rare cells present in heterogeneous samples, such as circulating tumor cells, stem cells, and pathogenic bacteria. The second-generation MagRC devices are compatible with the efficient recovery of cells sorted on the basis of protein expression and can be used to analyze large populations of cells and perform phenotypic CRISPR screens. To improve analytical precision, newer iterations of the first-generation and second-generation MagRC devices have been integrated with electrochemical sensors and Hall effect sensors, respectively. Both generations of MagRC devices permit the isolation of viable cells, which sets the stage for a wide range of applications, such as generating cell lines from rare cells and in vitro screening for effective therapeutic interventions in cancer patients to realize the promise of personalized medicine. This Account summarizes the development and application of the MagRC and describes a suite of advances that have enabled single-cell tumor cell analysis and monitoring tumor response to therapy, stem cell analysis, and detection of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Labib
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - David N. Philpott
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Zongjie Wang
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada
| | - Carine Nemr
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada
| | - Jenise B. Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada
| | - Edward H. Sargent
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Shana O. Kelley
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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30
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Stone NE, Voigt AP, Cooke JA, Giacalone JC, Hanasoge S, Mullins RF, Tucker BA, Sulchek T. Label-free microfluidic enrichment of photoreceptor cells. Exp Eye Res 2020; 199:108166. [PMID: 32771499 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Inherited retinal degenerative disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa and Usher syndrome are characterized by progressive death of photoreceptor cells. To restore vision to patients blinded by these diseases, a stem cell-based photoreceptor cell replacement strategy will likely be required. Although retinal stem cell differentiation protocols suitable for generating photoreceptor cells exist, they often yield a rather heterogenous mixture of cell types. To enrich the donor cell population for one or a few cell types, scientists have traditionally relied upon the use of antibody-based selection approaches. However, these strategies are quite labor intensive and require animal derived reagents and equipment that are not well suited to current good manufacturing practices (cGMP). The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a microfluidic cell sorting device capable of exploiting the physical and mechanical differences between retinal cell types to enrich specific donor cell populations such as Retinal Pigment Epithelial (RPE) cells and photoreceptor cells. Using this device, we were able to separate a mixture of RPE and iPSC-derived photoreceptor precursor cell lines into two substantially enriched fractions. The enrichment factor of the RPE fraction was 2 and that of the photoreceptor precursor cell fraction was 2.7. Similarly, when human retina, obtained from 3 independent donors, was dissociated and passed through the sorting device, the heterogeneous mixture could be reliably sorted into RPE and photoreceptor cell rich fractions. In summary, microfluidic cell sorting is a promising approach for antibody free enrichment of retinal cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Stone
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Andrew P Voigt
- Institute for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Jessica A Cooke
- Institute for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Joseph C Giacalone
- Institute for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Srinivas Hanasoge
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Robert F Mullins
- Institute for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Budd A Tucker
- Institute for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Todd Sulchek
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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31
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Islam M, Raj A, McFarland B, Brink HM, Ciciliano J, Fay M, Myers DR, Flowers C, Waller EK, Lam W, Alexeev A, Sulchek T. Stiffness based enrichment of leukemia cells using microfluidics. APL Bioeng 2020; 4:036101. [PMID: 32637856 PMCID: PMC7332299 DOI: 10.1063/1.5143436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
To improve the survival rate of cancer patients, new diagnosis strategies are necessary to detect lower levels of cancer cells before and after treatment regimens. The scarcity of diseased cells, particularly in residual disease after treatment, demands highly sensitive detection approaches or the ability to enrich the diseased cells in relation to normal cells. We report a label-free microfluidic approach to enrich leukemia cells from healthy cells using inherent differences in cell biophysical properties. The microfluidic device consists of a channel with an array of diagonal ridges that recurrently compress and translate flowing cells in proportion to cell stiffness. Using devices optimized for acute T cell leukemia model Jurkat, the stiffer white blood cells were translated orthogonally to the channel length, while softer leukemia cells followed hydrodynamic flow. The device enriched Jurkat leukemia cells from white blood cells with an enrichment factor of over 760. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the device were found to be >0.8. The values of sensitivity and specificity could be adjusted by selecting one or multiple outlets for analysis. We demonstrate that low levels of Jurkat leukemia cells (1 in 104 white blood cells) could be more quickly detected using flow cytometry by using the stiffness sorting pre-enrichment. In a second mode of operation, the device was implemented to sort resistive leukemia cells from both drug-sensitive leukemia cells and normal white blood cells. Therefore, microfluidic biomechanical sorting can be a useful tool to enrich leukemia cells that may improve downstream analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhymin Islam
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Abhishek Raj
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
| | - Brynn McFarland
- The School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 310 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Hannah Maxine Brink
- The School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 310 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Jordan Ciciliano
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Meredith Fay
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - David Richard Myers
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Christopher Flowers
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton NE Rd.: Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Edmund K Waller
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton NE Rd.: Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Wilbur Lam
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0535, USA
| | - Alexander Alexeev
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405, USA
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32
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Zhang J, Chintalaramulu N, Vadivelu R, An H, Yuan D, Jin J, Ooi CH, Cock IE, Li W, Nguyen NT. Inertial Microfluidic Purification of Floating Cancer Cells for Drug Screening and Three-Dimensional Tumor Models. Anal Chem 2020; 92:11558-11564. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Naveen Chintalaramulu
- School of Environment and Science, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Raja Vadivelu
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Hongjie An
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Dan Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Jing Jin
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Chin Hong Ooi
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Ian Edwin Cock
- School of Environment and Science, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Weihua Li
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia
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Chen Z, Jiang K, Zou Z, Luo X, Lim CT, Wen C. High-throughput and label-free isolation of senescent murine mesenchymal stem cells. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:034106. [PMID: 32477445 PMCID: PMC7244328 DOI: 10.1063/5.0011925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Under internal or external insults such as aging and oxidative stresses, cells are induced into a senescent state and stop cellular division permanently. As senescent cells (SnCs) accumulate, the regeneration capacity of biological tissue would be compromised, which has been found to be associated with a plethora of age-related disorders. Therefore, isolating SnCs becomes necessary. To address the lack of effective surface markers for SnCs isolation, a label-free microfluidic device was proposed in this paper, in which a spiral microchannel was deployed to isolate SnCs based on their size differences. We adopted a well-received cellular senescence model by exerting excessive oxidative stress to murine mesenchymal stem cells. This model was then validated through a series of SnCs characterizations including size measurement, p16INK4a expression level, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase, and doubling time. The senescence chip demonstrated an efficiency of 75% and viability over 85% at a flow rate of 5 ml/min. The average cell size from the inner outlet was 5 μm larger than that from the outer outlet. The isolated cells had a sixfold higher p16INK4a expression level. Overall, the chip had an area under curve of 0.719 in the receiver operating characteristic analysis, showing decent performance in sorting SnCs. By having the ability to perform size-based sorting at a high flow rate, such a microfluidic device can provide high-throughput and label-free isolation of SnCs. To further improve the isolation performance, the device can be modified to introduce additional physical biomarkers of SnCs such as stiffness. This device poses a good potential in purification for cytotherapy or estimation of biological age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengkun Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kuan Jiang
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | - Zhou Zou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaohe Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Chunyi Wen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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Liu A, Yu T, Young K, Stone N, Hanasoge S, Kirby TJ, Varadarajan V, Colonna N, Liu J, Raj A, Lammerding J, Alexeev A, Sulchek T. Cell Mechanical and Physiological Behavior in the Regime of Rapid Mechanical Compressions that Lead to Cell Volume Change. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1903857. [PMID: 31782912 PMCID: PMC7012384 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201903857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Cells respond to mechanical forces by deforming in accordance with viscoelastic solid behavior. Studies of microscale cell deformation observed by high speed video microscopy have elucidated a new cell behavior in which sufficiently rapid mechanical compression of cells can lead to transient cell volume loss and then recovery. This work has discovered that the resulting volume exchange between the cell interior and the surrounding fluid can be utilized for efficient, convective delivery of large macromolecules (2000 kDa) to the cell interior. However, many fundamental questions remain about this cell behavior, including the range of deformation time scales that result in cell volume loss and the physiological effects experienced by the cell. In this study, a relationship is established between cell viscoelastic properties and the inertial forces imposed on the cell that serves as a predictor of cell volume loss across human cell types. It is determined that cells maintain nuclear envelope integrity and demonstrate low protein loss after the volume exchange process. These results define a highly controlled cell volume exchange mechanism for intracellular delivery of large macromolecules that maintains cell viability and function for invaluable downstream research and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Liu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0535, USA
| | - Tong Yu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0535, USA
| | - Katherine Young
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0535, USA
| | - Nicholas Stone
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0405, USA
| | - Srinivas Hanasoge
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0405, USA
| | - Tyler J. Kirby
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Vikram Varadarajan
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0535, USA
| | - Nicholas Colonna
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0535, USA
| | - Janet Liu
- Aragon High School, 900 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA, 94402, USA
| | - Abhishek Raj
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0405, USA
| | - Jan Lammerding
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Alexander Alexeev
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0405, USA
| | - Todd Sulchek
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0405, USA
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Designing Microfluidic Devices to Sort Haematopoietic Stem Cells Based on Their Mechanical Properties. Stem Cells Int 2019; 2019:8540706. [PMID: 31582990 PMCID: PMC6748184 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8540706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim Few haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) injected systemically for therapeutic purposes actually reach sites of injury as the vast majority become entrapped within pulmonary capillaries. One promising approach to maintain circulating HSC numbers would be to separate subpopulations with smaller size and/or greater deformability from a heterogeneous population. This study tested whether this could be achieved using label-free microfluidic devices. Methods 2 straight (A-B) and 3 spiral (C-E) devices were fabricated with different dimensions. Cell sorting was performed at different flow rates after which cell diameter and stiffness were determined using micromanipulation. Cells isolated using the most efficient device were tested intravitally for their ability to home to the mouse injured gut. Results Only straight Device B at a high flow rate separated HSCs with different mechanical properties. Side outlets collected mostly deformable cells (nominal rupture stress/σR = 6.81 kPa; coefficient of variation/CV = 0.31) at a throughput of 2.3 × 105 cells/min. All spiral devices at high flow rates separated HSCs with different stiffness and size. Inner outlets collected mostly deformable cells in Devices C (σR = 25.06 kPa; CV = 0.26), D (σR = 22.21 kPa; CV = 0.41), and E (σR = 29.26 kPa; CV = 0.27) at throughputs of 2.3 × 105 cells/min, 1.5 × 105 cells/min, and 1.6 × 105 cells/min, respectively. Since Device C separated cells with higher efficiency and throughput, it was utilized to test the homing ability of separated cells in vivo. Significantly more deformable cells were observed trafficking through the injured gut—interestingly, increased retention was not observed. Conclusion This study applied microfluidics to separate subpopulations from one stem cell type based on their intrinsic mechanical heterogeneity. Fluid dynamics within curved devices most effectively separated HSCs. Such devices may benefit cellular therapy.
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Planar AFM macro-probes to study the biomechanical properties of large cells and 3D cell spheroids. Acta Biomater 2019; 94:505-513. [PMID: 31154056 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.05.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The ability to measure mechanical response of cells under applied load is essential for developing more accurate models of cell mechanics and mechanotransduction. Living cells have been mechanically investigated by several approaches. Among them, atomic force microscopy (AFM) is widely used thanks to its high versatility and sensitivity. In the case of large cells or 3D multicellular aggregates, standard AFM probes may not be appropriate to investigate the mechanical properties of the whole biological system. Owing to their size, standard AFM probes can compress only a single somatic cell or part of it. To fill this gap, we have designed and fabricated planar AFM macro-probes compatible with commercial AFM instruments. The probes are constituted of a large flat compression plate, connected to the chip by two flexible arms, whose mechanical characteristics are tuned for specific biological applications. As proof of concept, we have used the macro-probes to measure the viscoelasticity of large spherical biological systems, which have a diameter above 100 μm: human oocytes and 3D cell spheroids. Compression experiments are combined with visual inspection, using a side-view configuration imaging, which allows us to monitor the sample morphology during the compression and to correlate it with the viscoelastic parameters. Our measurements provide a quantitative estimate of the relaxation times of such biological systems, which are discussed in relation to data present in literature. The broad applicability of the AFM macro-probes can be relevant to study the biomechanical features in any biological process involving large soft materials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The understanding of the role of physical factors in defining cell and tissue functions requires to develop new methods or improve the existing ones to accurately measure the biomechanical properties. AFM is a sensitive and versatile tool to measure the mechanical features from single proteins to single cells. When cells or cell aggregates exceed few tens of microns, AFM suffers from limitations. On these biological systems the control of the contact area and the application of a precise uniform compression becomes crucial. A modification of the standard cantilevers fabrication allowed us obtaining AFM macro-probes, having large planar contact area and spring constant suitable for biological investigations. They were demonstrated valuable to characterize the mechanical properties of large hierarchical biological systems.
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Giolo E, Martinelli M, Luppi S, Romano F, Ricci G, Lazzarino M, Andolfi L. Study of the mechanical properties of fresh and cryopreserved individual human oocytes. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2019; 48:585-592. [PMID: 31230258 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-019-01379-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
In assisted reproduction technologies, the cryopreservation of oocytes is a common procedure used to circumvent female infertility. However, some morphological and functional alterations of oocytes have been observed depending on the protocol applied. In this work, the mechanical response of individual human oocytes before and after a freeze-thawing procedure was characterised. Oocytes, immediately after retrieval, were morphologically evaluated by bright-field optical microscopy and their elasticity measured by indentation measurements using atomic force microscopy. Oocytes were then frozen according to the open-vitrification protocol and stored in liquid nitrogen. Afterwards, the same oocytes were thawed and the indentation measurements repeated. Using this approach, we can follow the elasticity of a set of single oocytes from retrieval up to the freeze-thawing procedure. The analysis of the resulting data shows that the retrieved healthy oocytes, which preserve their healthy morphological features after cryopreservation, maintain unchanged also in stiffness values. In contrast, oocytes having dysmorphic characteristics, before and/or after freeze-thawing, show significant variations in their mechanical response. In addition, the dysmorphic oocytes are generally observed to be softer than the healthy oocytes. Our results indicate that stiffness of healthy oocytes is not considerably affected by the open-vitrification-thawing procedure, and that distinct elasticity ranges can be identified for healthy and dysmorphic oocytes. These findings indicate that the mechanical characterization of oocytes represents an opportunity to detect cellular defects, and assess the quality and bio-viability of processes such as cryopreservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Giolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Monica Martinelli
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefania Luppi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Federico Romano
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy. .,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Marco Lazzarino
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Basovizza, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Laura Andolfi
- Istituto Officina dei Materiali, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Basovizza, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
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38
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Kan A, Joshi NS. Towards the directed evolution of protein materials. MRS COMMUNICATIONS 2019; 9:441-455. [PMID: 31750012 PMCID: PMC6867688 DOI: 10.1557/mrc.2019.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based materials have emerged as a powerful instrument for a new generation of biological materials, with many chemical and mechanical capabilities. Through the manipulation of DNA, researchers can design proteins at the molecular level, engineering a vast array of structural building blocks. However, our capability to rationally design and predict the properties of such materials is limited by the vastness of possible sequence space. Directed evolution has emerged as a powerful tool to improve biological systems through mutation and selection, presenting another avenue to produce novel protein materials. In this prospective review, we discuss the application of directed evolution for protein materials, reviewing current examples and developments that could facilitate the evolution of protein for material applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Kan
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Neel S. Joshi
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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39
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Grenci G, Bertocchi C, Ravasio A. Integrating Microfabrication into Biological Investigations: the Benefits of Interdisciplinarity. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:E252. [PMID: 30995747 PMCID: PMC6523848 DOI: 10.3390/mi10040252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The advent of micro and nanotechnologies, such as microfabrication, have impacted scientific research and contributed to meaningful real-world applications, to a degree seen during historic technological revolutions. Some key areas benefitting from the invention and advancement of microfabrication platforms are those of biological and biomedical sciences. Modern therapeutic approaches, involving point-of-care, precision or personalized medicine, are transitioning from the experimental phase to becoming the standard of care. At the same time, biological research benefits from the contribution of microfluidics at every level from single cell to tissue engineering and organoids studies. The aim of this commentary is to describe, through proven examples, the interdisciplinary process used to develop novel biological technologies and to emphasize the role of technical knowledge in empowering researchers who are specialized in a niche area to look beyond and innovate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Grenci
- Mechanobiology Institute (MBI), National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore.
- Biomedical Engineering Department, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore.
| | - Cristina Bertocchi
- Department of Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330025, Chile.
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile.
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40
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Aljaghtham MS, Liu ZL, Guo JJ, He J, Celik E. Numerical simulations of cell flow and trapping within microfluidic channels for stiffness based cell isolation. J Biomech 2019; 85:43-49. [PMID: 30655079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of rare cells in heterogenous mixtures is proven to be beneficial for regenerative medicine, cancer treatment and prenatal diagnostics. Scarcity of these cells, however, makes the isolation process extremely challenging. Efficiency in cell isolation is still low and therefore, novel cell isolation strategies with new biomarkers need exploration. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using the mechanical stiffness difference to detect and isolate the rare cells from the surrounding cells without labelling them. Fluid and solid mechanics simulations have shown that cell isolation can be performed at high efficiency using stiffness-based isolation. Accuracy of the numerical simulations is established using microfluidic flow chamber experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutabe S Aljaghtham
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, USA
| | - Zixiang L Liu
- Department Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Jing J Guo
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, USA
| | - Jin He
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, USA
| | - Emrah Celik
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Miami, USA.
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41
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Dalili A, Samiei E, Hoorfar M. A review of sorting, separation and isolation of cells and microbeads for biomedical applications: microfluidic approaches. Analyst 2019; 144:87-113. [DOI: 10.1039/c8an01061g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
We have reviewed the microfluidic approaches for cell/particle isolation and sorting, and extensively explained the mechanism behind each method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Dalili
- The University of British
- School of Engineering
- Kelowna
- Canada V1 V 1 V7
| | - Ehsan Samiei
- University of Victoria
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Victoria
- Canada
| | - Mina Hoorfar
- The University of British
- School of Engineering
- Kelowna
- Canada V1 V 1 V7
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42
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongchen Sun
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332 , United States
| | - Hang Lu
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta , Georgia 30332 , United States
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43
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter E. Oomen
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Mohaddeseh A. Aref
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Ibrahim Kaya
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal Hospital, House V3, 43180 Mölndal, Sweden
- The Gothenburg Imaging Mass Spectrometry (Go:IMS) Laboratory, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Nhu T. N. Phan
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- The Gothenburg Imaging Mass Spectrometry (Go:IMS) Laboratory, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- University of Göttingen Medical Center, Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Göttingen 37073, Germany
| | - Andrew G. Ewing
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- The Gothenburg Imaging Mass Spectrometry (Go:IMS) Laboratory, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
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44
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Pasitka L, van Noort D, Lim W, Park S, Mandenius CF. A Microbore Tubing Based Spiral for Multistep Cell Fractionation. Anal Chem 2018; 90:12909-12916. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b03532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Pasitka
- Division of Biotechnology, IFM, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
| | - Danny van Noort
- Division of Biotechnology, IFM, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
| | - Wanyoung Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungsu Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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45
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Francis EA, Heinrich V. Mechanistic Understanding of Single-Cell Behavior is Essential for Transformative Advances in Biomedicine. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2018; 91:279-289. [PMID: 30258315 PMCID: PMC6153630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Most current efforts to advance medical technology proceed along one of two tracks. The first is dedicated to the improvement of clinical tasks through the incremental refinement of medical instruments. The second comprises engineering endeavors to support basic science studies that often only remotely relate to human medicine. Here we survey emerging research approaches that aim to populate the sprawling frontier between these tracks. We focus on interdisciplinary single-live-cell techniques that have overcome limitations of traditional biological methods to successfully address vital questions about medically relevant cellular behavior. Most of the presented case studies are based on the controlled manipulation of nonadherent human immune cells using one or more micropipettes. The included studies have (i) examined one-on-one encounters of immune cells with real or model pathogens, (ii) assessed the physiological role of the expandable surface area of immune cells, and (iii) started to dissect the spatiotemporal organization of signaling processes within these cells. The unique aptitude of such single-live-cell studies to fill conspicuous gaps in our quantitative understanding of medically relevant cause-effect relationships provides a sound basis for new insights that will inform and drive future biomedical innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Volkmar Heinrich
- To whom all correspondence should be addressed: Volkmar Heinrich, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616; Tel: 530-754-6644,
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46
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Kwon T, Yao R, Hamel JFP, Han J. Continuous removal of small nonviable suspended mammalian cells and debris from bioreactors using inertial microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:2826-2837. [PMID: 30079919 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00250a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Removing nonviable cells from a cell suspension is crucial in biotechnology and biomanufacturing. Label-free microfluidic cell separation devices based on dielectrophoresis, acoustophoresis, and deterministic lateral displacement are used to remove nonviable cells. However, their volumetric throughputs and test cell concentrations are generally too low to be useful in typical bioreactors in biomanufacturing. In this study, we demonstrate the efficient removal of small (<10 μm) nonviable cells from bioreactors while maintaining viable cells using inertial microfluidic cell sorting devices and characterize their performance. Despite the size overlap between viable and nonviable cell populations, the devices demonstrated 3.5-28.0% dead cell removal efficiency with 88.3-83.6% removal purity as well as 97.8-99.8% live cell retention efficiency at 4 million cells per mL with 80% viability. Cascaded and parallel configurations increased the cell concentration capacity (10 million cells per mL) and volumetric throughput (6-8 mL min-1). The system can be used for the removal of small nonviable cells from a cell suspension during continuous perfusion cell culture operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehong Kwon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.
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47
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Liu A, Islam M, Stone N, Varadarajan V, Jeong J, Bowie S, Qiu P, Waller EK, Alexeev A, Sulchek T. Microfluidic generation of transient cell volume exchange for convectively driven intracellular delivery of large macromolecules. MATERIALS TODAY (KIDLINGTON, ENGLAND) 2018; 21:703-712. [PMID: 30288138 PMCID: PMC6166476 DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Efficient intracellular delivery of target macromolecules remains a major obstacle in cell engineering and other biomedical applications. We discovered a unique cell biophysical phenomenon of transient cell volume exchange by using microfluidics to rapidly and repeatedly compress cells. This behavior consists of brief, mechanically induced cell volume loss followed by rapid volume recovery. We harness this behavior for high-throughput, convective intracellular delivery of large polysaccharides (2000 kDa), particles (100 nm), and plasmids while maintaining high cell viability. Successful proof of concept experiments in transfection and intracellular labeling demonstrated potential to overcome the most prohibitive challenges in intracellular delivery for cell engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Muhymin Islam
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicholas Stone
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Vikram Varadarajan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jenny Jeong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sam Bowie
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Peng Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Edmund K Waller
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alexander Alexeev
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Todd Sulchek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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48
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Feng J, Feng T, Yang C, Wang W, Sa Y, Feng Y. Feasibility study of stain-free classification of cell apoptosis based on diffraction imaging flow cytometry and supervised machine learning techniques. Apoptosis 2018; 23:290-298. [DOI: 10.1007/s10495-018-1454-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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49
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Microfluidic cell sorting by stiffness to examine heterogenic responses of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:239. [PMID: 29445159 PMCID: PMC5833447 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0266-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancers consist of a heterogeneous populations of cells that may respond differently to treatment through drug-resistant sub-populations. The scarcity of these resistant sub-populations makes it challenging to understand how to counter their resistance. We report a label-free microfluidic approach to separate cancer cells treated with chemotherapy into sub-populations enriched in chemoresistant and chemosensitive cells based on the differences in cellular stiffness. The sorting approach enabled analysis of the molecular distinctions between resistant and sensitive cells. Consequently, the role of multiple mechanisms of drug resistance was identified, including decreased sensitivity to apoptosis, enhanced metabolism, and extrusion of drugs, and, for the first time, the role of estrogen receptor in drug resistance of leukemia cells. To validate these findings, several inhibitors for the identified resistance pathways were tested with chemotherapy to increase cytotoxicity sevenfold. Thus, microfluidic sorting can identify molecular mechanisms of drug resistance to examine heterogeneous responses of cancers to therapies.
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Jeong J, Frohberg NJ, Zhou E, Sulchek T, Qiu P. Accurately tracking single-cell movement trajectories in microfluidic cell sorting devices. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192463. [PMID: 29414993 PMCID: PMC5802930 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics are routinely used to study cellular properties, including the efficient quantification of single-cell biomechanics and label-free cell sorting based on the biomechanical properties, such as elasticity, viscosity, stiffness, and adhesion. Both quantification and sorting applications require optimal design of the microfluidic devices and mathematical modeling of the interactions between cells, fluid, and the channel of the device. As a first step toward building such a mathematical model, we collected video recordings of cells moving through a ridged microfluidic channel designed to compress and redirect cells according to cell biomechanics. We developed an efficient algorithm that automatically and accurately tracked the cell trajectories in the recordings. We tested the algorithm on recordings of cells with different stiffness, and showed the correlation between cell stiffness and the tracked trajectories. Moreover, the tracking algorithm successfully picked up subtle differences of cell motion when passing through consecutive ridges. The algorithm for accurately tracking cell trajectories paves the way for future efforts of modeling the flow, forces, and dynamics of cell properties in microfluidics applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Jeong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Frohberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Enlu Zhou
- School of Industrial and System Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Todd Sulchek
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Peng Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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