title: Immunomagnetic T cell capture from blood for PCR analysis using microfluidic systems.
abstract: A one-step immunomagnetic separation technique was performed on a microfluidic platform for the isolation of specific cells from blood samples. The cell isolation and purification studies targeted T cells, as a model for low abundance cells (about 1:10,000 cells), with more dilute cells as the ultimate goal. T cells were successfully separated on-chip from human blood and from reconstituted blood samples. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of the captured cells was used to characterize the efficiency of T cell capture in a variety of flow path designs. Employing many (4-8), 50 microm deep narrow channels, with the same overall cross section as a single, 3 mm wide channel, was much more effective in structuring dense enough magnetic bead beds to trap cells in a flowing stream. The use of 8-multiple bifurcated flow paths increased capture efficiencies from approximately 20 up to 37%, when compared to a straight 8-way split design, indicating the value of ensuring uniform flow distribution into each channel in a flow manifold for effective cell capture. Sample flow rates of up to 3 microL min(-1) were evaluated in these capture beds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2G2.
authors.forename: Vasile I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Furdui
authors.forename: D Jed
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity