title: Microfluidic device for label-free measurement of platelet activation.
abstract: In this work we demonstrate a new microfluidic method for the rapid assessment of platelet size and morphology in whole blood. The device continuously fractionates particles according to size by displacing them perpendicularly to the fluid flow direction in a micro-fabricated post array. Whole blood, labeled with the fluorescent, platelet specific, antibody PE-anti-CD41, was run through the device and the positions of fluorescent objects noted as they exited the array. From this, histograms of platelet size were created which show marked increases in size after exposure to thrombin or a temperature of 4 degrees C. We infer that the well known morphological changes that occur during activation are causing the observed increase in size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Inglis
authors.forename: Keith J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Zieziulewicz
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sturm
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D010316:Particle Size; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D010979:Platelet Function Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors