title: Fast and continuous plasma extraction from whole human blood based on expanding cell-free layer devices.
abstract: This paper presents promising microfluidic devices designed for continuous and passive extraction of plasma from whole human blood. These designs are based on red cells lateral migration and the resulting cell-free layer locally expanded by geometric singularities such as an enlargement of the channel or a cavity adjacent to the channel. After an explanation of flow patterns, different tests are described that confirm the advantages of both proposed singularities, providing a 1.5 and 2X increase in extraction yield compared to a reference device, for 1:20 diluted blood at 100 microL/min. Devices have also been successively optimized, with extraction yields up to 17.8%, and biologically validated for plasma extraction, with no protein loss or denaturation, no hemolysis and with excellent cell purity. Finally, the dilution effect has been experimentally investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Technology for Biology and Health, CEA-LETI-Minatec, SBSC, 17 rue des martyrs, F-38054, Grenoble Cedex 9, France. elodie.sollier@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sollier
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cubizolles
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fouillet
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Achard
mesh_terms: D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002474:Cell-Free System / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry*