title: A label-free and high-throughput separation of neuron and glial cells using an inertial microfluidic platform.
abstract: While neurons and glial cells both play significant roles in the development and therapy of schizophrenia, their specific contributions are difficult to differentiate because the methods used to separate neurons and glial cells are ineffective and inefficient. In this study, we reported a high-throughput microfluidic platform based on the inertial microfluidic technique to rapidly and continuously separate neurons and glial cells from dissected brain tissues. The optimal working condition for an inertial biochip was investigated and evaluated by measuring its separation under different flow rates. Purified and enriched neurons in a primary neuron culture were verified by confocal immunofluorescence imaging, and neurons performed neurite growth after separation, indicating the feasibility and biocompatibility of an inertial separation. Phencyclidine disturbed the neuroplasticity and neuron metabolism in the separated and the unseparated neurons, with no significant difference. Apart from isolating the neurons, purified and enriched viable glial cells were collected simultaneously. This work demonstrates that an inertial microchip can provide a label-free, high throughput, and harmless tool to separate neurological primary cells.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong , and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Tiantian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering University of Wollongong , Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0012-6450
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering University of Wollongong , Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1113-6264
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering University of Wollongong , Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong , and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Xu-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering University of Wollongong , Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li