Rapid cell separation with minimal manipulation for autologous cell therapies.
The ability to isolate specific, viable cell populations from mixed ensembles with minimal manipulation and within intra-operative time would provide significant advantages for autologous, cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine. Current cell-enrichment technologies are either slow, lack specificity and/or require labelling. Thus a rapid, label-free separation technology that does not affect cell functionality, viability or phenotype is highly desirable. Here, we demonstrate separation of viable from non-viable human stromal cells using remote dielectrophoresis, in which an electric field is coupled into a microfluidic channel using shear-horizontal surface acoustic waves, producing an array of virtual electrodes within the channel. This allows high-throughput dielectrophoretic cell separation in high conductivity, physiological-like fluids, overcoming the limitations of conventional dielectrophoresis. We demonstrate viable/non-viable separation efficacy of >98% in pre-purified mesenchymal stromal cells, extracted from human dental pulp, with no adverse effects on cell viability, or on their subsequent osteogenic capabilities.
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Alban J
AJ
Smith
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Richard D
RD
O'Rorke
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Akshay
A
Kale
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Roberts
R
Rimsa
University of Leeds, Department of Oral Biology, Leeds School of Dentistry, Leeds, UK.
Matthew J
MJ
Tomlinson
University of Leeds, Department of Oral Biology, Leeds School of Dentistry, Leeds, UK.
Jennifer
J
Kirkham
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
A Giles
AG
Davies
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Christoph
C
Wälti
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9JT, UK.
Christopher D
CD
Wood
D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology; D013010:Sonication / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods