Microfluidic device for sorting cells and methods for using same

Abstract

The invention discloses a microfluidic device for sorting cells and a method for using the same. The device is provided with a pre-focused flow channel performing waveform stretching in a flow path, and cellular micro-particles in a sample solution are gradually collected to the center of the flow path through a microfluidic viscoelastic effect and an inertial effect; and through an arc-shaped bifurcation flow channel and a sample sorting flow channel, the cellular micro-particles are pushed away from the wall by the combined action of a wall-induced inertial lifting force and an elastic forceinduced by the viscoelastic fluid. Different-sized cells are subjected to different thrusts, so that when the different-sized cells migrate in the sample sorting flow channel, an enough distance difference is generated by accumulation to finally achieve an effect of separation and collection. A microfluidic pipe used in the device is small in size and low in cost. An external field generation device is not required, the sorting accuracy is high, and no damage is caused to the cells. According to the method for using the microfluidic device, the sorting of cells of different sizes can be achieved only by injecting a sample solution into a sample inlet at a specific initial flow, and the microfluidic device is simple to operate and convenient to use.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a cell sorting device, in particular to a device for realizing precise and passive sorting of cells of different sizes by using microfluidic technology. Background technique [0002] Accurate sorting of different cells is a very important sample pretreatment step in medical and biochemical laboratories. For example, accurate sorting of rare circulating tumor cells in blood can provide important liquid biopsy specimens for the study of cancer metastasis mechanism and clinical monitoring of cancer micrometastasis. Traditional cell sorting methods include: density gradient centrifugation based on density differences; micropore filtration based on size and deformability differences; and immunocapture based on specific antibodies. Density gradient centrifugation uses the difference in sedimentation rate under high-speed centrifugation to achieve layered suspension of different cells, but high-speed centrifugation has high requireme...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This type of method generally does not require external auxiliary units to achieve high-throughput cell sorting, but the sorting accuracy is lower than that of active methods.

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