An Integrated Microfluidic Device for Sample Pretreatment and Capturing of Circulating Tumor Cells by Using Magnetic Pearl-Bead-Like Chain-Structures

A new microfluidic device was demonstrated for blood sample pretreatment (depletion of white blood cells (WBC)) and capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from red-blood-cell (RBC) lysed samples by using magnetic pearl-bead-like chain-structures formed under an alternating magnetic field with respective to two aligned magnetic ink micropattern arrays on top and bottom substrates. An interconnected spiral microchannel provided a continuous circular flow through the magnetic cell trap arrays formed by the magnetic pearl-bead-like chain-structures coated with specific aptamers and antibodies targeting for CTCs and WBC for increasing the capturing efficiency. Experimental results showed that two structures, including aligned and skewed chain-structures increased the capturing efficiency of WBC and CTCs, respectively.