Sorting and enumeration of immune cells from blood are critical operations involved in many clinical applications. Conventional methods for sorting and counting immune cells from blood, such as flow cytometry and hemocytometers, are tedious, inaccurate, and difficult for implementation for point-of-care (POC) testing. Herein we developed a microscale centrifugal technology termed Centrifugal Microfluidic Chip (CMC) capable of sorting immune cells from blood and in situ cellular analysis in a laboratory setting. Operation of the CMC entailed a blood specimen layered on a density gradient medium and centrifuged in microfluidic channels where immune cell subpopulations could rapidly be sorted into distinct layers according to their density differentials. We systematically studied effects of different blocking molecules for surface passivation of the CMC. We further demonstrated the applicability of CMCs for rapid separation of minimally processed human whole blood without affecting immune cell viability. Multi-color imaging and analysis of immune cell distributions and enrichment such as recovery and purity rates of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were demonstrated using CMCs. Given its design and operation simplicity, portability, blood cell sorting efficiency, and in situ cellular analysis capability, the CMC holds promise for blood-based diagnosis and disease monitoring in POC applications.
Rapid fluid transport and exchange are critical operations involved in many microfluidic applications. However, conventional mechanisms used for driving fluid transport in microfluidics, such as micro-pumping and high pressure, can be inaccurate and difficult for implementation for integrated microfluidics containing control components and closed compartments. Herein we developed a technology termed Vacuum-Pressure Accelerated Movement (V-PAM) capable of significantly enhancing biofluid transport in complex microfluidic environments containing dead-end channels and closed chambers. Operation of the V-PAM entailed a pressurized fluid loading into microfluidic channels where gas confined inside could rapidly be dissipated through permeation through a thin, gas-permeable membrane sandwiched between microfluidic channels and a network of vacuum channels. We systematically studied effects of different structural and operational parameters of the V-PAM for promoting fluid filling in microfluidic environments. We further demonstrated the applicability of V-PAM for rapid filling of temperature-sensitive hydrogels and unprocessed whole blood into complex irregular microfluidic networks such as microfluidic leaf venation patterns and blood circulatory systems. Together, the V-PAM technology provides a promising generic microfluidic tool for advanced fluid control and transport in integrated microfluidics for different microfluidic diagnosis, organs-on-chips, and biomimetic studies.
On page 4521, J. Fu and co‐workers develop a technology termed Vacuum‐Pressure Accelerated Movement (V‐PAM) capable of significantly enhancing transport of viscous biofluids (such as hydrogels and unprocessed whole blood) in complex microfluidic environments containing dead‐end channels and closed chambers. The cover image shows the rapid filling of dyed solutions in a leaf venation microfluidic network using the V‐PAM technology.
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