Array of Interdigitated Bipolar Electrodes for Selective Capture and Analysis of Melanoma Cells

Abstract

We report a method for dielectrophoretic capture of melanoma cells and their electrochemical analysis for tumor‐specific markers, using a microfluidic device composed of microwells overlying an array of interdigitated bipolar electrodes (IDBPEs). In this device, cells are captured on each IDBPE by dielectrophoresis, and microfabricated wells allow for retention of the cells to enable their subsequent electrochemical analysis. This advancement is significant because it addresses a need for cancer diagnostics with few‐ to single‐cell resolution amenable to use in low‐resource settings. Specifically, this approach combines the selectivity of dielectrophoresis for cell phenotype, the low cost of electrochemical methods, and the ability of BPEs to be arrayed, with the sensitivity afforded by interdigitation. The IDBPE detects a redox‐active species produced by an enzyme‐linked antibody targeted to a cell surface antigen, and reports the current by electrochemiluminescence. In this work, we first characterize cell capture by dielectrophoresis at the IDBPE array. Second, the retention of cells in the microwells and their viability is demonstrated. Then, the sensitivity of the IDBPE for the redox‐active species is quantified. Finally, we demonstrate capture and analysis of melanoma cells at the IDBPE array, which underscores the ability of the IDBPE to achieve biologically relevant detection limits.

Recent progress in microRNA detection using integrated electric fields and optical detection methods

“…The earliest dielectrophoretic studies were largely conducted with the aim of understanding how cells produce DEP forces, and how to use DEP and dielectric properties of cells to better understanding their physicochemical properties (Pethig, 2010;Pohl and Crane, 1971;Pethig and Markx, 1997;Kim et al, 2008). Currently, DEP has made it possible to achieve: separation of cancer cells from healthy cells (Pethig, 2010;Pethig and Markx, 1997;Mulhall et al, 2011;Borchers et al, 2024); separation dead cells from live cells (Patel et al, 2012;Markx et al, 1994); high speed cell sorting (Pethig and Markx, 1997;Kim et al, 2008); cell patterning (Pethig and Markx, 1997;Pohl and Crane, 1971;Wu Y. et al, 2024); rotation of cells (Zhao et al, 2018;Huang et al, 2019;Wu Yupan et al, 2024), and electroporation (Pethig, 2010;Jones, 2003;Pethig and Markx, 1997).…”