Simple and Convenient Method for the Isolation, Culture, and Re-collection of Cancer Cells from Blood by Using Glass-Bead Filters

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that originate from primary cancer tissues, enter the bloodstream in the body, and metastasize to the other organs. Simple and convenient methods for their detection, capture, and recovery from the blood of cancer patients would be highly desirable. We report here on a simple and convenient methodology to trap, culture, and re-collect cancer cells, the sizes of which are greater than those of normal hematologic cells, by the use of glass-bead filters (GBFs). We prepared GBFs with a diameter of 24 mm and thicknesses of 0.4 mm and 1.2 mm, with well-defined pores, by sintering round-shaped glass beads (diameter: 63–106 μm). A small integrated glass-bead filter (iGBF) with a diameter of ca. 9.6 mm for the use in filtering a small volume of blood was also designed and prepared. Using GBF and iGBF, it was possible to efficiently capture mouse Lewis lung carcinoma cells expressing green fluorescent protein spiked in saline/blood by single and repeated (circulation) filtrations in in vitro experiments with very small amounts of red blood cells being captured. In addition, we successfully captured B16 CTCs from the blood of a B16 melanoma metastasis mouse model by iGBF. Cancer cells/CTCs captured on/in the GBF could be cultured and efficiently recovered from the filters. Filtration by GBF had negligible effect on the adherent and proliferative characteristics of cancer cells. Simple and convenient methods for the capture, culture, and re-collection of CTCs by GBF along with flexibility of GBF, which permits them to be molded into suitable architectures having the desired shape and size, should be useful for early and convenient diagnosis and treatment of cancer and related diseases.

Single Polar Cell Trapping Based on the Breath Figure Method

“…Cell polarity is a common feature of many different cell types and is an essential factor in differentiating and determining the function of most cells. , Cell polarity refers to the concentration of certain cytoplasmic components in a certain spatial order, which results in a concentration gradient of various cell contents. Cell polarity is very important for normal cell function and plays a key role in many biological processes, including cell differentiation, cell migration, cytokinesis, and tissue and organ formation. , Loss of polarity is also related to disease states such as cancer. − However, such polarization for single-cell analysis has remained unclear.…”

Our 2019 Virtual Issue: Methods and Protocols in Materials Science

“…For this reason, Chemistry of Materials and ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering are very interested in publishing methods and protocols papers that describe new approaches to studying and solving important challenges in materials science. This virtual issue represents the second we have jointly published, compiling the Methods/Protocols papers from 2018 into one easy-to-search venue. − …”

“…In 2018, we published 15 Methods/Protocols papers on a variety of topics in materials science (Figure ), including how to make >20% efficiency lead-halide perovskite solar cells, how to conveniently isolate cancer cells from blood with glass bead filters, and many examples that use easily accessible techniques to determine properties that would typically require specialized equipment or laborious analyses. Many of these Methods/Protocols papers have been downloaded over 1000 times and are thus proving their utility to the community.…”