[ Title ]
- Deformability-based circulating tumor cell separation with
conical-shaped microfilters: Concept, optimization, and design criteria
AU Aghaamoo, M
[ Journal ]
- BIOMICROFLUIDICS
[ Author ]
- Aghaamoo, M
Zhang, ZF
Chen, XL
Xu, J
[ Abstract ]
- Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) separation technology has made positive
impacts on cancer science in many aspects. The ability of detecting and
separating CTCs can play a key role in early cancer detection and
treatment. In recent years, there has been growing interest in using
deformability-based CTC separation microfilters due to their simplicity
and low cost. Most of the previous studies in this area are mainly based
on experimental work. Although experimental research provides useful
insights in designing CTC separation devices, there is still a lack of
design guidelines based on fundamental understandings of the cell
separation process in the filters. While experimental efforts face
challenges, especially microfabrication difficulties, we adopt numerical
simulation here to study conical-shaped microfilters using deformability
difference between CTCs and blood cells for the separation process. We
use the liquid drop model for modeling a CTC passing through such
microfilters. The accuracy of the model in predicting the pressure
signature of the system is validated by comparing it with previous
experiments. Pressure-deformability analysis of the cell going through
the channel is then carried out in detail in order to better understand
how a CTC behaves throughout the filtration process. Different system
design criteria such as system throughput and unclogging of the system
are discussed. Specifically, pressure behavior under different system
throughput is analyzed. Regarding the unclogging issue, we define
pressure ratio as a key parameter representing the ability to overcome
clogging in such CTC separation devices and investigate the effect of
conical angle on the optimum pressure ratio. Finally, the effect of
unclogging applied pressure on the system performance is examined. Our
study provides detailed understandings of the cell separation process
and its characteristics, which can be used for developing more efficient
CTC separation devices.
[ URL ]
- http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=WOS&DestLinkType=FullRecord;UT=WOS:000357090100009