An integrated method for cell isolation and migration on a chip.

Abstract

Tumour cell migration has an important impact on tumour metastasis. Magnetic manipulation is an ascendant method for guiding and patterning cells. Here, a unique miniaturized microfluidic chip integrating cell isolation and migration assay was designed to isolate and investigate cell migration. The chip was fabricated and composed of a magnet adapter, a polytetrafluoroethylene(PDMS) microfluidic chip and six magnetic rings. This device was used to isolate MCF-7 cells from MDA-MB-231-RFP cells and evaluate the effects of TGF-β on MCF-7 cells. First, the two cell types were mixed and incubated with magnetic beads modified with an anti-EpCAM antibody. Then, they were slowly introduced into the chip. MCF-7 cells bond to the magnetic beads in a ring-shaped pattern, while MDA-MB-231-RFP cells were washed away by PBS. Cell viability was examined during culturing in the micro-channel. The effects of TGF-β on MCF-7 cells were evaluated by migration distance and protein expression. The integrated method presented here is novel, low-cost and easy for performing cell isolation and migration assay. The method could be beneficial for developing microfluidic device applications for cancer metastasis research and could provide a new method for biological experimentation.

• Authors: Xiaoqing Lv, Zhaoxin Geng, Zhiyuan Fan, Shicai Wang, WeiHua Pei, Hongda Chen
• Journal: Scientific reports (Sci Rep) Vol. 7 Issue 1 Pg. 8963 (08 21 2017) ISSN: 2045-2322 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 28827722 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Transforming Growth Factor beta

Topics

• Cell Movement
• Epithelial Cells (drug effects, physiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunomagnetic Separation (instrumentation, methods)
• MCF-7 Cells
• Microfluidics (instrumentation, methods)
• Transforming Growth Factor beta (metabolism)