Microfluidic device for mechanical dissociation of cancer cell aggregates into single cells.

ABSTRACT: Tumors tissues house a diverse array of cell types, requiring powerful cell-based analysis methods to characterize cellular heterogeneity and identify rare cells. Tumor tissue is dissociated into single cells by treatment with proteolytic enzymes, followed by mechanical disruption using vortexing or pipetting. These procedures can be incomplete and require significant time, and the latter mechanical treatments are poorly defined and controlled. Here, we present a novel microfluidic device to improve mechanical dissociation of digested tissue and cell aggregates into single cells. The device design includes a network of branching channels that range in size from millimeters down to hundreds of microns. The channels also contain flow constrictions that generate well-defined regions of high s

SUBMITTER: Qiu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4301619 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature