Issue 18, 2021

Microfluidic recapitulation of circulating tumor cell–neutrophil clusters via double spiral channel-induced deterministic encapsulation

Abstract

Circulating tumor cell (CTC)–neutrophil clusters are highly potent precursors of cancer metastasis. However, their rarity in patients' blood has restricted research thus far, and moreover, studies on in vitro methods for mimicking cell clusters have generally neglected in vivo conditions. Here, we introduce an inertial-force-assisted droplet microfluidic chip that allows the recapitulation of CTC–neutrophil clusters in terms of physical as well as biochemical features. The deterministic encapsulation of cells via double spiral channels facilitates the pairing of neutrophils and cancer cells with ratios of interest (from 1 : 1 to 1 : 3). The encapsulated cells are spontaneously associated to form clusters, achieving the physical emulation of CTC–neutrophil clusters. Furthermore, the molecular signatures of CTC–neutrophil clusters (e.g., their E-cadherin, VCAM-1, and mRNA expressions) were well defined. Our novel microfluidic platform for exploring CTC–neutrophil clusters can therefore play a promising role in cancer-metastasis studies.

Graphical abstract: Microfluidic recapitulation of circulating tumor cell–neutrophil clusters via double spiral channel-induced deterministic encapsulation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Maijs 2021
Accepted
15 Jūl. 2021
First published
15 Jūl. 2021

Lab Chip, 2021,21, 3483-3497

Microfluidic recapitulation of circulating tumor cell–neutrophil clusters via double spiral channel-induced deterministic encapsulation

J. Park, S. Park, K. A. Hyun and H. Jung, Lab Chip, 2021, 21, 3483 DOI: 10.1039/D1LC00433F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements