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Leukocyte enrichment based on a modified pinched flow fractionation approach

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Abstract

In this paper, a simple and robust design for a passive hydrodynamic cell sorter based on pinched flow-field fractionation is presented and analyzed. Two principal layouts of the sorter are discussed and investigated experimentally as well as numerically based on the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) method. Experimentally, design 1 approximately sorts 87 % of the erythrocytes to their designated outlet, while 100 % of the leukocytes branch correctly. This also holds for design 2 differing merely in the direction of the outlet for erythrocytes, but here only 69 % of the red blood cells are redirected to the designated outlet. This behavior can be elucidated by employing DPD simulations, where erythrocytes advected with the flow are modeled explicitly. Our results suggest that if a cell sorter is designed to operate at high throughput, its layout may not entirely rely on commonly assumed idealizing conditions, because cells cannot be considered as point-like, isolated objects following definite stream lines. Hydrodynamic forces originating from the cells as extended objects must be taken into account.

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Acknowledgments

The support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for its support within the Priority Program SPP 1164 is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for MEMS Applications, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Claudio Cupelli, Thorsten Borchardt, Thomas Steiner, Roland Zengerle & Mark Santer

  2. Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424, Potsdam, Germany

    Mark Santer

  3. Centre for Biological Studies (BIOSS), University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 106, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Roland Zengerle

  4. HSG-IMIT, Institut für Mikro- und Informationstechnik, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Nils Paust & Roland Zengerle

Authors
  1. Claudio Cupelli
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  2. Thorsten Borchardt
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  3. Thomas Steiner
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  4. Nils Paust
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  5. Roland Zengerle
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  6. Mark Santer
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Correspondence to Mark Santer.

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Cupelli, C., Borchardt, T., Steiner, T. et al. Leukocyte enrichment based on a modified pinched flow fractionation approach. Microfluid Nanofluid 14, 551–563 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1073-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1073-9

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