We would like to thank the American Cancer Society, Illinois Division (282802) and the National Science Foundation CBET (1512598) for funding support. We also would like to thank Dr. Dianwen Zhang from the University of Illinois Beckman Institute for microscopy training. Finally, we would like to thank Jared Weddell, Stacie Chen, and Spencer Mamer for insightful discussions.

1. Cleaning the Glass Surface and Preparing Reagents
<ol>
	<li>Place a glass surface in an oxygen plasma machine for 5 min at 50% power to clean it.</li>
	<li>Prepare 2.5 ml 2% reconstituted (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) solution, by adding 50 &#181;l of APTES and 2.45 ml of ethanol in a conical tube.</li>
</ol>
2. APTES and DSB Functionalization
<ol>
	<li>Add APTES solution to the surfaces. Pipette 150 &#181;l per well for 8 well plates. Pipette 100 &#181;l per well for 24 well plates. Pipette 1.1 ml for 60 x 15 mm glass dishes. Cover the surfaces to prevent evaporation and uneven distribution of APTES solution. Place the surfaces on a platform shaker for 50 min at room temperature, which creates an even distribution of the APTES layer. 
	NOTE: APTES is an aminosilane that forms the first layer of the surface. If using a different surface, heuristically determine the volume of solution needed to cover the surface.</li>
	<li>Select the temperature for the oven, while the surfaces are on the shaker: Heat to 55 &#176;C for 2 hr for the 8 well plates and 24 well plates. Heat glass only dishes to 90 &#176;C for 1 hr.</li>
	<li>Rinse the surfaces with ethanol.
	<ol>
		<li>Administer the amount of ethanol required by referencing based on the surface used. Add 150 &#181;l ethanol to each well for 8 well plates. Add 125 &#181;l ethanol to each well for 24 well plates. Add 1.1 ml ethanol for glass dishes.</li>
		<li>Rinse the surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface. Rinse twice more using ethanol. 
		NOTE: If any of the glass bottom well plates have any plastic in them, do not heat them above 65 &#176;C, as the plastic will begin to melt and warp.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Dry with 100% nitrogen gas dispensed from a tank. Place the surfaces in the oven.</li>
	<li>Prepare 2.5 ml of d-desthiobiotin (DSB) solution by combining 1.5 mg/ml DSB in 37.5 &#181;l of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and 5 mg/ml 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) in 2462.5 &#181;l of the 0.1 M 4-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid hydrate (MES) (pH 6) buffer. Then combine both solutions.</li>
	<li>Add 1 &#181;l of 2-&#946; mercaptoethanol, after 15 min, into the solution to quench the reaction between DSB and EDC. Remove hot APTES functionalized glass surfaces from the oven. Wait 5-10 min for the glass surfaces to cool.</li>
	<li>Add MES buffer the surface to rinse, using amounts based on the surface. Add 150 &#181;l MES buffer to each well for 8 well plates. Add 125 &#181;l MES buffer to each well for 24 well plates. Add 1.1 ml MES buffer for glass dishes.</li>
	<li>Rinse surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface. Rinse twice more with MES buffer.</li>
	<li>Apply the DSB solution to the surfaces to allow them to incubate. Add 150 &#181;l DSB solution per well for 8 well plates. Add 100 &#181;l DSB solution per well for 24 well plates. Add 1.1 ml for glass dishes DSB solution.</li>
	<li>Place the DSB covered glass surfaces on a damp paper towel inside a Petri dish. Cover and incubate in a 4 &#176;C fridge for 18-24 hr.</li>
</ol>
3. Streptavidin Functionalization
<ol>
	<li>Rinse each glass surface three times with 1 ml of 1.0x Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS). Rinse surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface. Dilute the streptavidin (SAv) stock solution to 0.4 mg/ml (recommended). 
	NOTE: PBS is isotonic so it can be used as a medium for dilution and rinsing. PBS is used as a solvent for the SAv, and therefore, will not affect the ability of the SAv to bind to the surface.</li>
	<li>Apply 0.4 mg/ml of SAv solution evenly to the surfaces so that a thin layer of forms at the bottom of the glass, select the amount of solution based on surface. For 8 well plates, add 150 &#181;l 0.4 mg/ml SAv solution per well. For 24 well plates, add 100 &#181;l 0.4 mg/ml SAv solution per well. For glass dishes, add 1.1 ml 0.4 mg/ml SAv solution.</li>
	<li>Cover and move the plates to a 14 cm Petri dish to retain moisture. Incubate the Petri dish in refrigerator for 18-24 hr. 
	NOTE: It is essential to utilize consistent volumes of APTES, DSB, and SAv on each surface.</li>
	<li>Rinse each glass surface three times with 150&#160;&#181;l of PBS to remove SAv. Rinse surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface.</li>
	<li>Wet a paper towel with de-ionized water and place the paper towel flat in 14 cm Petri dish surrounding the plates to retain moisture in the wells. Cover the Petri dish containing the wells. Incubate the Petri dish in a 4 &#176;C Biosafety level 1 (BSL-1) refrigerator until needed.</li>
</ol>
4. Cell Capture and Release
<ol>
	<li>Start with T175 flask(s) of cells intended for the experiment. Aspirate the media from flask(s). Wash out the remaining media with 5 ml of room temperature PBS. Aspirate PBS from the flask(s).</li>
	<li>Add 10 ml of non-enzymatic lifting agent, such as Cell Dissociation Solution, to the T-175 flask of cells. Put the flask in the incubator for 6 min to allow for lifting of the cells from the flask.</li>
	<li>After 6 min, add 10 ml of cold Hank&#39;s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS; See List of Materials) to inactivate the lifting agent. Take out 20 &#181;l of cells to count number of cells in solution using a hemacytometer. 
	NOTE: Depending on the functionalized surfaces used in the capture experiment, the number of cells needed varies. For functionalized 8 well plates, use 300,000 cells per well. For functionalized glass dishes, use 1.1 million cells. For functionalized 24 well plates, 125,000 cells are recommended. More information on cell counting is found in the Supplement.</li>
	<li>Repeat steps 4.1- 4.3 for another flask of cells, if fewer cells are present than needed for the experiment. Combine cell suspensions and recount cells to get total number of cells in solution.</li>
	<li>Spin down cell suspension in a centrifuge at 500 x g for 5 min at 4 &#176;C to get a pellet of concentrated cells. Find the appropriate amount of HBSS to add to the cell suspension to get a concentration of 1 x 106 cells per ml, then aspirate the supernatant from the spun down cells, and add the calculated volume. This volume can be calculated using the equations in the Supplement.</li>
	<li>Pipette up and down (triturate) to resuspend the cells in solution and reduce cellular clumping in solution that may reduce antibody binding. Split the cellular solution into separate control and experimental solutions. View Supplemental File for components and calculations.</li>
	<li>Add the biotinylated antibodies to the respective cell solutions as described in the Supplemental File. Incubate for 30 min at 4 &#176;C on an end-over-end mixer. 
	NOTE: For MCF7GFP cells, 0.5 mg/ml hIgG or 0.5 mg/ml HLA-ABC antibodies are recommended. For RAW macrophages, 1 mg/ml mCD11b are recommended at half the volume to account for the dilution differences. For Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs), 0.5 mg/ml hCD31 is recommended.</li>
	<li>Wash the functionalized glass surface with HBSS. For this experiment, an 8 well plate is advised.
	<ol>
		<li>Add 150 &#181;l HBSS to each well for 8 well plates. Rinse twice more using HBSS. Rinse surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface. Keep cold at 4 &#176;C.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Add cell solutions to the wells and wait 45 min for the cells to incubate on ice on the shaker. Make the solution of biotin in sterile HBSS by using calculated volumes as described in the Supplement.</li>
	<li>Remove the cell solution from the glass wells by using HBSS.
	<ol>
		<li>Gently pipette 150 &#181;l HBSS into each well. Then pipette out the HBSS. Rinse surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface.</li>
		<li>Repeat two more times. After washing, add HBSS to the wells to keep the cells wet.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Add 150 &#181;l of 20 mM biotin solution to each respective release well, and then wait 20 min to allow for reaction.</li>
	<li>Recollect non-specifically bound cells by washing with HBSS as stated above, and then if using fluorescently labeled cells, proceed to fluorescence image the cells. Also image live cells in a flask (as a control, to compare with the cells in the well). If using green fluorescent protein (GFP) transfected cells, the excitation will be 470 nm, and the emission will be 515 nm.</li>
</ol>
5. Antibody Optimization: Antibody Titration
<ol>
	<li>Begin by lifting the cells from the T75 or T175 flask as explained in step 4.1- 4.3. 
	NOTE: These volumes are calibrated for 24 well plates, but can be changed to suit any glass functionalized surfaces through heuristic testing. A representative antibody titration is shown in Figure 1.</li>
	<li>Count cells using the hemacytometer, and then spin down the cell solution in a conical tube at 500 x g for 5 min at 4 &#176;C. Reconstitute cells to 1 million cells per ml, using the calculations described in the Supplement.</li>
	<li>Split the 1 million cells per ml solution into six different solutions of 500 &#181;l in different centrifuge tubes for the antibody (Ab) solutions.
	<ol>
		<li>Dilute the antibody stock solution to 10 &#181;g/ml, 1 &#181;g/ml, 100 ng/ml, 10 ng/ml, 1 ng/ml. Create the controls by using 100 &#181;l of Stain Buffer (PBS + 1% sodium azide + 1% BSA), and 500 &#181;l of cells for the control with no Ab in it. For the blank control (No Ab and no cells), use a solution of 300 &#181;l PBS. 
		NOTE: CAUTION: Sodium azide is extremely toxic, explosive, and extreme care must be taken when using it. Please consult the material safety data sheet (MSDS) and use the appropriate safety equipment.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Combine and incubate the Ab solutions with the cell solutions in the end-over-end mixer at 4 &#176;C for 30 min. Rinse the functionalized 24 well plates with HBSS three times. Rinse the surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface.</li>
	<li>Aliquot 125 &#181;l of each sample solution into the appropriate APTES, DSB, and SAv functionalized well. Incubate at 4 &#176;C or on ice for 45 min on the glass surface. Rinse the surface with HBSS three times to remove non-specifically attached cells. Rinse surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface. Do NOT rinse the bottom row, as those are controls.</li>
	<li>Add 150 &#181;l of HBSS to each washed well, put the 24 well plates on ice, and then use a plate reader to measure fluorescence of GFP cells (Excitation 485 nm / Emission 528 nm) .</li>
</ol>
6. Cell Optimization: Cell Titration
<ol>
	<li>Lift the cells as mentioned in steps 4.1 -4.3.</li>
	<li>Count cells using a hemacytometer. Spin down cell solution in conical tube at 500 x g for 5 min at 4 &#176;C. Reconstitute cells to 1 million cells per ml. 
	NOTE: More information on the use of the hemacytometer can be found in the Supplement.</li>
	<li>Pipette 1.6 ml from the cell solution for the 1.6 million cells stock and place in a conical tube. Pipette 800 &#181;l of cells from the cell solution for the 800,000 cells stock and place in a conical tube. Pipette 80 &#181;l from the cell stock for the 80,000 cells stock and place in a conical tube. Pipette 8 &#181;l from the cell stock for 8,000 cells stock and place in a conical tube. 
	NOTE: Concentrations are given per 8 well plate measurements, replicate as needed. An example of plate output is shown in Figure 2.</li>
	<li>Take the four stock solutions and spin in a centrifuge at 500 x g for 5 min at 4 &#176;C. Re-suspend all stock solutions in 400 &#181;l of HBSS.</li>
	<li>Add 1.6 &#181;l of 100 ng/ml antibody to the 1.6 million cell stock, 0.8 &#181;l to the 800,000 cell stock, and 0.5 &#181;l to all other stocks. Incubate the antibody for 30 min in the end-over-end mixer for 30 min at 4 &#176;C. Wash the functionalized glass surface with HBSS three times. 
	NOTE: The functionalized 8 well plate is recommended for microscopy quantification, while the functionalized 24 well plate is recommended for plate reader quantification. Antibody concentration for 8,000 cell stock was not reduced to allow the limiting factor of the capture surface to not be the lack of antibodies in solution, but rather the capturing properties of the surface.</li>
	<li>Apply 150 &#181;l of the sample solutions to each well. Apply the 1.6 million cell stock to the first column of wells on the left. Apply the 800,000 cell stock to the second column from the left. Apply the 80,000 cell stock to the third column from the left. Finally apply the 8,000 cell stock to the last column. Incubate for 45 min at 4 &#176;C on the shaker. 
	NOTE: The 1.6 million cell stock serves as the highest concentration to be tested, and is double the amount of cells that is used typically in cell separation experiments (600,000 cells per well) The 800,000 cell stock serves as the control for the experiment as it is the typical cellular concentration that is used in cell separation experiments (3,000,000 cells per well). The 80,000 cell stock serves as a ten-fold dilution to test for lower concentrations for cellular capture (30,000 cells per well). The 8,000 cell stock serves as a hundred fold dilution to use as a test to check the lower limit of cellular separation (3,000 cells per well).</li>
	<li>Rinse with HBSS three times. Rinse surface by discharging and drawing the liquid from a fixed point such as the corner of the well. Hold the pipette at approximately a 70&#176; angle so the tip is not directly pointed into the surface. Collect all washes.</li>
	<li>Image the cells on a fluorescence microscope, if using 8 well plates, take pictures of each surface, and apply 150&#160;&#181;l biotin to each surface for one hour at 4 &#176;C on the shaker. After one hour, rinse biotin release wells with HBSS 3 times as before. Collect all washes from wells for counting with the hemocytometer and image the release wells.</li>
	<li>Apply 150&#160;&#181;l of 20 mM excess biotin solution to appropriate biotin release wells for 1 hr, if using 24 well plates, and then rinse those wells 3 times with HBSS. Quantitate 24 well plates using a plate reader. Use a hemacytometer to count cells from all collected well washes.</li>
</ol>
7. Image Analysis
Note: The FIJI software package (http://fiji.sc/Fiji) is recommended for image analysis. Initially, the images were converted into grayscale image, and then the brightness/contrast was altered to bring out the cells.
<ol>
	<li>Load up the image, and convert to grayscale by clicking the image tab then scrolling down to &#34;Type&#34; and then clicking &#34;8 bit&#34;.</li>
	<li>Increase the contrast of the image by clicking the image tab and then scrolling to &#34;Adjust&#34;. Click on &#34;Brightness and Contrast&#34;, and then use the scroll bars to make the cells stand out. If using fluorescence images, invert the images to make the cells more defined.</li>
	<li>Load a plugin onto ImageJ called ITCN (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/plugins/itcn.html) to analyze the images.</li>
	<li>Open ITCN. When a dialog box appears that prompts the user with several parameters to estimate the size of the cell, set the minimum width of the cell of interest first. Click the &#34;Detect Dark Peaks&#34; option if the image is fluorescent and the cells are darkened.</li>
	<li>Set the threshold value at 2 initially, and then hit the &#34;Count&#34; button. A newly counted version of the picture will appear with red dots delineating where cells have been counted.</li>
	<li>Adjust the threshold and width parameter to get more accurate cellular data by defining the size of a &#34;cell&#34;. Note: The number of cells counted will be in a dialog box on the right. Changing parameters will give different number of cells counted.</li>
	<li>Continue to iterate through the threshold and width parameters until a good estimate is reached for the number of cells.</li>
</ol>

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Bioeng. 104 (2), 360-370 (2009).</li><li>Perritt, D., Wong, P., Macpherson, J. L., Henrichsen, K., Symonds, G., Pond, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Processing Blood. , (2014).</li><li>Fukuda, S., Schmid-Sch&#246;nbein, G. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Centrifugation+attenuates+the+fluid+shear+response+of+circulating+leukocytes.">Centrifugation attenuates the fluid shear response of circulating leukocytes.</a> J. Leukoc. Biol. 72 (July), 133-139 (2002).</li><li>dela Paz, N. G., Walshe, T. E., Leach, L. L., Saint-Geniez, M., D'Amore, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+shear-stress-induced+VEGF+expression+in+endothelial+cell+survival.">Role of shear-stress-induced VEGF expression in endothelial cell survival.</a> J. Cell Sci. 125 (Pt 4), 831-843 (2012).</li><li>Allard, W. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tumor+Cells+Circulate+in+the+Peripheral+Blood+of+All+Major+Carcinomas+but+not+in+Healthy+Subjects+or+Patients+With+Nonmalignant+Diseases+Tumor+Cells+Circulate+in+the+Peripheral+Blood+of+All+Major+Carcinomas+but+not+in+Healthy+Subjects+or+Patients+With+Nonmalignant+diseases.&amp;#34.">Tumor Cells Circulate in the Peripheral Blood of All Major Carcinomas but not in Healthy Subjects or Patients With Nonmalignant Diseases Tumor Cells Circulate in the Peripheral Blood of All Major Carcinomas but not in Healthy Subjects or Patients With Nonmalignant diseases.&amp;#34.</a> Clinical Cancer Research. 10, 6897-6904 (2005).</li><li>Nagrath, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+of+rare+circulating+tumour+cells+in+cancer+patients+by+microchip+technology.">Isolation of rare circulating tumour cells in cancer patients by microchip technology.</a> Nature. 450 (7173), 1235-1239 (2007).</li><li>Chen, S., Weddel, J., Gupta, P., Conard, G., Parkin, J., Imoukhuede, P. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=QFlow+Cytometer-Based+Receptoromic+Screening:+A+High-throughput+Quantification+Approach+Informing+Biomarker+Selection+and+Nanosensor.">QFlow Cytometer-Based Receptoromic Screening: A High-throughput Quantification Approach Informing Biomarker Selection and Nanosensor.</a> Submiss. , (2016).</li><li>Vasa, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Number+and+migratory+activity+of+circulating+endothelial+progenitor+cells+inversely+correlate+with+risk+factors+for+coronary+artery+disease.">Number and migratory activity of circulating endothelial progenitor cells inversely correlate with risk factors for coronary artery disease.</a> Circ. Res. 89 (1), E1-E7 (2001).</li><li>Hirsch, J. D., Eslamizar, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Easily+reversible+desthiobiotin+binding+to+streptavidin,+avidin,+and+other+biotin-binding+proteins:+uses+for+protein+labeling,+detection,+and+isolation.">Easily reversible desthiobiotin binding to streptavidin, avidin, and other biotin-binding proteins: uses for protein labeling, detection, and isolation.</a> Anal. Biochem. 308 (2), 343-357 (2002).</li><li>Wilchek, M., Bayer, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Applications+of+Avidin-Biotin+Technology:+Literature+Survey.">Applications of Avidin-Biotin Technology: Literature Survey.</a> Methods Enzymol. 152 (1), 183-189 (1987).</li><li>Wu, X., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Immunofluorescent+labeling+of+cancer+marker+Her2+and+other+cellular+targets+with+semiconductor+quantum+dots.">Immunofluorescent labeling of cancer marker Her2 and other cellular targets with semiconductor quantum dots.</a> Nat. Biotechnol. 21 (1), 41-46 (2002).</li><li>Lee-Montiel, F. T., Imoukhuede, P. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Engineering+quantum+dot+calibration+standards+for+quantitative+fluorescent+profiling.">Engineering quantum dot calibration standards for quantitative fluorescent profiling.</a> J. Mater. Chem. B. 1, 6434 (2013).</li><li>Hornes, E., Korsnes, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Oligonucleotide-linked magnetic particles and uses thereof. , (1996).</li><li>Naranbhai, V., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impact+of+blood+processing+variations+on+natural+killer+cell+frequency,+activation,+chemokine+receptor+expression+and+function.">Impact of blood processing variations on natural killer cell frequency, activation, chemokine receptor expression and function.</a> J. Immunol. Methods. 366 (1-2), 28-35 (2011).</li><li>Yadav, A. R., Sriram, R., Carter, J. A., Miller, B. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparative+study+of+solution-phase+and+vapor-phase+deposition+of+aminosilanes+on+silicon+dioxide+surfaces.">Comparative study of solution-phase and vapor-phase deposition of aminosilanes on silicon dioxide surfaces.</a> Mater. Sci. Eng. C. 35 (1), 283-290 (2014).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Improvements in cell isolation techniques furthers scientific studies in structure-function relationships in neuroscience18, stem cell programming in regenerative biology, and angiogenic signaling in vascular biology19. Indeed, primary cell culture20 (e.g., HUVECs) in vascular biology is primarily done through the use of cell isolation techniques. Cell isolation was also recently used for quantitative flow (qFlow) cytometry analysis of plasma membrane receptors3,14,15,19,21<...

Current bench-top cell separation approaches (e.g., fluorescence activated cell sorting1, laser capture micro-dissection2, immuno-magnetic bead separation1) can take several hours of preparation and sorting. These large time scales can affect physiological response and expression levels, resulting in analyses that are not representative of the physiological response3. Systems are needed that can rapidly and efficiently isolate specific cell types without disrupting cell-surface receptor-levels in order to improve cell isolation and enrichment for biomedical applications. Therefore, the rationale for our approach is to develop a gentle approach for cell isolation.
The &#34;lab on a chip&#34; concept offers the promise of orders of magnitude quicker (hours-to-minutes) cell isolation, and most frequently involves capturing cells onto a surface and releasing cells or intracellular contents through physical4,5 or chemical methods6. Although these approaches offer a few advantages such as identifying protein7,8 expression, identifying RNA expression9-11, or even providing cells for in vitro culture12,13, many of these techniques cannot be translated to diagnostics such as cell receptor profiling due to their non-physiological environments. Enzymatic lifting agents such as collagenases can also affect these receptor quantities14,15, meaning cell receptor quantification techniques that use these lifting agents will not generate accurate physiological data. Cellular lysis prevents differentiation between the native surface receptors, and those which were previously internalized16. This protocol describes a fast and gentle approach for cell isolation.

<table><tbody><tr><td>(3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES)</td><td>Acros Organics</td><td>919-30-2</td><td>Used to make 2% APTES solution</td></tr><tr><td>Plasma Cleaner Pico</td><td>Diener</td><td>Model 1</td><td>Cleans surfaces and allows for bonding of PDMS to glass</td></tr><tr><td>d-Desthiobiotin (DSB)</td><td>Sigma</td><td>D20655</td><td>Used as the releasing mechanism in the cellular capture surface.&amp;nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)</td><td>British Drug Houses (BDH)</td><td>BDH1115-1LP</td><td>Dissolves the DSB into solution</td></tr><tr><td>1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)</td><td>Thermo-Scientific</td><td>5g: 22980&lt;br/&gt; 25g: 22981</td><td>Activates carboxylic acids and allows binding of proteins to glass surface.</td></tr><tr><td>uncoated 8-well culture slide</td><td>BD Falcon</td><td>Case of 24: 354118&lt;br/&gt; Case of 96: 354108</td><td>Used in cellular experiments involving Zeiss fluorescence microscope such as initial capture and release quantification experiments</td></tr><tr><td>Glass bottom 24-well plates</td><td>MatTek</td><td>P24G-0-13-F</td><td>Used in cellular experiments involving the plate reader such as antibody and cellular titration experiments</td></tr><tr><td>Mercaptoethanol</td><td>Science Lab</td><td>60-24-2</td><td>Used to quench reaction between EDC and DSB</td></tr><tr><td>4-Morpholinoethanesulfonic acid hydrate&lt;br/&gt; (MES Hydrate 99%)</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>AC172590250</td><td>Used to make 0.1 M MES Buffer for use in EDC reaction</td></tr><tr><td>Precision Oven</td><td>Thermo Scientific</td><td>11-475-153</td><td>Used in curing of PDMS and APTES layer.</td></tr><tr><td>Titramax 1000 Shaker</td><td>Heidolph</td><td>13-889-420</td><td>Used to ensure even distribution of APTES on surfaces.</td></tr><tr><td>1x Streptavidin 5 mg [e7105-5mg]</td><td>Proteo Chem</td><td>9013-20-1</td><td>Biotin-binding protein. May cause irritation.</td></tr><tr><td>5 cm Glass Dish</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>08748A</td><td>Used in HUVEC studies as well as future profiling studies.</td></tr><tr><td>14 cm Petri Dish with Cover</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>Z717231</td><td>Used to hold samples being functionalized and transport them.</td></tr><tr><td>MCF7-GFP cells</td><td>Cell Biolabs</td><td>AKR211</td><td>Stored in liquid nitrogen</td></tr><tr><td>RAW264.7 mouse macrophages</td><td>ATCC</td><td>TIB-71</td><td>Gifted to us from Smith lab at the University of Illinois. Stored in liquid nitrogen.</td></tr><tr><td>TrypLE</td><td>Life Technologies</td><td>12605036</td><td>Stored in 100 ml at room temperature</td></tr><tr><td>Dulbecco&amp;rsquo;s modified Eagle medium</td><td>Cell Media Facility at School of Chemical Sciences at UIUC</td><td>50003PC</td><td>Supplier: Corning</td></tr><tr><td>Nonessential amino acids</td><td>Cell Media Facility at School of Chemical Sciences at UIUC</td><td>25-025-CI</td><td>Already added into DMEM by facility. Supplier: Corning.</td></tr><tr><td>Cell scraper</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>12-565-58</td><td>Small 23 cm 50 pack</td></tr><tr><td>Cell Dissociation Solution</td><td>Corning</td><td>MT-25-056CI</td><td>Used to lift cells non-enzymatically for the use in cell experiments</td></tr><tr><td>Hemacytometer</td><td>Hausser</td><td>02-671-54</td><td>Used to count cells for quantification of cell solutions and capture and release effectivity.</td></tr><tr><td>Biotin</td><td>Amresco</td><td>58-85-5</td><td>Used to release cells from surface.</td></tr><tr><td>HBSS</td><td>Created from Recipe</td><td>N/A</td><td>Used to keep cells alive in suspension as well as wash surfaces of non-specific binding. Adapted from Cold Spring Harbor Protocols: In 500&amp;nbsp;ml, use 4&amp;nbsp;g NaCl, 0.2&amp;nbsp;g KCl, 0.0402&amp;nbsp;g Na&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;&amp;#8226;7H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O, 0.03&amp;nbsp;g KH&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;PO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; and 0.5&amp;nbsp;g glucose. Add DI water to get to&amp;nbsp;500 ml, filter, and then refrigerate.</td></tr><tr><td>HLA-ABC Antibody</td><td>BioLegend</td><td>311402</td><td>Antibody used to capture MCF7gfp cells</td></tr><tr><td>hIgG Antibody</td><td>BioLegend</td><td>HP6017</td><td>Antibody used to capture MCF7gfp cells</td></tr><tr><td>MCF7 GFP cells</td><td>Cell Biolabs</td><td>AKR-211</td><td>Luminal Breast Cancer line that has been transfected with green fluorescent protein.</td></tr><tr><td>Assorted Conicals</td><td>Thermo-Scientific</td><td>15mL: 12-565-268</td><td>50/15 ml plastic conicals for storing solutions and aliquots.</td></tr><tr><td>Mini-Tube Rotators (End over End Mixer)</td><td>Fisher Scientific</td><td>05-450-127</td><td>Used to incubate antibody and mix other cellular solutions in order to mix</td></tr><tr><td>Axiovert 200M (Fluorescence Microscope)</td><td>Zeiss</td><td>N/A</td><td>Zeiss Axiovert 200 M inverted florescence microscope.</td></tr><tr><td>Zeba Desalting columns</td><td>Thermo-Scientific</td><td>PI-87770</td><td>Used to purify newly biotinylated antibodies after the use of the Biotinylation Kit. Instructions provided at: http://www.funakoshi.co.jp/data/datasheet/PCC/89894.pdf</td></tr><tr><td>EZ Link Sulfo NHS Low Weight Biotinylation Kit</td><td>Thermo- Scientific</td><td></td><td>Used to biotinylate antibodies to allow them to integrate with the capture surface</td></tr><tr><td>Plate Reader</td><td>BioTek</td><td>Synergy HTX Multimode Reader</td><td>Used to quantitatively measure fluorescent intensity in the titration experiments.</td></tr></tbody></table>

a method of targeted cell isolation via glass surface functionalization

One of the limiting factors to the adoption and advancement of personalized medicine is the inability to develop diagnostic tools to probe individual nuances in expression from patient to patient. Current methodologies that try to separate cells to fill this niche result in disruption of physiological expression, making the separation technique useless as a diagnostic tool. In this protocol, we describe the functionalization and optimization of a surface for the cellular capture and release. This functionalized surface integrates biotinylated antibodies with a glass surface functionalized with an aminosilane (APTES), desthiobiotin and streptavidin. Cell release is facilitated through the introduction of biotin, allowing the recollection and purification of cells captured by the surface. This release is done through the targeting of the secondary moiety desthiobiotin, which results in a much more gentle release paradigm. This reduction in harsh reagents and shear forces reduces changes in cellular expression. The functionalized surface captures up to 80% of cells in a single cell mixture and has demonstrated 50% capture in a dual-cell mixture. Applications of this technology to xenografts and cancer separation studies are investigated. Quantification techniques for surface verification such as plate reader and ImageJ analyses are described as well.

Using this protocol we show cell capture (Figure 3A) and cell release (Figure 3C) of MCF7GFP cells as well as live cell controls (Figure 4). We quantified the cell capture as 60% and 80% were released (Figure 3C). When we extended this approach to a mixture of RAW 264.7 macrophages and MCF7GFP cells, 50% of RAW macrophages were captured (Fig. 3D) and 80% of RAW macrophages were release with 20 mM biotin (...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Method of Targeted Cell Isolation via Glass Surface Functionalization at JoVE.com

A Method of Targeted Cell Isolation via Glass Surface Functionalization

This protocol describes customizable surface functionalization of the desthiobiotin, streptavidin, and APTES system in order to isolate specific cell types of interest. In addition, this manuscript covers the applications, optimization, and verification of this process.

One of the limiting factors to the adoption and advancement of personalized medicine is the inability to develop diagnostic tools to probe individual ...

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Research

JoVE Journal

Cancer Research

9.3K Views.  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This protocol describes customizable surface functionalization of the desthiobiotin, streptavidin, and APTES system in order to isolate specific cell types of interest. In addition, this manuscript covers the applications, optimization, and verification of this process. 

Video: A Method of Targeted Cell Isolation via Glass Surface Functionalization

Target Cell Pre-enrichment and Whole Genome Amplification for Single Cell Downstream Characterization

Rare target cells can be isolated from a high background of non-target cells using antibodies specific for surface proteins of target cells. A recently developed method uses a medical wire functionalized with anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibodies for in vivo isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs)1. A patient-matched cohort in non-metastatic prostate cancer showed that the in vivo isolation technique resulted in a higher percentage of patients positive for CTCs as well as higher CTC counts as compared to the current gold standard in CTC enumeration. As cells cannot be recovered from current medical devices, a new functionalized wire (referred to as Device) was manufactured allowing capture and subsequent detachment of cells by enzymatic treatment. Cells are allowed to attach to the Device, visualized on a microscope and detached using enzymatic treatment. Recovered cells are cytocentrifuged onto membrane-coated slides and harvested individually by means of laser microdissection or micromanipulation. Single-cell samples are then subjected to single-cell whole genome amplification allowing multiple downstream analysis including screening and target-specific approaches. The procedure of isolation and recovery yields high quality DNA from single cells and does not impair subsequent whole genome amplification (WGA). A single cell&#39;s amplified DNA can be forwarded to screening and/or targeted analysis such as array comparative genome hybridization (array-CGH) or sequencing. The device allows ex vivo isolation from artificial rare cell samples (i.e. 500 target cells spiked into 5 mL of peripheral blood). Whereas detachment rates of cells are acceptable (50 - 90%), the recovery rate of detached cells onto slides spans a wide range dependent on the cell line used (&#60;10 - &#62;50%) and needs some further attention. This device is not cleared for the use in patients.

This protocol is to recover and prepare rare target cells from a mixture with non-target background cells for molecular genetic characterization at the single-cell level. DNA quality is equal to non-treated single cells and allows for single-cell application (both screening based and targeted analysis).

Rare target cells can be isolated from a high background of non-target cells using antibodies specific for surface proteins of target cells. A recently ...

Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy

Cells can sense and migrate towards higher concentrations of adhesive cues such as the glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix and soluble cues such as growth factors. Here, we outline a method to create opposing gradients of adhesive and soluble cues in a microfluidic chamber, which is compatible with live cell imaging. A copolymer of poly-L-lysine and polyethylene glycol (PLL-PEG) is employed to passivate glass coverslips and prevent non-specific adsorption of biomolecules and cells. Next, microcontact printing or dip pen lithography are used to create tracks of streptavidin on the passivated surfaces to serve as anchoring points for the biotinylated peptide arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) as the adhesive cue. A microfluidic device is placed onto the modified surface and used to create the gradient of adhesive cues (100% RGD to 0% RGD) on the streptavidin tracks. Finally, the same microfluidic device is used to create a gradient of a chemoattractant such as fetal bovine serum (FBS), as the soluble cue in the opposite direction of the gradient of adhesive cues.

A method for the assembly of adhesive and soluble gradients in a microscopy chamber for live cell migration studies is described. The engineered environment combines antifouling surfaces and adhesive tracks with solution gradients and therefore allows one to determine the relative importance of guidance cues.

Cells can sense and migrate towards higher concentrations of adhesive cues such as the glycoproteins of the extracellular matrix and soluble cues such as ...

Bioengineering

Isolation and Enrichment of Liver Progenitor Subsets Identified by a Novel Surface Marker Combination

During chronic liver injuries, progenitor cells expand in a process called ductular reaction, which also entails the appearance of inflammatory cellular infiltrate and epithelial cell activation. The progenitor cell population during such inflammatory reactions has mostly been investigated using single surface markers, either by histological analysis or by flow cytometry-based techniques. However, novel surface markers identified various functionally distinct subsets within the liver progenitor/stem cell compartment. The method presented here describes the isolation and detailed flow cytometry analysis of progenitor subsets using novel surface marker combinations. Moreover, it demonstrates how the various progenitor cell subsets can be isolated with high purity using automated magnetic and FACS sorting-based methods. Importantly, novel and simplified enzymatic dissociation of the liver allows for the isolation of these rare cell populations with a high viability that is superior in comparison to other existing methods. This is especially relevant for further studying progenitor cells in vitro or for isolating high-quality RNA to analyze the gene expression profile.

Liver injuries are accompanied by progenitor cell expansion that represents a heterogeneous cell population. Novel classification of this cellular compartment allows for the distinguishing of multiple subsets. The method described here illustrates the flow cytometry analysis and high purity isolation of various subsets that can be used for further assays.

During chronic liver injuries, progenitor cells expand in a process called ductular reaction, which also entails the appearance of inflammatory cellular ...

Developmental Biology

Automated System for Single Molecule Fluorescence Measurements of Surface-immobilized Biomolecules

Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) microscopy has been widely used to study the structure and dynamics of molecules of biological interest, such as nucleic acids and proteins. Single molecule FRET (sm-FRET) measurements on immobilized molecules permit long observations of the system -effectively until both dyes photobleach- resulting in time-traces that report on biomolecular dynamics with a broad range of timescales from milliseconds to minutes. To facilitate the acquisition of large number of traces for statistical analyses, the process must be automated and the sample environment should be tightly controlled over the entire measurement time (~12 hours). This is accomplished using an automated scanning confocal microscope that allows the interrogation of thousands of single molecules overnight, and a microfluidic cell that permits the controlled exchange of buffer, with restricted oxygen content and maintains a constant temperature throughout the entire measuring period. Here we show how to assemble the microfluidic device and how to activate its surface for DNA immobilization. Then we explain how to prepare a buffer to maximize the photostability and lifetime of the fluorophores. Finally, we show the steps involved in preparing the setup for the automated acquisition of time-resolved single molecule FRET traces of DNA molecules.

In this article we describe how we obtain FRET traces from individual DNA molecules immobilized to a surface using an automated scanning confocal microscope.

Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) microscopy has been widely used to study the structure and dynamics of molecules of biological interest, ...

Biology

Isolation and Ex Vivo Culture of V&#948;1+CD4+&#947;&#948; T Cells, an Extrathymic &#945;&#946;T-cell Progenitor

The thymus, the primary organ for the generation of &#945;&#946; T cells and backbone of the adaptive immune system in vertebrates, has long been considered as the only source of &#945;&#946;T cells. Yet, thymic involution begins early in life leading to a drastically reduced output of na&#239;ve &#945;&#946;T cells into the periphery. Nevertheless, even centenarians can build immunity against newly acquired pathogens. Recent research suggests extrathymic &#945;&#946;T cell development, however our understanding of pathways that may compensate for thymic loss of function are still rudimental. &#947;&#948; T cells are innate lymphocytes that constitute the main T-cell subset in the tissues. We recently ascribed a so far unappreciated outstanding function to a &#947;&#948; T cell subset by showing that the scarce entity of CD4+ V&#948;1+&#947;&#948; T cells can transdifferentiate into &#945;&#946;T cells in inflammatory conditions. Here, we provide the protocol for the isolation of this progenitor from peripheral blood and its subsequent cultivation. V&#948;1 cells are positively enriched from PBMCs of healthy human donors using magnetic beads, followed by a second step wherein we target the scarce fraction of CD4+ cells with a further magnetic labeling technique. The magnetic force of the second labeling exceeds the one of the first magnetic label, and thus allows the efficient, quantitative and specific positive isolation of the population of interest. We then introduce the technique and culture condition required for cloning and efficiently expanding the cells and for identification of the generated clones by FACS analysis. Thus, we provide a detailed protocol for the purification, culture and ex vivo expansion of CD4+ V&#948;1+&#947;&#948; T cells. This knowledge is prerequisite for studies that relate to this &#945;&#946;T cell progenitor`s biology and for those who aim to identify the molecular triggers that are involved in its transdifferentiation.

Isolation and Ex Vivo Culture of V&#948;1+CD4+&#947;&#948; T Cells, an Extrathymic &#945;&#946;T-cell Progenitor

Here, we provide an optimized protocol for the isolation and cloning of the scarce T-cell entity of peripheral V&#948;1+CD4+ T cells that is, as we showed recently, an extrathymic &#945;&#946; T-cell progenitor. This technique allows to quantitatively isolate, clone and efficiently expand these cells in ex vivo culture.

The thymus, the primary organ for the generation of &#945;&#946; T cells and backbone of the adaptive immune system in vertebrates, has long been ...

Immunology and Infection

Fabricating Optical-quality Glass Surfaces to Study Macrophage Fusion

Visualizing the formation of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) from living specimens has been challenging due to the fact that most live imaging techniques require propagation of light through glass, but on glass macrophage fusion is a rare event. This protocol presents the fabrication of several optical-quality glass surfaces where adsorption of compounds containing long-chain hydrocarbons transforms glass into a fusogenic surface. First, preparation of clean glass surfaces as starting material for surface modification is described. Second, a method is provided for the adsorption of compounds containing long-chain hydrocarbons to convert non-fusogenic glass into a fusogenic substrate. Third, this protocol describes fabrication of surface micropatterns that promote a high degree of spatiotemporal control over MGC formation. Finally, fabricating glass bottom dishes is described. Examples of use of this in vitro cell system as a model to study macrophage fusion and MGC formation are shown.

This protocol describes the fabrication of optical-quality glass surfaces adsorbed with compounds containing long-chain hydrocarbons that can be used to monitor macrophage fusion of living specimens and enables super-resolution microscopy of fixed specimens.

Visualizing the formation of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) from living specimens has been challenging due to the fact that most live imaging ...

Functionalization of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers with Single-T Cells or Single-Particle for Immunological Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy

Atomic force microscopy based single cell force spectroscopy (AFM-SCFS) is a powerful tool for studying biophysical properties of living cells. This technique allows for probing interaction strengths and dynamics on a live cell membrane, including those between cells, receptor and ligands, and alongside many other variations. It also works as a mechanism to deliver a physical or biochemical stimulus on single cells in a spatiotemporally controlled manner, thus allowing specific cell activation and subsequent cellular events to be monitored in real-time when combined with live-cell fluorescence imaging. The key step in those AFM-SCFS measurements is AFM-cantilever functionalization, or in other words, attaching a subject of interest to the cantilever. Here, we present methods to modify AFM cantilevers with a single T cell and a single polystyrene bead respectively for immunological studies. The former involves a biocompatible glue that couples single T cells to the tip of a flat cantilever in a solution, while the latter relies on an epoxy glue for single bead adhesion in the air environment. Two immunological applications associated with each cantilever modification are provided as well. The methods described here can be easily adapted to different cell types and solid particles.

We present a protocol to functionalize atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers with a single T cell and bead particle for immunological studies. Procedures to probe single-pair T cell-dendritic cell binding by AFM and to monitor the real-time cellular response of macrophages to a single solid particle by AFM with fluorescence imaging are shown.

Atomic force microscopy based single cell force spectroscopy (AFM-SCFS) is a powerful tool for studying biophysical properties of living cells. This ...

Photodegradable Hydrogel Interfaces for Bacteria Screening, Selection, and Isolation

Biologists have long attempted to understand the relationship between phenotype and genotype. To better understand this connection, it is crucial to develop practical technologies that couple microscopic cell screening with cell isolation at high purity for downstream genetic analysis. Here, the use of photodegradable poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels for screening and isolation of bacteria with unique growth phenotypes from heterogeneous cell populations is described. The method relies on encapsulating or entrapping cells with the hydrogel, followed by culture, microscopic screening, then use of a high-resolution light patterning tool for spatiotemporal control of hydrogel degradation and release of selected cells into a solution for retrieval. Applying different light patterns allows for control over the morphology of the extracted cell, and patterns such as rings or crosses can be used to retrieve cells with minimal direct UV light exposure to mitigate DNA damage to the isolates. Moreover, the light patterning tool delivers an adjustable light dose to achieve various degradation and cell release rates. It allows for degradation at high resolution, enabling cell retrieval with micron-scale spatial precision. Here, the use of this material to screen and retrieve bacteria from both bulk hydrogels and microfabricated lab-on-a-chip devices is demonstrated. The method is inexpensive, simple, and can be used for common and emerging applications in microbiology, including isolation of bacterial strains with rare growth profiles from mutant libraries and isolation of bacterial consortia with emergent phenotypes for genomic characterizations.

The use of photodegradable hydrogels to isolate bacterial cells by utilizing a high-resolution light pattering tool is reported. Essential experimental procedures, results, and advantages of the process are reviewed. The method enables rapid and inexpensive isolation of targeted bacteria showing rare or unique functions from heterogeneous communities or populations.

Biologists have long attempted to understand the relationship between phenotype and genotype. To better understand this connection, it is crucial to ...

Clinical Microfluidic Chip Platform for the Isolation of Versatile Circulating Tumor Cells

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are significant in cancer prognosis, diagnosis, and anti-cancer therapy. CTC enumeration is vital in determining patient disease since CTCs are rare and heterogeneous. CTCs are detached from the primary tumor, enter the blood circulation system, and potentially grow at distant sites, thus metastasizing the tumor. Since CTCs carry similar information to the primary tumor, CTC isolation and subsequent characterization can be critical in monitoring and diagnosing cancer. The enumeration, affinity modification, and clinical immunofluorescence staining of rare CTCs are powerful methods for CTC isolation because they provide the necessary elements with high sensitivity. Microfluidic chips offer a liquid biopsy method that is free of any pain for the patients. In this work, we present a list of protocols for clinical microfluidic chips, a versatile CTC isolating platform, that incorporate a set of functionalities and services required for CTC separation, analysis, and early diagnosis, thus facilitating biomolecular analysis and cancer treatment. The program includes rare tumor cell counting, clinical patient blood preprocessing, which includes red blood cell lysis, and the isolation and recognition of CTCs in situ on microfluidic chips. The program allows the precise enumeration of tumor cells or CTCs. Additionally, the program includes a tool that incorporates CTC isolation with versatile microfluidic chips and immunofluorescence identification in situ on the chips, followed by biomolecular analysis.

The clinical microfluidic chip is an important biomedical analysis technique that simplifies clinical patient blood sample preprocessing and immunofluorescently stains circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in situ on the chip, allowing the rapid detection and identification of a single CTC.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are significant in cancer prognosis, diagnosis, and anti-cancer therapy. CTC enumeration is vital in determining patient ...

Functionalized Wire-based Target Cell Isolation: An Ex Vivo Technique to Isolate Cancer Cells from Spiked Peripheral Blood

Source: Chen S. et al. <a href="https://www.jove.com/video/56394" target="_blank">Target Cell Pre-enrichment and Whole Genome Amplification for Single Cell Downstream Characterization.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (2018)
In this video, we demonstrate the isolation of EpCAM-expressing epithelial cancer cells from peripheral blood samples. The technique involves the use of a medical-grade wire functionalized with EpCAM&#160;antibodies to capture the target cells. The captured cells are then subsequently extracted into a buffer solution.

Source: Chen S. et al. Target Cell Pre-enrichment and Whole Genome Amplification for Single Cell Downstream Characterization. J. Vis. Exp. (2018)
In this ...