Separating Magnetically Labeled and Unlabeled Biological Cells within Microfluidic Channels

Abstract

Within a population, individual biological cells generally have different physical and chemical properties. Research on these differences may affect treatments of diseases and lead to better patient care. We present a technique to separate targeted cells for further analysis. Magnetic micropatterns are used to trap magnetic beads that are specifically attached to targeted cells. The motion of these labeled cells is magnetically controlled within a microfluidic environment, thereby permitting the combination of the cell separation feature with analysis techniques to create an integrated “lab-on-a-chip” device. This miniature unit has the potential for use as a single-cell analysis device or medical diagnostic tool. The focus of this thesis is the development of a magnetic-trap based mechanism for separating a heterogeneous cell population. Methods for device fabrication and results on optimizing the separation efficiency are presented. Preliminary results of single cell encapsulation, which could be the next step towards realizing the lab-on-a-chip analysis process, are briefly discussed.