2010 - 19th Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium

Session Time : 4/22/10 10:30 AM - 4/22/10 11:45 AM

Content Area : Biomedical Engineering

Student Presenters :
Lindsay Pate Biomedical

Mentors and/or Co-Authors :
Glenn Walker Biomedical Engineering

Abstract Title : Isolating CD4+ Cells Through Microfluidics

Abstract :
The ability to isolate circulating blood cells is increasingly seen as an important clinical tool. While a few commercial devices exist, no comprehensive platform can currently select rare cells from the blood and retain them for downstream analysis. The purpose of this project was to demonstrate proof-of-concept for a microfluidic device to retain, and later release, specific blood cell types. A spiral microfluidic device was designed and tested for the purpose of enhancing cell capture efficiency. Magnetic nanoparticles decorated with CD4 antibodies were retained within the device. Immortalized CD4+ cells were then flown through the device, and captured by the antibodies. Capture efficiency was quantified by counting the number of retained cells.