Nanostructure Embedded Microchips for Detection, Isolation, and Characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells

作者：Millicent Lin, Jie‐Fu Chen, Yi‐Tsung Lu, Yang Zhang, Jinzhao Song, Shuang Hou, Zunfu Ke, Hsian‐Rong Tseng · 发表于：Accounts of Chemical Research · 年份：2014 · DOI：10.1021/ar5001617 · 被引用次数：219 · 研究领域：Microfluidic and Bio-sensing Technologies、Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications、3D Printing in Biomedical Research

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cancer cells that break away from either a primary tumor or a metastatic site and circulate in the peripheral blood as the cellular origin of metastasis. With their role as a "tumor liquid biopsy", CTCs provide convenient access to all disease sites, including that of the primary tumor and the site of fatal metastases. It is conceivable that detecting and analyzing CTCs will provide insightful information in assessing the disease status without the flaws and limitations encountered in performing conventional tumor biopsies. However, identifying CTCs in patient blood samples is technically challenging due to the extremely low abundance of CTCs among a large number of hematologic cells. To address this unmet need, there have been significant research endeavors, especially in the fields of chemistry, materials science, and bioengineering, devoted to developing CTC detection, isolation, and characterization technologies. Inspired by the nanoscale interactions observed in the tissue microenvironment, our research team at UCLA pioneered a unique concept of "NanoVelcro" cell-affinity substrates, in which CTC capture agent-coated nanostructured substrates were utilized to immobilize CTCs with high efficiency. The working mechanism of NanoVelcro cell-affinity substrates mimics that of Velcro: when the two fabric strips of a Velcro fastener are pressed together, tangling between the hairy surfaces on two strips leads to strong binding. Through continu...