Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hossein Tavassoli, Prunella Rorimpandey, Young Chan Kang, Michael Carnell, Chris Brownlee, John E. Pimanda, Peggy P. Y. Chan, Vashe Chandrakanthan
Summary: A label-free method using inertial microfluidics is developed to purify viable cardiomyocytes from mouse neonatal hearts with purities over 90%. The isolated cardiomyocytes retain their identity and function, exhibiting different physico-mechanical properties compared to non-cardiomyocytes. This method could be a valuable tool for advancing the understanding of cardiomyocyte identity and function, with potential benefits for cell therapy and diagnostic applications.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Minhui Liang, Jianwei Zhong, Ye Ai
Summary: Cellular mechanical properties play a significant role in cell state and health. Microfluidic mechanical phenotyping methods are promising tools that can address the limitations of traditional approaches. This study comprehensively compares two types of microfluidic cellular mechanical phenotyping methods and provides important findings.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Peixian Li, Ye Ai
Summary: Biophysical markers of cells have shown promise in studying, characterizing, and classifying different cell types. The lack of cell sorting ability based on multivariate biophysical markers presents a challenge in isolating specific cell types. This study demonstrates label-free and high-throughput acoustic single-cell sorting activated by the characterization of multivariate biophysical phenotypes, providing a solution to the challenges of cell purification without specific molecular biomarkers.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Minhui Liang, Qiang Tang, Jianwei Zhong, Ye Ai
Summary: Microfluidics provides a powerful platform for biological analysis by precisely manipulating fluids and microparticles. The imaging and impedance cell analyzer (IM2Cell) introduced here combines single cell level impedance analysis and hydrodynamic mechanical phenotyping, demonstrating multi-stress level mechanical phenotyping capabilities. IM2Cell can characterize cell diameter, deformability responses, and electrical properties, providing high-dimensional information about subcellular components. It has been validated for different cell lines and shows potential for deformability studies of PBMC subpopulations.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yue Chen, Qiong Zhan, Jian Zhang, Wei Wang, Bee Luan Khoo, Zhen Liu, Siqi Wei, Junxin Niu, Jun Xu, Chia-Chen Yu, Xiumei Hu, Yanhui Liu, Jongyoon Han, Shuwen Liu, Lihong Liu
Summary: The drug-induced diverse response among patients is a severe problem for improving hemorheological character. However, there is no validated method for personalized therapy to the best of our knowledge. Here, we apply a gravity-driven deformability cytometry platform (GD-DCP) to profile the drug response of the red cell deform -ability (RCD) at the single-cell level using pentoxifylline (PTX) as a model drug, the effect of different concen-trations of PTX (0, 2, 20, 200 mu g mL(-1), the clinical dosage of PTX is 20 mu g mL(-1)) on RCD in patients with cardiovascular disease was explored. Based on the GD-DCP, about 38 and 56% of the acute phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients in the acute phase and coronary heart disease (CHD) patients respond positively to PTX, respectively, indicating that PTX has a strong patient dependency on RCD. Moreover, RCD is observed to be significantly inversely correlated with the activation of membrane protein kinase C (PKC) as well as the concentration of Ca2+ (both P < 0.001). The results of animal experiments show that the protective effects of PTX on myocardial ischemia rats have substantial individual variation, too. It is noted that the effect of PTX is highly consistent between RCD in vitro and in vivo outcomes (blood viscosity, myocardial injury, and electro-cardiogram (ECG)) in the same rat. All these new findings suggest that the GD-DCP is a promising method that uses deformability in vitro as one of the important criteria in personalized medicine, and our study provides unique insight into the individual-dependent mechanisms of PTX for improving RCD.
ANALYTICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mario Gutierrez, Mark Shamoun, Katie Giger Seu, Tyler Tanski, Theodosia A. Kalfa, Omolola Eniola-Adefeso
Summary: In this study, a parameterization model of ektacytometry was used to quantify the bulk rigidity of rigid red blood cell populations in sickle cell disease patients. By coupling this model with an artificially rigid RBC model, an innovative system was formulated to estimate the average rigidity of rigid RBC populations in SCD blood, potentially offering valuable insights into disease severity assessment and treatment.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Bob Fregin, Doreen Biedenweg, Oliver Otto
Summary: The capability to parameterize shapes is important in biomechanics for identifying cells, tracking their motion, and quantifying deformation. This study compared nine different shape descriptors to characterize the deformation of suspended cells. The researchers found that high-throughput viscoelastic measurements of cells in suspension can be performed on an ensemble scale, and different shape descriptors have varying effects on cell deformation evaluation.
Article
Oncology
Yiyang Li, Huimin An, Chuan Shen, Boqian Wang, Ting Zhang, Yifan Hong, Hui Jiang, Peijun Zhou, Xianting Ding
Summary: FK506 and RAPA have different effects on T-cell lineages after transplantation, leading to different immune responses and transplant outcomes. Long-term RAPA treatment can reduce the occurrence of tumors and infections.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kim Vanuytsel, Anthony K. Yeung, Todd W. Dowrey, George J. Murphy, Anna C. Belkina
Summary: Hematopoietic stem cells have the ability to produce all mature blood cell types and maintain their population through self-renewing divisions. A multi-parameter spectral flow cytometry panel has been developed to better characterize HSC and their downstream progeny. In this study, this panel is used to comprehensively profile the HSC compartment in fetal liver.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yuanyuan Jia, Peiliang Shen, Tao Yan, Weijia Zhou, Jia Sun, Xin Han
Summary: In this study, a microfluidic tandem mechanical sorting system was developed to enrich CSCs with high flexibility and low adhesive capacity. Deformable and low-adhesive cancer cells sorted using this system showed enhanced stem cell-like properties, and a potent therapeutic compound isoliquiritigenin was identified from licorice to inhibit the lung cancer stem cell phenotype. This system can facilitate drug screening targeting CSCs and the analysis of signals regulating CSC function in drug resistance.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Beth C. Bragdon, Andrew Bennie, Amanda Molinelli, Yu Liu, Louis C. Gerstenfeld
Summary: There is currently no consensus on whether there is a single or multiple population(s) of postnatal stem cells that contribute to skeletal homeostasis and postnatal bone formation. This study found that a population of cells expressing Prx1 contributes to postnatal bone formation. Using a transgenic mouse model, the researchers tracked the lineage of Prx1 expressing cells and found recruitment and expansion of these cells in newly formed bone tissues during fracture and ectopic bone formation. Prx1-derived cells were limited or absent at axial skeletal sites, and could differentiate into multiple cell lineages.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Shufeng Luo, Huiling Lin, Lan Zhu, Hai-Tian Chen, Siqian Yang, Jinheng Li, Mingyu Liu, Limin Zheng, Chong Wu
Summary: Under stress conditions, HSPCs can interpret danger signals into cytokine signals to modify hematopoietic output. A flow cytometry-based method was developed to assess intracellular cytokines in HSPCs, revealing distinct regulatory modes of cytokine production depending on subset, cytokine, disease, organ, and species. This technical advance helps to better understand HSPC heterogeneity based on differential cytokine production.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leland B. Hyman, Clare R. Christopher, Philip A. Romero
Summary: Experimental methods focusing on individual properties of single cells have highlighted the significance of cell-to-cell variability in biological processes. SNAPD, a technology for single-cell nucleic acid profiling in droplets, provides a rapid, high-throughput approach for analyzing transcriptional markers in cell populations, allowing for cell classification and quantification in heterogeneous samples.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Silvia Campanario, Ignacio Ramirez-Pardo, Xiaotong Hong, Joan Isern, Pura Munoz-Canoves
Summary: Adult skeletal muscle tissue has the ability to regenerate through the autophagic function of satellite cells. Aging is associated with a decline in autophagic capacity in satellite cells, impacting tissue regeneration. Two strategies can be used to assess autophagic activity in satellite cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Ludovica Parisi, Silvia Rihs, Giorgio C. La Scala, Isabelle Schnyder, Christos Katsaros, Martin Degen
Summary: Our study characterizes the fibroblastic nature of lip-derived mesenchymal outgrowths and compares them to BM-MSCs and WI38 fibroblasts. We identified similarities between CLP lip fibroblasts and BM-MSCs, suggesting their potential as a cell source for regenerative medicine in CLP patients.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Laila A. Damiati, Monica P. Tsimbouri, Virginia-Llopis Hernandez, Vineetha Jayawarna, Mark Ginty, Peter Childs, Yinbo Xiao, Karl Burgess, Julia Wells, Mark R. Sprott, R. M. Dominic Meek, Peifeng Li, Richard O. C. Oreffo, Angela Nobbs, Gordon Ramage, Bo Su, Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez, Matthew J. Dalby
Summary: This study developed a polymer coating with nano-topographical structure to support osteospecific stem cells and prevent bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. The experimental results showed that this coating can increase cell adhesion and osteoblast differentiation, and reduce biofilm formation.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Stuart A. Lanham, Dominique Blache, Richard O. C. Oreffo, Abigail L. Fowden, Alison J. Forhead
Summary: Hormones play a crucial role in the regulation of fetal growth and development. A study investigating the effect of pancreas removal on fetal sheep found that pancreas deficiency caused growth retardation and altered bone structure and strength. This highlights the importance of hormones in the development of the fetal skeleton.
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Patricia M. Rodrigues, Miguel Xavier, Victor Calero, Lorenzo Pastrana, Catarina Goncalves
Summary: Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is commonly used in microfluidics. This study investigated the effects of variables such as concentration, solvent pairing, and residence time on molecule partitioning into PDMS. Different surface/bulk modifications were tested, and it was found that reducing PDMS hydrophobicity did not directly affect molecule partitioning. This research highlights the importance of pre-assessing molecule absorption and considering alternative materials in microfluidic fabrication.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camilo Riquelme-Guzman, Timon Beck, Sandra Edwards-Jorquera, Raimund Schluessler, Paul Mueller, Jochen Guck, Stephanie Moellmert, Tatiana Sandoval-Guzman
Summary: In this work, the non-invasive and label-free confocal Brillouin microscopy technique was used to probe the mechanical properties in axolotls during development and regeneration. The results showed a gradual increase in cartilage Brillouin frequency shift, which was correlated with the regeneration stage. This study demonstrates the potential of Brillouin microscopy to investigate mechanical changes in vivo, laying the foundation for its application in the field of epimorphic regeneration.
Article
Cell Biology
Venkata A. S. Dabbiru, Emmanuel Manu, Doreen Biedenweg, Peter Nestler, Ricardo H. Pires, Oliver Otto
Summary: Alterations in cytoskeletal organization can lead to the escape of adherent cells from cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions into suspension. This study investigates the relationship between cytoskeletal dynamics, cell mechanical properties, and changes in cellular shape, volume, and mechanical properties under different cellular states. The findings reveal an interplay between molecular and mechanical alterations during cell detachment from a surface, predominantly influenced by cell morphology.
Correction
Food Science & Technology
Miguel Xavier, Ines A. Parente, Patricia M. Rodrigues, Miguel A. Cerqueira, Lorenzo Pastrana, Catarina Goncalves
TRENDS IN FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jillian Cornish, Richard O. C. Oreffo
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ahmad Ahsan Nawaz, Despina Soteriou, Catherine K. Xu, Ruchi Goswami, Maik Herbig, Jochen Guck, Salvatore Girardo
Summary: Cell sorting based on mechanical properties has the potential to revolutionize the isolation of cells from heterogeneous populations. However, current methods sacrifice sorting rate for purity. We present a label-free cell sorting method using focused travelling surface acoustic wave in combination with real-time deformability cytometry, which enables high-throughput and high purity sorting of cells with different physical parameters. Our system also allows sorting of small cell fractions from concentrated populations, demonstrating the flexibility and applicability of the method.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Antonio Conde-Gonzalez, Michael Glinka, Deepanjalee Dutta, Robert Wallace, Anthony Callanan, Richard O. C. Oreffo, Mark Bradley
Summary: Regenerative medicine demands sophisticated 3D biomaterials to promote tissue formation. This study presents a novel technique for screening potential biocompatible 3D scaffolds, identifying a porous acrylate-based scaffold that promotes cell proliferation and tissue formation. The scaffold was fabricated through freeze-casting and photo-polymerization techniques and demonstrated tunable properties suitable for skeletal repair. This platform offers an innovative approach to scanning synthetic biomaterials for tissue regeneration.
BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Roxanna S. Ramnarine-Sanchez, Janos M. Kanczler, Nicholas D. Evans, Richard O. C. Oreffo, Jonathan I. Dawson
Summary: This paper reports a new reaction-diffusion self-assembly system, in which proteins function as diffusive reactants to assemble stable clay-protein composite hydrogels. Using this method, scalable and highly stable 3D protein patterns can be generated at sub-cellular resolution, and can guide cell behavior to achieve precise bone tissue template formation.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Duanyang Xu, Konstantinos N. Bourdakos, Anna Crisford, Peter Johnson, Ibrahim Abughazaleh, Panuwat Srisamran, Richard O. C. Oreffo, Sumeet Mahajan, David J. Richardson, Lin Xu
Summary: We present an all-fiber ized 1840-nm thulium-fiber-laser source for label-free biological imaging through nonlinear microscopy. The source consists of a dissipative-soliton mode-locked seed laser and a chirped-pulse-amplification system. It utilizes short pulses generated by the mode-locked laser and pulse compression techniques to achieve high-quality imaging of biological samples.
BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Miguel Xavier, Patricia M. Rodrigues, Mafalda D. D. Neto, Maria I. I. Guedes, Victor Calero, Lorenzo Pastrana, Catarina Goncalves
Summary: This article introduces a modular microfluidic-based platform for simulating the human gastrointestinal tract in vitro, which is essential for studying the bioavailability, intestinal absorption, and bioaccessibility of food ingredients or drugs. The platform utilizes digestion-chips and gut-chips to mimic the human gastrointestinal system, and has been validated to be effective and promising for pharmacokinetic studies.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lucas Daniel Wittwer, Felix Reichel, Paul Mueller, Jochen Guck, Sebastian Aland
Summary: Real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC) is a method that quantifies cell features on a single-cell level in real-time, and here we present two new lookup tables for RT-DC based on a neo-Hookean hyperelastic material obtained through simulations. The influence of the shear-thinning behavior of the surrounding medium on cell deformation in RT-DC is also analyzed, and insights about cell strain and stresses are provided. The new lookup tables and numerical cell shapes are freely available for use.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Beyza Bueyuekurganci, Santanu Kumar Basu, Markus Neuner, Jochen Guck, Andreas Wierschem, Felix Reichel
Summary: In this study, a full shear-rheological description of methyl cellulose (MC) solutions was provided at different shear rates. The results showed that MC solutions exhibited power-law viscosity behavior and showed first normal stress difference at high shear rates. Furthermore, the impact of MC concentration on the rheology of the solutions was investigated, and the entanglement concentration was found to be approximately 0.64%. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the viscoelastic behavior of MC solutions and can be considered when modeling stress in microfluidic channels.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Elloise Z. Matthews, Stuart Lanham, Kate White, Maria-Eleni Kyriazi, Konstantina Alexaki, Afaf H. El-Sagheer, Tom Brown, Antonios G. Kanaras, Jonathan West, Ben D. MacArthur, Patrick S. Stumpf, Richard O. C. Oreffo
Summary: Researchers have developed a new method to isolate and enrich skeletal stem cells from human bone marrow, which have the potential to differentiate into bone, cartilage, and fat cells. This study provides valuable insights for further understanding and utilization of these stem cells.
JOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING
(2023)
