mechano-NPS: An Electronic Method to Mechanically Phenotype Cells
Lydia Sohn,
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of California, Berkeley
We have developed an efficient, label-free method of screening cells for their phenotypic profile, which we call Node-Pore Sensing (NPS). NPS involves measuring the modulated current pulse caused by a cell transiting a microfluidic channel that has been segmented by a series of inserted nodes. Previously, we showed that when segments between the nodes are functionalized with different antibodies corresponding to distinct cell-surface antigens, immunophenotyping can be achieved. In this talk, I will show how we have significantly advanced NPS by simply inserting between two nodes a “contraction” channel through which cells can squeeze. “Mechano-NPS”, as we now call our method, can simultaneously measure a cell’s size, stiffness, and ability to recover from deformation. We have used mechano-NPS to assess the mechanical properties of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells. APL is an acute myeloid leukemia subtype for which all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is an essential therapy. 20% of APL patients are resistant to ATRA, which must be administered during the acute phase of the disease to prevent death. We show that ATRA resistant APL cells are less mechanically pliable than ATRA-responsive cells. Thus, a potential biomarker for APL resistance may ultimately be mechanical stiffness.
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