Deformation and focusing of hydrogel microparticles in microfluidic flow: mimicking the segregation of cancer cells with similar sizes

被引:0
作者
Ding, Zhenya [1 ,2 ]
Xiao, Yihao [1 ,2 ]
Zhang, Hua [1 ,2 ,3 ]
Zhang, Keyao [1 ,2 ]
Zhu, Chi [4 ]
Wang, Lian-Ping [1 ,2 ]
Xue, Yahui [1 ,2 ]
机构
[1] Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Mech & Aerosp Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, Peoples R China
[2] Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Ctr Complex Flows & Soft Matter Res, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, Peoples R China
[3] Natl Univ Singapore, Dept Mech Engn, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119260, Singapore
[4] Peking Univ, Coll Engn, Dept Mech & Engn Sci, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China
基金
中国国家自然科学基金;
关键词
microfluidics; particle/fluid flow; PLANE POISEUILLE FLOW; LIFT FORCES; PARTICLES; RHEOLOGY; SUSPENSION; MIGRATION; STIFFNESS; DYNAMICS; INERTIA; MOTION;
D O I
10.1017/jfm.2025.175
中图分类号
O3 [力学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0801 ;
摘要
The demand for separating and analysing rare target cells is increasing dramatically for vital applications such as cancer treatment and cell-based therapies. However, there remains a grand challenge for high-throughput and label-free segregation of lesion cells with similar sizes. Cancer cells with different invasiveness usually manifest distinct deformability. In this work, we employ a hydrogel microparticle system with similar sizes but varied stiffness to mimic cancer cells and examine in situ their deformation and focusing under microfluidic flow. We first demonstrate the similar focusing behaviour of hydrogel microparticles and cancer cells in confined flow that is dominated by deformability-induced lateral migration. The deformation, orientation and focusing position of hydrogel microparticles in microfluidic flow under different Reynolds numbers are then systematically observed and measured using a high-speed camera. Linear correlations of the Taylor deformation and tilt angle of hydrogel microparticles with the capillary number are revealed, consistent with theoretical predictions. Detailed analysis of the dependence of particle focusing on the flow rate and particle stiffness enables us to identify a linear scaling between the equilibrium focusing position and the major axis of the deformed microparticles, which is uniquely determined by the capillary number. Our findings provide insights into the focusing and dynamics of soft beads, such as cells and hydrogel microparticles, under confined flow, and pave the way for applications including the separation and identification of circulating tumour cells, drug delivery and controlled drug release.
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页数:15
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