Dissertation
Dielectrophoretic characterization of macrophages and low-cost cell separating DEP wand
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Sep 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001886
Abstract
Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a label-free cell separation method that distinguishes cells based on their relative polarizability to the surrounding medium in non-uniform electric fields. Even though it can rapidly detect cellular changes undetectable by popular labeling based cell separation techniques, DEP cell separation devices are not used by biomedical researchers. This is due to the complexity, low throughput and clogging issues associated with microchannels and high fabrication costs of DEP devices that are comparable to current methods like fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). This thesis focuses on strategies to get biomedical researchers to consider using DEP cell separation: (1) characterizing the sensitivity of DEP to detect changes in cell phenotype after a chemical stimulus, and (2) developing a low-cost DEP separation device without microchannels. Macrophage phenotypes such as pro-inflammatory (M1) persists in chronic ulcers, while pro-healing (M2) phenotypes linked to tumor prognosis, were chemically induced from non-activated (M0) macrophages. Characterizing the differences in their DEP response and membrane capacitance show how they could be leveraged to advance the development of devices for disease diagnostics, and rapid detection and separation of macrophages to advance novel therapeutic strategies in cancer and chronic wound healing. Furthermore, to enable biomedical researchers to easily and cost effectively separate cells, a handheld cell separating DEP wand device (DEP PenCell) compatible with cell culture plates was fabricated using commercially available wires and negative anisotropic thermal expanding material. DEP PenCell performance was characterized using model live and dead yeast cells. The influence of parameters such as frequency of the AC signal, collection time and wash steps on the number and viability of separated cells were evaluated. Thus, DEP cell separation devices could be more viable to biomedical researchers.
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Details
- Title
- Dielectrophoretic characterization of macrophages and low-cost cell separating DEP wand
- Creators
- Mi Thant Mon Soe
- Contributors
- Moses Noh (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xvii, 118 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Engineering (1970-2026); Mechanical Engineering (and Mechanics) (1970-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991021438312604721