Latest Research

Microfluidic analysis of dynamic behaviors of cancer cells in response to mechanical stresses

Abstract

“Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) survive in the bloodstream and then seed and invade to foster tumor metastasis. The arrest of cancer cells is favored by permissive flow forces and geometrical constraints. Through the use of high-throughput microfluidic devices designed to mimic capillary-sized vessels, we applied pressure differences to cancer cells (MCF-7 cell line) and recorded the cell traverse-vessel behaviors. Our results showed that cancer cells transform from a Newtonian droplet state to an adhesion/migration state when cancer cells traverse artificial vessels. To explain these phenomena, a modified Newtonian droplet model was also proposed. These phenomena and the modified model may reveal how CTCs in the blood seed and invade vessels under suitable conditions.

The design principle of the microfluidic device and time-lapse microscopy images of two typical cells with different traverse-vessel behaviors. (A) Schematic diagram of the double-layer microfluidic chip with CO2 layer (blue) and cell cultivation layer (red) to maintain cell culture environment and culture cells. (B) A photograph of the microfluidic chip with CO2 layer (upper, blue) and cell cultivation layer (bottom, red). Scale bar: 1 cm. (C) Detailed schematic diagrams of the cell cultivation layer with Inlet, Filter, Trap Unit and Outlet. (D) Schematic illustration of experimental design in the research. (E,F) Time-lapse microscopy images and the protrusion length as a function of time for two typical cells under applied pressure difference ΔPΔP, 200 mbar and 100 mbar respectively. Scale bar: 20 μm. Reproduced under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License from Li, X., Shi, J., Gao, Z. et al. Biophysical studies of cancer cells’ traverse-vessel behaviors under different pressures revealed cells’ motion state transition. Sci Rep 12, 7392 (2022).

 

Figures and the abstract are reproduced from Li, X., Shi, J., Gao, Z. et al. Biophysical studies of cancer cells’ traverse-vessel behaviors under different pressures revealed cells’ motion state transition. Sci Rep 12, 7392 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11047-5 under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


Read the original article:
Biophysical studies of cancer cells’ traverse-vessel behaviors under different pressures revealed cells’ motion state transition

Pouriya Bayat

Published by
Pouriya Bayat

Recent Posts

Multiphasic Droplet Microfluidics for Controlled Bacteria and Mammalian Cell Co-Culture

Studying interactions between bacteria and mammalian cells is important for understanding the microbiome, infection, inflammation,…

August 3, 2026

Handheld Microfluidic Platform for Rapid Thrombin and SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Detection

Rapid detection of thrombin and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is useful for very different clinical needs,…

July 20, 2026

Artificial Red Blood Cells for Microfluidic Hemorheology

Blood is difficult to recreate in the lab because its flow behavior is not controlled…

July 7, 2026

Profiling Live Neuronal Cell Membrane Integrity with Microfluidic Electrorotation

Cell membrane damage is deeply connected to many diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s…

June 26, 2026

What is a Microfluidics Chip?

Imagine a laboratory that fits in the palm of your hand. Though it might sound…

June 25, 2026

Detecting Antibiotic Resistance with Droplet Microfluidics and Image Texture Analysis

Antibiotic resistance is not always easy to detect. In some bacterial infections, most cells may…

June 15, 2026