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Title: Microfluidic techniques for isolation, formation, and characterization of circulating tumor cells and clusters
Circulating tumor cell (CTC) clusters that are shed from the primary tumor into the bloodstream are associated with a poor prognosis, elevated metastatic potential, higher proliferation rate, and distinct molecular features compared to single CTCs. Studying CTC clusters may give us information on the differences in the genetic profiles, somatic mutations, and epigenetic changes in circulating cells compared to the primary tumor and metastatic sites. Microfluidic systems offer the means of studying CTC clusters through the ability to efficiently isolate these rare cells from the whole blood of patients in a liquid biopsy. Microfluidics can also be used to develop in vitro models of CTC clusters and make possible their characterization and analysis. Ultimately, microfluidic systems can offer the means to gather insight on the complexities of the metastatic process, the biology of cancer, and the potential for developing novel or personalized therapies. In this review, we aim to discuss the advantages and challenges of the existing microfluidic systems for working with CTC clusters. We hope that an improved understanding of the role microfluidics can play in isolation, formation, and characterization of CTC clusters, which can lead to increased sophistication of microfluidic platforms in cancer research.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1841509 1841473
NSF-PAR ID:
10390289
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
APL Bioengineering
Volume:
6
Issue:
3
ISSN:
2473-2877
Page Range / eLocation ID:
031501
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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