The new On-chip Sort is the first of its class cell sorting instrument. It utilizes the world’s first microfluidic chip technology that enables damage-free, contamination-free, and multi-step cell isolation.
The compact instrument uses disposable microfluidic chips for sample loading and cell analysis. The cell sample is sandwiched by two sheath flows, which gently guides cells in single file down the channel into the waste reservoir.
After passing the laser interrogation point, target cells are sorted into collection reservoirs. Particles can be selected based on readings from forward scatter, side scatter, and up to three lasers. Altogether, the microfluidic chip technology allows for a wide variety of different sorting applications.
Conventional cell sorters that use a jet-in-air method can cause mechanical stress to more delicate cell types. This can result in cell damage affecting the results of downstream applications. By using a gentler air pressure method, On-chip Sort can produce damage-free sorting of even the most sensitive cells.
When rat hippocampus cells were sorted with On-chip Sort, the isolated neurons displayed excellent health. In contrast to cells isolated with a conventional sorter, growth of cells from On-chip Sort resembled those of unsorted cells.
More cell types have been isolated free from stress and damage. Neurons from dorsal root ganglions underwent two rounds of sorting using antibodies against beta-tubulin and then Isolectin B4.
After four days, the collected neurons successfully formed elongated dendrites, indicating damage-free isolation.
The damage-free feature of On-chip Sort is apparent when comparing the sorting of blood cells. Compared to a conventional cell sorter, the isolated eosinophils have maintained their characteristic healthy morphologies.
Damage-free, multi-step sorting by the On-chip Sort makes it possible to collect and enrich for rare cell types.
At the first sort, air pressure creates liquid pulses that gently guide the cells through the flow chip and into collection reservoir. The target cell and its surrounding non-target cells are then sent into one reservoir.
A second and third sorting can be carried out by transferring the collected cells from the reservoir back into the starting well.
This further enriches the target cells. At around 10 minutes per sorting, three rounds of sorting can be completed in just around 30 minutes.
Rare target cells can be isolated from a sample that contains one hundred million cells. Because conventional sorting processes damage cells, it is difficult to isolate rare cells in a population. But multi-sorting by the On-chip Sort is a fundamentally gentler process and allows you to enrich target cells from a concentrated sample in a way that cannot be performed on a conventional cell sorter.
On-chip Sort has been used to successfully identify circulating tumor cells, or CTCs, that undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
Tumor cells are sorted based on the expression of key epithelial and mesenchymal markers as well as the absence of CD45. Among other exciting discoveries, this method also paves the way for identifying new mutations based on the isolated CTCs.
he microfluidic chips feature either an 80 micrometer wide channel for sorting standard cells or a 150 micrometer-wide channel that allows the easy passage of larger items such as 3D cell clusters and large microorganisms.
On-chip Sort has the ability to sort three dimensional cell cluster spheroids, which are used in cancer therapeutic research.
On-chip Sort has been used to successfully isolate the protozoa from the intestines of termites.
Unlike conventional cell sorters, On-chip Sort can accommodate a broad selection of sheath fluid, including culture medium oil and sea water.
On-chip Sort is well-suited for working with large and chemically sensitive microorganisms. On-chip Sort accommodates various sheath fluid options, and the appropriate solution can be used to prevent cell damage due to osmotic pressure.
This makes it possible to sort water-in-oil emulsions. Here, individual water-in-oil droplets that contain fluorescent beads are successfully sorted. This technology can be applied for analyzing single cells enclosed in droplets.
With On-chip Sort, cell isolation is damage-, contamination-, and maintenance-free. Safe and high precision cell sorter with the world’s first microfluidic chip technology.
For more information about the On-Chip Sort, please visit onchipbio.com.
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