Negative-dielectrophoresis separation modules based high throughput and high efficient cell sorting platform for leukemia cell

We propose negative dielectrophoresis (n-DEP) separation modules based high throughput and high efficient cell sorting platform. In order to generate n-DEP force to deflect cells under gravity and hydrodynamics, a slit-type electrode (SE) array is fabricated. A separation module has a SE array, comprises 13 channels and 11 electrodes, which has functions of microfluidic channel and n-DEP generator. For high throughput, the sorting platform that consists of multiple inlet channels (four routes) and four separation modules is employed. In order to induce fluid flow in microchannel without microsyringe pump, the vertical pool and flow regulator are employed. Therefore, a cell in the separation module will be under gravitation, hydrodynamic force and n-DEP force. Consequently, the direction of each cell is determined by vector summation among gravitation, hydrodynamic force and n-DEP force. For throughput and efficiency test, live and dead leukemia cells (k-562) are separated in the proposed platform. Under the condition of voltage (6Vp-p with 200 KHz) and flow rate of 93mL/hour, live cells deflect along the SE array, and drain out of the housing through the Outlet. On the contrary, dead cells settle down through passage between SE arrays, and are trapped at Collector. Through the experiments, we confirm that the presented platform can separate live cells with 83 % of separation efficiency and process with concentrate of 10⁷ cells·ml^-1, and cell viability by culture process is approximately 85%.