Diagnostics at Single Cell Level.

How does ApoStream^TM Work?

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and other rare circulating cells have inherent differences from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in morphology and dielectric properties. Dielectric properties (polarisability) of cells are dependant upon cell diameter, membrane area, density, conductivity and volume.

ApoCell’s ApoStream^TM technology leverages these differences in a micro-channel flow field to isolate CTCs using a process called dielectrophoresis field flow fractionation (DEP-FFF). A combination of forces, dominated by the electrophoretic charge, attracts or repels cells to a charged electrode. Differential flow rates relative to distance from the electrode are used to fractionate cell types.

Electric fields at lower level pull tumor cells towards the microelectrode array on the chamber floor and repel blood cells in the eluant. Tumor cells therefore experience retardation, thus slowing their transit through the chamber while blood cells are carried away by the eluant.

ApoStream^TM technology exploits dissimilarities of different cell types that arise from morphological and electrical properties to isolate a variety of rare cells from whole blood, independent of EpCAM expression. Data collected from more than 80 tumor cell lines has shown that CTCs exhibit distinctly different dielectric properties as compared to PBMCs, and the isolated and recovered cells maintain cell viability and can be used for downstream analysis.

 

ApoStream^TM Key Benefits:

• Antibody-independent
• CTCs from a variety of cancers
• High recovery and high purity
• Isolated cells are intact, viable, and can be cultured
• Whole blood processing, with small starting volume
• Non-capture – cell contact is minimal
• Minimal cell loss during processing steps
• Other rare cell (CEC, CEP, stem cell etc.) isolation

 

ApoStream^TM CTC Imaging:

ApoStream^TM successfully isolates single cells and tumor cell aggregates from the circulation that are vital for cancer cell survival in circulation.