Isolation and characterization of tumor cells using shear stress measurements

摘要

Methods for isolating viable cancer cells from a sample that comprises a mixture of cancerous cells and normal (non-cancerous) cells are provided. In the methods, a fluid preparation comprising a mixture of cancerous and normal cells is repeatedly exposed to fluid shear stresses, whereby the repeated exposure to the fluid shear stresses preferentially imparts fluid shear stress-resistance to the cancerous cells.

主权项

1. A method for purifying a fluid sample comprising extracellular calcium and cells of a mammalian subject, the cells comprising viable normal cells, the method comprising:
applying an initial pulse of fluid shear stress to the sample in vitro, wherein the initial pulse of fluid shear stress is sufficient to induce a fluid shear stress resistance in viable cancerous cells present in the sample such that the magnitude of shear stress required to kill the viable cancerous cells is greater than the magnitude of shear stress required to kill the viable normal cells; and subsequently applying one or more additional pulses of fluid shear stress to the sample in vitro, said fluid shear stress sufficient to selectively kill the viable normal cells relative to the viable cancerous cells such that the ratio of the viable cancerous cells to the viable normal cells is increased.