Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Biochip Developed to Detect Prostate Cancer Cells

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 20 Jun 2018
In men with prostate cancer, some tumor cells exit the prostate gland and circulate in the blood. More...
Detecting these cells could enable diagnosis at an earlier stage or help doctors assess whether treatment is effective.

A new type of sensor has been developed that acts like Velcro for prostate cancer cells, sticking them to a modified frosted glass slide, like those used in medical laboratories, so that they can be identified from blood samples. The low-cost method could help doctors better diagnose and monitor the disease.

Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing, China) and their colleagues developed a simpler, more cost-effective way to monitor prostate cancer cells in the blood. The team based their device on frosted glass microscope slides. The frosted area, which is used to hold and label the slide, is a sandblasted surface with tiny depressions. They added a solution to the frosted slides that caused silica nanowires to grow on their surfaces, and then they suspended antibodies that recognized prostate cancer cells from the nanowires.

After getting captured by the antibodies, circulating tumor cells became trapped in the depressions on the slide and tangled up within the nanowires, similar to the interlocking surfaces of Velcro. The team could then visualize the cancer cells with microscopy, and found that the device had a capture efficiency on par with other approaches. When the scientists tested blood samples from prostate cancer patients, the devices detected as few as 10 tumor cells in 1 mL of blood.

The biochip showed the specificity and high capture efficiency of 85.4 ± 8.3% for prostate cancer cell line (PC-3). The micro-sized frosted slides and silica nanowires allow enhanced efficiency in capture epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) positive cells by synergistic topographic interactions. The capture efficiency of biochip increased with the increase of silica nanowires length on frosted slide. The biochip shows that micro/nanocomposite structures improve the capture efficiency of PC-3 more than 70% compared to a plain slide.

The authors concluded that the nanobiochip has been successfully applied to identify circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from whole blood specimens of prostate cancer patients. Thus, this frosted slide-based biochip may provide a cheap and effective way of clinical monitoring of CTCs. The study was published on May 17, 2018, in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Related Links:
Chinese Academy of Sciences


Gold Member
Troponin T QC
Troponin T Quality Control
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Gold Member
Serological Pipets
INTEGRA Serological Pipets
New
Candida Glabrata Test
ELIchrom Glabrata
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The RNA-seq based diagnostic test for pediatric leukemia ensures better outcomes for children with this common cancer (Photo courtesy of Qlucore)

RNA-Seq Based Diagnostic Test Enhances Diagnostic Accuracy of Pediatric Leukemia

A new unique test is set to reshape the way Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) samples can be analyzed. Qlucore (Lund, Sweden) has launched the first CE-marked RNA-seq based diagnostic test for pediatric... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.