Microfluidics Device takes Exomes from Blood
All cells produce and release exosomes, but tumors do more of both. And, inside these vesicles are biomarkers that can indicate diseases such as ovarian cancer. The issue, though, is that exosomes are tiny and hard to isolate. In this piece, researchers at the University of Kansas have developed a device for extracting exosomes from blood plasma: “The nano-pattern within the device resembles a fish bone, and it’s produced via a self-assembly chemical process. The fish bone pattern selectively pushes exosomes right against an electronic chip, which senses the presence of the exosomes. This is a challenge, as any liquid will tend to encapsulate an exosome, preventing its direct contact with a surface. By leveraging the fish bone structure with a technique called mass transfer, the researchers were able to effectively pull any liquid away from the chip’s surface and allow exosomes to make a direct contact with it.” MORE
Image Credit: University of Kansas