Separation detection of different circulating tumor cells in the blood using an electrochemical microfluidic channel modified with a lipid-bonded conducting polymer

Different circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood were separated and detected through the decoration of anticancer drug on the target cells, along with chemical modification of the microfluidic channel walls using a lipid attached covalently to the conducting polymer. The working principle of the electrochemical microfluidic device was evaluated with experimental parameters affecting on the separation, in terms of mass and surface charge of target species, fluid flow rate, AC amplitude, and AC frequency. The separated CTCs were selectively detected via the oxidation of daunomycin adsorbed specifically at the cells using an electrochemical sensor installed at the channel end. The fluorescence microscopic examination also confirmed the separation of CTCs in the channel. To evaluate the reliability of the method, blood samples from 37 cancer patients were tested. The device was able to separate the CTCs with 92.0 +/- 0.5 % efficiency and 90.9% detection rate.