It has been established a long time ago that cancer cells can have a drastically different pliability than healthy cells, typically being considerably squishier. Researchers at UCLA have been building on this fact by creating a device that can rapidly screen large numbers of cells for their “mechanotype”. The team believes that cells’ mechanical properties, particularly their pliability, is an under utilized label-free biomarker that holds clues to the exact nature of each cell.
Through a technique called parallel microfiltration method (PMF), which involves trying to push a liquid and cell mixture through narrow channels, their device can quickly classify passing cells as to their squishiness. The harder cells have a more difficult time going through the channels than softer, more pliable cells.
What they discovered when they were actually able to break large numbers of ovarian cancer cells into groups by their squishiness is that the malignant and drug resistant cells were considerably softer than their benign and drug sensitive counterparts.
By further investigating cancer cells’ mechanotypes it is hoped that cancer diagnostics can be improved and the search for new therapies can be aided with the new tool.
Study in Scientific Reports: Screening cell mechanotype by parallel microfiltration…
Source: UCLA…
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