CTC-iChip

CTC-iChip is a microfluidic device that isolates rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood. A sample of whole blood is first mixed with antibody-labeled magnetic beads to tag the white blood cells (WBCs), and the mixture is pumped into a debulking array that removes red blood cells and platelets. The remaining cells then flow into an inlet on the focusing channel. After passing through a curved region that causes the cells to form a single file, the cells enter a magnetic region (black rectangles) that causes the tagged WBCs and the untagged CTCs to flow toward separate outlets at the end of the channel. Source