Enhanced cell labeling with electropreconcentration

This study presents a high efficiency on-chip tumor cell labeling technique for cell-based diagnostics by taking advantage from local enhancement of antibody's concentration. Two different approaches, namely overlapping EDL in nanochannels and negatively charged polymer, have been applied for utilizing ion-selectivity in order to induce preconcentration. It has been found that electro-kinetic insatiability in ion concentration polarization results in microcirculation, which facilitates labeling as a result of larger convective terms. Experiments showed that owing to both locally-increased concentration of antibody and microcirculations required time for labeling dramatically decreased to two minutes compared to 45 minute-long conventional labeling procedure.