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Patent of the Month: August 2020
Technology Description
This invention is a microfluidic platform that can generate real-time, quantitative measurements of cell migration and invasion through porous membranes. This system uses microfabricated electronic components built on both sides of porous membranes to produce the electronic signals that can “display” the movement of cells from one side of the membrane to the opposite, while it is occurring. The movement of cells through the pores also can be visualized using optical microscopy.
Inventors
Darwin R. Reyes-Hernandez
Brian Nablo
Technology Types
Biochemical Science
Electron Physics
Benefits
In this invention, a ratio of electrical measurements taken on both sides of the membrane start changing as cell migration progresses. Therefore, this makes this invention a controlled system in which normalized quantification occurs due to electrodes being set up within the same device. The progression of movement (cell migration) from one side of the membrane to the opposite side is tracked in real-time and in a quantitative way using the electrical measured magnitude (e.g., impedance) on both sides of the membrane. This system simplifies the tedious, end point conventional process of counting cells and adds dynamic measurement capability via simultaneous electronic and optical measurements.