Abstract
We report the application of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) technology that enables real-time functional analysis of sorting microparticles and cells in an inertial microfluidic device. We demonstrated high-speed, high-resolution acquisition of cross-sectional images at a frame rate of 350 Hz, with a lateral resolution of 3 μm and an axial resolution of 1 μm within the microfluidic channel filled with water. We analyzed the temporal sequence of cross-sectional SD-OCT images to determine the position and diameter of microspheres in a spiral microfluidic channel under various flow rates. We used microspheres with known diameters to validate the sub-micrometer precision of the particle size analysis based on a scattering model of spherical microparticles. An additional investigation of sorting live HT-29 cells in the spiral microfluidic channel indicated that the distribution of cells within in the microchannel has a close correspondence with the cells’ size distribution. The label-free real-time imaging and analysis of microscale particles in flow offers robustness for practical applications with live cells and allows us to better understand the mechanisms of particle separations in microfluidic sorting systems.
Highlights
Spectral-domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) is an imaging technology that enables high-resolution volumetric imaging in real-time by detecting optical scattering as the intrinsic contrast[26]
We demonstrate the capability of SD-OCT for visualizing and further enabling functional analysis of sorting microspheres and cells using an inertial microfluidic device
In order to study the capabilities of SD-OCT to image particles within the microfluidic device, we first imaged polystyrene microspheres and live cells under stationary conditions
Summary
Spectral-domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) is an imaging technology that enables high-resolution volumetric imaging in real-time by detecting optical scattering as the intrinsic contrast[26]. Live HT-29 cells from the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line were used as the model system to further demonstrate the feasibility of SD-OCT imaging technology for monitoring the sorting process of live cells. This high-resolution 3D volumetric imaging method can be used for real-time monitoring of microfluidic-based sorting, and for advancing our general understanding of microfluidic systems and providing guides for the design of novel inertial microfluidic particle sorting devices
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
