Latest Technological Trends in Cell Processing

Cell separation technology is a key step in the field of biomedical research. Advances in microfluidics have made it possible to create compact devices using a variety of physical principles. Additionally, label-free cell separation techniques have been recommended for highly efficient and damage-free harvesting of targeted cell populations for secondary use. Many intrinsic properties of cells such as size, electropolarizability and hydrodynamic properties have been explored to identify cells. A comprehensive review of recent developments in the exploitation of intrinsic properties of cell populations to focus on, align, capture, and isolate cells from heterogeneous populations in a label-free manner is provided in this chapter. Applications of microfluidic methods to the separation of various human cells such as circulating tumor cells, blood cells, immune cells and stem cells are summarized.