Affinity-coated surfaces are commonly utilized in microfluidic devices to capture cells for real-time observation. These devices are commonly discarded after a single trial, meaning that time, resources, and energy must be devoted to producing enough devices for all required experimentation. The goal of this study was to assess the reusability of affinity-coated microfluidic devices across multiple cell-capture trials. The affinity surface, composed of a series of proteins that adhere anti-CD71 to a glass slide, allows for the binding and capturing of Jurkat T-lymphocytes for microscopic observation. The reusability was assessed by measuring the binding efficiency of the device over a set period. Following each trial, devices were cleaned with one of several reagents, including ethanol, phosphate-buffered saline, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide. Each trial was composed of three individual binding studies on the same device. Between bindings, a bubble was introduced to the device to clear off bound cells. The preliminary results of the anti-CD71 trials indicate that devices can maintain high binding efficiency if the affinity surface is reapplied prior to each trial. The average binding efficiency for the device cleaned with ethanol was 99.4% ± 0.6% before cleaning and 80.6% ± 3.1% one week later, after reapplication of the affinity surface. Devices cleaned with PBS but not recoated showed an initial binding efficiency of 98.8% ± 1.0% that dropped to 45.7% ± 7.5% one week later.  Similar experiments will be performed to determine if the effects observed within the study are applicable to other antibodies, such as anti-TCR and anti-CD95. Early results indicate that affinity surfaces can be cleaned and reused, or reused without cleaning if a decrease in binding efficiency is acceptable for the experiment. Adaptation of the methods presented here could save money and time for research involving affinity coated microfluidic devices in the future.

Examination of the reusability of affinity-coated surfaces for cell capture and analysis

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.