A novel microchip filter for rare cells separation

This paper describes a novel microchip filter device incorporating slit arrays and 3-dimensional flow that can separate rare cells with high efficiency and throughput. The proposed device has several tens of times increased throughput, and has a unique pressure distribution along the filter pore, inducing target cells to be captured and gently lined up at the end of the slit in relatively low shear stress condition. With the enhanced capture yield and throughput, the proposed device can be used as an efficient rare-cell-analyzing tool for blood-based diagnostics.