11/19/2012
Jellyfish device to captures cancer cells
A new jellyfish-inspired device will use its tentacles to grab tumor cells in the bloodstream, which could make it easier to determine the efficiency of cancer treatments in patients.
The device will be made up of a microchip with a long DNA strand attached to it. The DNA strand, called an aptamer, will bind with targeted cancer cells, but the strands are usually short. To create the long DNA "tentacles," I suggest making copies of the aptamer using rolling circle amplification and then connecting them. This will result in a strand much longer than the original. As the strand floats in the bloodstream it will bond with the cancer cells as they float by, allowing the cells to be collected and identified.
The device can both count and sort cancer cells, which will allow doctors to determine how the cancer is responding to treatments.
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