Volume 20, Issue 26 2310700
Research Article

Microfluidic Impedance Cytometry Enabled One-Step Sample Preparation for Efficient Single-Cell Mass Spectrometry

Junwen Zhu

Junwen Zhu

State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Siyuan Pan

Siyuan Pan

Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Huichao Chai

Huichao Chai

State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Peng Zhao

Peng Zhao

State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Yongxiang Feng

Yongxiang Feng

State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Zhen Cheng

Zhen Cheng

Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Sichun Zhang

Sichun Zhang

Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

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Wenhui Wang

Corresponding Author

Wenhui Wang

State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 14 March 2024
Citations: 33

Abstract

Single-cell mass spectrometry (MS) is significant in biochemical analysis and holds great potential in biomedical applications. Efficient sample preparation like sorting (i.e., separating target cells from the mixed population) and desalting (i.e., moving the cells off non-volatile salt solution) is urgently required in single-cell MS. However, traditional sample preparation methods suffer from complicated operation with various apparatus, or insufficient performance. Herein, a one-step sample preparation strategy by leveraging label-free impedance flow cytometry (IFC) based microfluidics is proposed. Specifically, the IFC framework to characterize and sort single-cells is adopted. Simultaneously with sorting, the target cell is transferred from the local high-salinity buffer to the MS-compatible solution. In this way, one-step sorting and desalting are achieved and the collected cells can be directly fed for MS analysis. A high sorting efficiency (>99%), cancer cell purity (≈87%), and desalting efficiency (>99%), and the whole workflow of impedance-based separation and MS analysis of normal cells (MCF-10A) and cancer cells (MDA-MB-468) are verified. As a standalone sample preparation module, the microfluidic chip is compatible with a variety of MS analysis methods, and envisioned to provide a new paradigm in efficient MS sample preparation, and further in multi-modal (i.e., electrical and metabolic) characterization of single-cells.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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