Synchronized, spontaneous, and oscillatory detachment of eukaryotic cells: A new tool for cell characterization and identification

Despite the importance of cell characterization and identification fordiagnostic and therapeutic applications, developing fast and label-freemethods without (bio)-chemical markers or surface-engineered receptorsremains challenging. Here, we exploit the natural cellular response to mildthermal stimuli and propose a label- and receptor-free method for fast andfacile cell characterization. Cell suspensions in a dedicated sensor areexposed to a temperature gradient, which stimulates synchronized andspontaneous cell-detachment with sharply defined time-patterns, aphenomenon unknown from literature. These patterns depend on metabolicactivity (controlled through temperature, nutrients, and drugs) and provide alibrary of cell-type-specific indicators, allowing to distinguish several yeaststrains as well as cancer cells. Under specific conditions, synchronizedglycolytic-type oscillations are observed during detachment of mammalianand yeast-cell ensembles, providing additional cell-specific signatures. Thesefindings suggest potential applications for cell viability analysis and forassessing the collective response of cancer cells to drugs.
info:eu-repo/semantics/published