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At Fluxion, we’re passionate about delivering cell-based and cell-free solutions that facilitate the transformation of research discoveries into new ways to diagnose and treat patients. By characterizing molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease, Fluxion’s platforms help bridge the translational medicine gap, enabling rapid advances in disease research, drug discovery, and the development of diagnostic tests.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

and cancer progression

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has three main types: developmental (Type I), wound healing and organ fibrosis (Type II), and cancer (Type III). In order for cancer cells to begin metastasis, the EMT process is required. Once metastasized, carcinoma cells use platelets to adhere to activated endothelial cells and exit the bloodstream, beginning new tumor growth. The interactions between platelets and cancer cell have been commonly studied, and a great way to do so is under controlled shear flow.

The BioFlux system mimics the physiological conditions of the vasculature. With the ability to control shear flow, temperature, and pressure, the system can replicate how cancer cells behave during EMT. The system can be used for several other oncological analyses, including screening different types of tumor cells for invasive phenotypes, screening compounds to inhibit or otherwise affect invasion and or angiogenesis, or to study chemotaxis of circulating cells in response to stimuli or inhibition.

emt+1

A BioFlux system was used to analyze CHO cell binding on prolectin/streptavidin coated channels at a shear stress levels under 0.1 dyn/cm². Prolectin binding and expression was studied in several different circumstances under shear flow in BioFlux channels (Le Pendu et al., 2016).

 

PC3 Cells Invade Lymphatic Endothelial Cells in 3D

The Nikon Imaging Center (UCSF) captured a 3D stack image of human prostate PC-3 cells (green) invading through a monolayer of endothelial cells (red).

HubSpot Video

 

Key BioFlux Advantages For EMT Studies

  • Analyze the different steps of cancer progression and EMT with cancer cells under shear flow (adherence to endothelium, intravasation, etc.)

  • Coat channels with different proteins and cell types to study cancer cell adherence

  • Flow allows for easy washing of unbound cancer cells

  • Microfluidic design allows for each experiment to utilize as little as 100 µl of patient blood

  • Couple BioFlux analysis with IsoFlux CTC isolation technology

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