Monday, November 5, 2007 - 1:42 PM
68e

Spatial Quantification of Abo Blood Antigen Contributions to Field and Frequency Modulated Dielectrophoresis

Soumya S. Keshavamurthy1, Prashant Reuben Daggolu2, and Adrienne R. Minerick2. (1) Chemical Engineering Department, Mississippi State University, Dave C Swalm School of Engineering, P O Box 9595, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (2) Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Swalm 258, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762

Dielectrophoretic manipulations are useful for applications in biological research such as separation of malarial cells and cancer cells from healthy cells. The response of red blood cells to a dielectrophoretic field is of a particular interest due to blood's easy accessibility and prominent role in medical diagnostics. Dielectrophoresis of red blood cells is being studied to assess its usefulness as a tool in portable, point-of-care, medical diagnostic microdevices. Previous research established that red blood cells translate across electric field lines to form chains in two dimensional dielectrophoretic fields. Our current research has discovered that the movement of blood cells in dielectrophoretic fields is characteristic of their ABO blood type. Utilizing edge recognition image analysis software, cell positions are tracked vertically along approximate field lines as well as horizontally across field gradients. In the present work, we investigate the dependency of dielectrophoretic field strength and frequency on the movement of positive ABO red blood cell types. Experiments were performed at five different field strengths and six different frequencies to assess and quantify cell movements and behaviors in the dielectrophoretic field. Profiles for the positive blood types have been compiled and suggest the presence or absence of ABO blood antigens have subtle impacts on cell movement in dielectrophoretic fields. This study will potentially elucidate blood type dependencies and determine optimal field strength and frequency for each blood system. These results will be important in the future development of dielectrophoretic medical diagnostic kits.


Web Page: www.che.msstate.edu/research/MDERL/