Ultrasensitive+detection+of+DNA+and+protein+markers+in+cancer+cells.pdf

Cancer Biol Med 2015;12:143-149. doi: 10.7497/j.issn.2095-3941.2015.0048 REVIEW Ultrasensitive detection of DNA and protein markers in cancer cells Irina V. Smolina, Natalia E. Broude Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA ABSTRACT Cancer cells differ from normal cells in various parameters, and these differences are caused by genomic mutations and consequential altered gene expression. The genetic and functional heterogeneity of tumor cells is a major challenge in cancer research, detection, and effective treatment. As such, the use of diagnostic methods is important to reveal this heterogeneity at the single-cell level. Droplet microfluidic devices are effective tools that provide exceptional sensitivity for analyzing single cells and molecules. In this review, we highlight two novel methods that employ droplet microfluidics for ultra- sensitive detection of nucleic acids and protein markers in cancer cells. We also discuss the future practical applications of these methods. KEYWORDS Microfluidic droplets; rolling circle amplification (RCA); peptide nucleic acids (PNA); cell-surface protein marker Introduction single-molecule or single-cell level. Droplet microfluidic devices have recently emerged as an Cancer cells differ from normal cells in various parameters, which effective tool used to encapsulate single cells within monodisperse define the uncontrolled growth, lack of cell-cell communication, microdroplets for high-throughput analysis with exceptional and loss of adhesive properties of c