Scientists are still attempting to find treatments for various neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Many of the researchers looking for a cure for these conditions believe the answer is in neural stem cells.

Before they can find a treatment using neural stem cells, they must understand how these stem cells differentiate and proliferate. Once they have unlocked the secrets of how stem cells interact, they may be able to harness their regenerative power and repair the brain.

In a new development, a team of engineers from Northwestern University have created a microfluidic device which can sort neural stem cell populations, making them simpler to study. The new tool is expected to help scientists closely analyse the behaviour of neural stem cells and learn how stem cells function.

Horacio Espinosa, from the University’s McCormick School of Engineering explains how the machine will be useful: “We have demonstrated the efficient sorting of single stem cells using a microfluidic device. What is elegant about the method is that it doesn’t involve any active forces, complex design elements, or labeling with expensive anti-bodies. It relies solely on the inherent fluidic forces to sort cells.”

Scientists currently study stem cells as free-floating clusters which contain a wide array of progenitor cells and stem cells. Cells in the middle of these clusters can often differentiate prematurely, losing their multipotency.

This new device is made of transparent and flexible polymer shaped into an Archimedean spiral (similar to a snail shell). As fluid enters the device, inertial forces separate the stem cells and sort them by size into micro-channels. The smaller cells move into the inner wall and the larger clusters move into the centre.

This slow process reduces stress on the cells and results in a very high number of cells with preserved multipotency. This machine is expected to help scientists learn how stem cells function, which will help them find a cure for debilitating neurological conditions.

Source: Using microfluidic devices to sort stem cells

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