A MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUS PLATELET SEPARATION AND CONCENTRATION FOR ANALYTIC AND PREPARATIVE PURPOSES

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Millions of people world-wide suffer from heart failure, and those in advanced stages often require mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices. These devices impose shear forces on blood components, significantly increasing the chance of platelet activation and blood clots. Point-of-care platelet separation and analysis would improve clinical care for patients at risk of device-related thrombosis. The aim of this project was to design a system for the separation, activation, and analysis of platelets. METHODS: The required centrifugal force to separate platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from whole blood was calculated, and a siphoning cap and 10 mL chromatography columns were designed to further filter platelets from plasma. Inertial focusing equations were used to design a microfluidic microchip to activate platelets. A microchip and fluorescent detection module (FDM) were developed for platelet activation detection. RESULTS: The centrifuge successfully separated PRP from whole blood (95% purity) while the siphoning cap shows the ability to remove PRP from the centrifuge and distributed it to the chromatography columns. The 10 mL chromatography columns filtered platelets from PRP with a percent yield (34.27 ± 4.94%) comparable to current methods. A microchip was designed to emulate multiple levels of shear at different flow rates, and the FDM accurately measures platelet activation within the allowed 10% margin. CONCLUSION: MCS device-related thrombosis affects many people and poses a need for clinical intervention. The designed project provides an effective point-of-care system for platelet separation and activation detecting which can be used to monitor platelet health in a clinical setting.