Jellyfish Device Captures Cancer Cells

Nov-15-12 A new jellyfish-inspired device uses its tentacles to grab tumor cells in the bloodstream, which could make it easier to determine the efficiency of cancer treatments in patients.

The device is made up of a microchip with a long DNA strand attached to it. The DNA strand, called an aptamer, will bind with targeted cancer cells, but the strands are usually short. To create the long DNA “tentacles,” the team made copies of the aptamer using rolling circle amplification and then connected them, resulting in a strand much longer than the original. As the strand floats in the bloodstream it bonds with the cancer cells as they float by, allowing the cells to be collected and identified.

The device can both count and sort cancer cells, which allows doctors to determine how the cancer is responding to treatments.

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[DISCOVERY.COM]

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