Magnetic levitation of cells for sorting and diagnostics
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028999
Science : An innovative technique has been developed that uses magnets to levitate individual living cells. Utkan Demirci of Stanford University and colleagues added particles of gadolinium, a rare-earth metal, to a fluid in a channel positioned between two long, toothpick-sized magnets. The magnetic field pulls the Gd downward, which allows the cells to rise upward. How high the cells rise indicates their density with respect to the Gd. Because different types of cells levitate to different heights, the method could be used to distinguish cancer cells from blood cells, or red blood cells from white. The technique could also be used to monitor changes in cellular density and levitation due to antibiotic or cancer treatments.