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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Mar 21.
Published in final edited form as: Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2011 Mar 4;50(13):3084–3088. doi: 10.1002/anie.201005853

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of the configuration and operational mechanism of an integrated device for capturing circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The device is composed two functional components, (i) a patterned silicon nanopillar (SiNP) substrate with anti-EpCAM-coating exhibiting vastly enhanced CTC-capture affinity, and (ii) an overlaid microfluidic chaotic mixing chip capable of promoting cell/substrate contact frequency. The embedded chevron-shaped micropatterns on the roof of the chaotic mixing chip channel induce vertical flow that facilitates CTC/substrate contact. Thus, highly efficient CTC capture can be achieved by the synergistic effects associated with enhanced CTC/substrate affinity and contact frequency.