Title: Microfluidic device for separating mesenchymal stem cells from blood cells in amniotic fluid using cross-flow filtration technique

Authors: B. Sabitha; N.J.R. Muniraj

Addresses: Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kumaraguru College of Engineering, Coimbatore, India ' Tejaa Shakthi Institute of Technology for Women, Coimbatore, India

Abstract: Amniotic fluid, which surrounds the foetus in the womb, contains foetal cells including mesenchymal stem cells, which are able to make a variety of tissues. Women during her prenatal period elect to have the process of amniocentesis that is extracting amniotic fluid to test for chromosome defects. The extracted fluid contains mesenchymal stem cells, blood cells and tissues of the baby. The primary objective of this research is to separate the mesenchymal stem cells and the blood cell by cross-flow filtration technique. A microfluidic system is designed to separate the cell which is more effective and accurate than conventional type.

Keywords: amniotic fluid; microfluidics; cross-flow filtration; COMSOL multiphysics; mesenchymal stem cells; blood cells; amniocentesis; separation; prenatal period; foetus; CFD analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2018.093082

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2018 Vol.27 No.1/2, pp.3 - 16

Received: 01 Mar 2017
Accepted: 18 Apr 2017

Published online: 09 Jul 2018 *

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