RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Ultrasensitive detection of DNA and protein markers in cancer cells
JF Cancer Biology and Medicine
JO Cancer Biol Med
FD China Anti-Cancer Association
SP 143
OP 149
DO 10.7497/j.issn.2095-3941.2015.0048
VO 12
IS 3
A1 Smolina, Irina V.
A1 Broude, Natalia E.
YR 2015
UL http://www.cancerbiomed.org/content/12/3/143.abstract
AB Cancer cells differ from normal cells in various parameters, and these differences are caused by genomic mutations and consequential altered gene expression. The genetic and functional heterogeneity of tumor cells is a major challenge in cancer research, detection, and effective treatment. As such, the use of diagnostic methods is important to reveal this heterogeneity at the single-cell level. Droplet microfluidic devices are effective tools that provide exceptional sensitivity for analyzing single cells and molecules. In this review, we highlight two novel methods that employ droplet microfluidics for ultra-sensitive detection of nucleic acids and protein markers in cancer cells. We also discuss the future practical applications of these methods.