Phage-Based Profiling of Rare Single Cells Using Nanoparticle-Directed Capture

To extend the applicability of our approach, we tested a more extensively multiplexed pool of phages which contained ~50 clones with each phage equally distributed across the pool. Most of the factors tested are associated with cancer progression. Overall design: Here we demonstrate an integrated microfluidic chip that uses magnetic nanoparticles to capture single tumor cells with high efficiency, permits on-chip incubation and facilitates in situ cell-surface protein expression analysis. Combined with phage-based barcoding and next-generation sequencing technology, we were able to monitor changes in the expression of multiple surface markers stimulated in response to CTC adherence.