Photoresist-based Microfluidic Cell Sorter for Photodynamic Urine Diagnosis

We report a photoresist-based microfluidic cell sorting system for genitourinary cancer based on photodynamic analysis of urine and its potential for a clinical application. In the system, genitourinary cancer cells in urine are detected using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced fluorescence, and then sorted and concentrated for the gene alteration analysis. In order to achieve sensitive fluorescence detection, autofluorescence in detection area was minimized by thinning photoresist membrane of the microchannel and inclining the optical angle of detection system. Our experimental results demonstrate that the ALA-based fluorescence detection assay using the proposed device is promising tool for early diagnosis of genitourinary cancers.