Synchronized, Spontaneous, and Oscillatory Detachment of Eukaryotic Cells: A New Tool for Cell Characterization and Identification

Abstract

Abstract Despite the importance of cell characterization and identification for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, developing fast and label‐free methods without (bio)‐chemical markers or surface‐engineered receptors remains challenging. Here, we exploit the natural cellular response to mild thermal stimuli and propose a label‐ and receptor‐free method for fast and facile cell characterization. Cell suspensions in a dedicated sensor are exposed to a temperature gradient, which stimulates synchronized and spontaneous cell‐detachment with sharply defined time‐patterns, a phenomenon unknown from literature. These patterns depend on metabolic activity (controlled through temperature, nutrients, and drugs) and provide a library of cell‐type‐specific indicators, allowing to distinguish several yeast strains as well as cancer cells. Under specific conditions, synchronized glycolytic‐type oscillations are observed during detachment of mammalian and yeast‐cell ensembles, providing additional cell‐specific signatures. These findings suggest potential applications for cell viability analysis and for assessing the collective response of cancer cells to drugs.

Keywords

• cancer therapy
• cell characterization
• cell detection
• glycolytic oscillations
• heat‐transfer method
• metabolic activity