Microfluidics-Based Approaches to the Isolation of African Trypanosomes
Michael P. Barrett,
Jonathan M. Cooper,
Clément Regnault,
Stefan H. Holm,
Jason P. Beech,
Jonas O. Tegenfeldt,
Axel Hochstetter
Affiliations
Michael P. Barrett
Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
Jonathan M. Cooper
Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, G12 8LT, Glasgow, UK
Clément Regnault
Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
Stefan H. Holm
Division of Solid State Physics and Nano Lund, Lund University, PO Box 118, S-221 00, Lund, Sweden
Jason P. Beech
Division of Solid State Physics and Nano Lund, Lund University, PO Box 118, S-221 00, Lund, Sweden
Jonas O. Tegenfeldt
Division of Solid State Physics and Nano Lund, Lund University, PO Box 118, S-221 00, Lund, Sweden
Axel Hochstetter
Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, G12 8LT, Glasgow, UK
African trypanosomes are responsible for significant levels of disease in both humans and animals. The protozoan parasites are free-living flagellates, usually transmitted by arthropod vectors, including the tsetse fly. In the mammalian host they live in the bloodstream and, in the case of human-infectious species, later invade the central nervous system. Diagnosis of the disease requires the positive identification of parasites in the bloodstream. This can be particularly challenging where parasite numbers are low, as is often the case in peripheral blood. Enriching parasites from body fluids is an important part of the diagnostic pathway. As more is learned about the physicochemical properties of trypanosomes, this information can be exploited through use of different microfluidic-based approaches to isolate the parasites from blood or other fluids. Here, we discuss recent advances in the use of microfluidics to separate trypanosomes from blood and to isolate single trypanosomes for analyses including drug screening.
