To truly understand and defeat cancer it has become clear that research must focus on single-cell events since early oncologic events in general have their origin either in epigenetic changes in gene expression or frank mutations on DNA level. Lymphomas and leukemias provide classical opportunities for measuring the cell-by-cell heterogeneity of gene expression what may lead better clinical tests that inform treatment choices and prognostics.
With the AmpliGrid system Olympus has developed innovative technology and Simple, Seamless, and Sensitive® workflows for genetic analysis of single cells. A very exciting application for AmpliGrid is the genetic analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Typically, CTCs are isolated from patient blood samples using magnetic cell sorting, flow cytometry, or special purpose cell enrichment machines such as the CellTrack© by Immunicon. After enrichment, CTCs are placed on the AmpliGrid, either via FACS™ or micromanipulation. Subsequently a multiplex RT-PCR assay amplifies the set of genes under investigation for a particular study or diagnostic application. Researchers can port their existing multiplex assays onto the AmpliGrid, or Advalytix can design multiplex assays for the specific pathway under investigation. To minimize effects of sample manipulation on gene expression, Olympus developed AmpliCell, an innovative microculture slide chamber, which will be launched in October. With AmpliCell cells can be grown and directly analyzed by PCR without need of sample preparation. AmpliGrid can also be used as pre-amplification for subsequent qPCR, which might be a better fit with existing workflows. Ultimately molecular analysis of CTC may be able to uncover subpopulations of CTC populations that share the same immunophenotype, but differ genetically. Such differences would be particularly important in identifying sub-populations with tumor stem cell characteristics.
Key advantages of amplification with AmpliGrid compared to amplifying CTCs in MTPs is its enhanced sensitivity and as well as the ability to optically confirm the presence of CTCs inside the AmpliGrid’s reaction centers prior to amplification (available also as automated solution). Advalytix offers detailed protocols and technical support to help you port your current analysis method into the of 1µL world AmpliGrid.

• Read how our AmpliGrid system can be used to study circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in Bioscience Technology^®

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