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Breast cancer rare cell analysis focuses on identifying and characterizing infrequent but significant cells, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cancer stem cells. These rare cells offer critical insights into tumor heterogeneity, metastasis, and treatment resistance, making their analysis essential for personalized medicine. Alfa Cytology offers a comprehensive suite of breast cancer rare cell analysis services.
When the number of cells in a specific subpopulation accounts for <0.01% of the total heterogeneous population, the cells are considered "rare". In some clinical settings, rare cell counts provide valuable information about a patient's condition and stage. For example, rare CTCs, tumor stem cells, circulating endothelial cells, hematopoietic progenitor cells and their subsets in peripheral blood, as well as fetal cells in maternal circulation. Applications of rare cell analysis include detection of metastatic breast cancer cells or bone marrow-invasive neuroblastoma cells, monitoring of minimal residual disease, detection of stem cells and rare HIV-infected cells in peripheral blood, antigen-specific T cells, and innate natural killer T cells, and mutation frequency analysis in genetic toxicology. In addition, functional analysis, such as antigen-induced production of different cytokines by T lymphocytes, is also required to search for rare cells within these T cell populations.
Alfa Cytology has a fully automatic, single-machine integrated analysis platform that integrates microfluidic technology, laser sorting (positive selection), volume screening (negative selection), and multi-channel fluorescent label imaging (identification). It can fully automatically capture, image, and count rare cells (including circulating tumor cells, CTCs, and rare immune cells) in whole blood, analyze biomarkers, and extract viable cells for downstream research. Whole blood samples can be analyzed directly and cell loss is minimized. Ultra-high capture rate >90%, ultra-high specificity 100%, ultra-high recovery rate, and detection sensitivity more than 2 times that of flow cytometry. Our research rationale:
| Services | Description |
| Microfluidic technology | All samples are detected and analyzed in microfluidic chips. |
| Whole blood loading | No need for cell lysis, density gradient centrifugation and magnetic bead screening, and loss of rare cells. |
| Label target cells | Fluorescent antibody labeling. |
| eDAR technology for laser sorting | Blood-containing target cells can be sorted in milliseconds. The separated small portion contains tens of thousands of cells (about 25,000 red blood cells, about 25 white blood cells, and 1 target cell). |
| Volume filtration | Removes red blood cells and small nucleated cells without the problems of clogging, cell shear stress, etc. that other technologies may cause. |
| Multiple labeling imaging of single cells | A single living cell is obtained by enrichment, and 1-13 biomarkers can be labeled on the same cell. The software performs automatic imaging and comprehensive analysis. |
| Living cell recovery | 2-step eDAR laser sorting: directly screen out living rare cells. |
Alfa Cytology boasts extensive expertise in BC research garnered over many years. We are committed to continuous innovation, perpetually exploring improved solutions for our clientele, and ensuring the delivery of top-notch products and services. If you are interested in learning more about our BC rare cell analysis services, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our dedicated and knowledgeable staff will promptly get in touch with you.