PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Revolutionizing impedance flow cytometry with adjustable microchannel height

Researchers from Japan develop a dynamic microfluidic channel that significantly improves the flow cytometer’s performance

2025-09-10
(Press-News.org)

Ikoma, Japan—Many advances in medicine and drug development were possible owing to flow cytometry, a single-cell analysis technique that analyzes cells using the emitted fluorescence of their chemical tags while passing through a laser beam. Most flow cytometers possess a microfluidic channel, a small channel that regulates the flow of fluorescently tagged analytes. Flow cytometry enables quick single-cell counting and analysis, making it a cornerstone of modern biomedical research.

A powerful variant, impedance flow cytometry, replaces lasers with electrodes that detect changes in electrical impedance (the total resistance of electrical equipment to alternating current) as cells or particles pass through the microfluidic channel. This approach avoids the need for fluorescent tags, which are often costly and labor-intensive. Despite its advantages, impedance flow cytometry suffers from low sensitivity and inconsistent readouts, since the distance between the flowing cells and electrodes varies depending on the channel height and particle size.

To fill this gap, a research team led by Associate Professor Yalikun Yaxiaer from Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan, developed an innovative low-cost platform to overcome these limitations. Their paper, published in the journal Lab on a Chip on August 26, 2025, was co-authored by Mr. Trisna Julian, Dr. Naomi Tanga, Professor Yoichiroh Hosokawa from NAIST, and others.

The team’s design goal was straightforward; they aimed to dynamically adjust the channel height depending on particle size. They realized this by attaching a metal probe to the vertical axis of an XYZ stage—a laboratory device that enables highly precise movements in three dimensions. By controlling the vertical position of the probe, they used its thin tip to press against the top of the 30-micrometer-high microfluidic channel of the flow cytometer. This compression squeezed the channel slightly, altering its height on demand.

Through experiments and simulations, the team showed that enabling the flowing particles to travel closer to the sensing electrodes by reducing the channel’s height led to a remarkable increase in the platform’s sensitivity and accuracy. They achieved a three-fold amplification of the impedance signal by reducing the channel height by one-third, while also reducing the signal variability to half, allowing them to easily distinguish between multiple cells of different sizes.

Notably, by introducing a camera and an object-detection algorithm, the researchers found a way to leverage clogging (unwanted deposition of particles that prevents further passage of analytes) as a strategy to optimize the platform’s performance. “Our system deliberately induces a critical constriction by deforming the channel to maximize sensitivity. However, this deformation can be released just before actual clogging occurs,” explains Dr. Yaxiaer. “Thus, our approach acts like a smart microchannel that harnesses and controls the clogging phenomena.”

Overall, this study establishes a much-needed foundation for the standardization of adaptive impedance flow cytometry, paving the way for its integration into clinical and research contexts where precise cell analyses are required. “Our findings underscore the potential for a universal, high-performance impedance flow cytometry platform—one that is simple, clog-resistant, and adaptable for a wide range of biomedical applications,” concludes Dr. Yaxiaer. Collaborating with medical institutions could transform this innovative platform into a diagnostic device for point-of-care testing, and could also be leveraged for drug development and testing.

###

Resource

Title: A long-term universal impedance flow cytometry platform empowered by adaptive channel height and real-time clogging-release strategy

Authors: Trisna Julian, Tao Tang, Naomi Tanga, Yang Yang, Yoichiroh Hosokawa, and Yaxiaer Yalikun

Journal: Lab on a Chip

DOI: 10.1039/D5LC00673B

Information about the Bio-Process Engineering Laboratory can be found at the following website: https://bpe.naist.jp/index_e.html

 

About Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST)

Established in 1991, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) is a national university located in Kansai Science City, Japan. In 2018, NAIST underwent an organizational transformation to promote and continue interdisciplinary research in the fields of biological sciences, materials science, and information science. Known as one of the most prestigious research institutions in Japan, NAIST lays a strong emphasis on integrated research and collaborative co-creation with diverse stakeholders. NAIST envisions conducting cutting-edge research in frontier areas and training students to become tomorrow's leaders in science and technology.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Treating opioid addiction in jails improves treatment engagement, reduces overdose deaths and reincarceration

2025-09-10
FOR EMBARGOED RELEASE  Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025  5 p.m. EDT  Contact: NIH Office of Communications  301-496-5787                                       Treating opioid addiction in jails improves treatment engagement, reduces overdose deaths and reincarceration   NIH-funded study demonstrates life-saving potential of providing medications for opioid use disorder in carceral settings    A study supported ...

Can’t sleep? Insomnia associated with accelerated brain aging

2025-09-10
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 Highlights: Chronic insomnia—trouble sleeping at least three days a week for three months or more—could speed up brain aging. People with chronic insomnia were 40% more likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive issues than people without insomnia. Insomnia with perceived reduced sleep was associated with lower cognition comparable to being four years older. Better sleep isn’t just beauty rest—it might protect your brain health. MINNEAPOLIS — People with chronic insomnia may ...

Study links teacher turnover to higher rates of student suspensions, disciplinary referrals

2025-09-10
Studies show that teacher turnover has a negative impact on students’ academic performance, but little is known about other ways that their departures affect student behavior. In a new study of New York City public schools, researchers found that teacher turnover is linked to higher rates of student suspensions and requests from teachers seeking disciplinary action, known as office disciplinary referrals (ODR). “Teacher turnover has generally been studied for its impact on student achievement, but there are a host of reasons to expect that turnover, which creates disruption and instability, would also lead to more disciplinary infractions and suspensions,” says lead author Luis ...

How harmful bacteria hijack crops

2025-09-10
By Chris Woolston Aphids, grasshoppers and other bugs aren’t the only pests that can quickly wipe out a crop. Many harmful bacteria have evolved ways to bypass a plant’s defenses. A once-healthy tomato plant can quickly turn sick and blotchy, thanks to microscopic foes armed with an arsenal of tricks. In a recent study, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have identified a tool that helps the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae turn a plant’s fundamental biology against itself. The findings, recently published in the prestigious journal mBio, could eventually lead to new approaches to protecting crops, said co-author Barbara Kunkel, ...

Crowded conditions muddle frogs’ mating choices

2025-09-10
Female treefrogs prefer a mate with an impressive call, but the crowded environments give unattractive males an edge, according to a new international study led by Assistant Professor Jessie Tanner of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. When choosing among only two males, female gray treefrogs pick the mate with faster and more regular calls. Faced with four or eight types of calls, however, their choices were inconsistent, according to the study recently published in the biological sciences journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. In the wild, frogs usually are choosing mates in noisy, crowded environments called choruses, with many males calling at the same ...

A new way to guide light, undeterred

2025-09-10
Key Takeaways Penn researchers built a light-based crystal “tunnel” that forces light to move one way, even around bumps, bends, and defects. By driving the crystal with circularly polarized light, the team created a protected topological channel that keeps light on course. The discovery points toward sturdier lasers, smarter optical chips, and future devices that could safeguard quantum information. Relaying a message from point A to B can be as simple as flashing a thumbs-up at a stranger in an intersection, signaling them to proceed—nonverbal, clear, and universally understood. ...

Researchers uncover how COVID-19 may linger in cancer patients and affect treatment outcomes

2025-09-10
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (09/10/2025) — New research from the University of Minnesota Medical School is providing important insights into how COVID-19 persists in cancer patients even long after testing positive. The findings were recently published in iScience. During a peak of COVID-19 in 2020, there was concern around cancer patients who had contracted COVID-19 and developed severe inflammatory reactions that looked similar to autoimmune conditions. To better understand this phenomenon, researchers studied three cancer patients ...

Tiny metal figurines from Sardinia's Nuragic civilization in around 1,000 BC reveal extensive ancient Mediterranean metal trading networks

2025-09-10
Tiny metal figurines from Sardinia's Nuragic civilization in around 1,000 BC reveal extensive ancient Mediterranean metal trading networks Article URL: http://plos.io/45QCTPq Article title: Multiproxy analysis unwraps origin and fabrication biographies of Sardinian figurines: On the trail of metal-driven interaction and mixing practices in the early first millennium BCE Author countries: Germany, Denmark, Italy Funding: Grant agreement 23–1869 to HV, MKH, GS. Augustinus Foundation funding the Metals & Giants project. https://augustinusfonden.dk/en The foundation played no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation ...

Natural microfibers may degrade differently to synthetic materials under simulated sunlight exposure in freshwater and seawater conditions, with implications for how such pollutants affect aquatic lif

2025-09-10
Natural microfibers may degrade differently to synthetic materials under simulated sunlight exposure in freshwater and seawater conditions, with implications for how such pollutants affect aquatic life Article URL: http://plos.io/3HS46t5 Article title: Structural evolution of microfibers in seawater and freshwater under simulated sunlight: A small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering study Author countries: Italy, Austria Funding: This work was partially funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, Project Code: ECS00000041, Project Title: Innovation, Digitalization and Sustainability for the Diffused Economy in Central Italy ...

Indian new mums report better postpartum wellbeing when their own mum acts as their primary support - while women whose mother-in-law is the primary caregiver instead report significantly lower overal

2025-09-10
Indian new mums report better postpartum wellbeing when their own mum acts as their primary support - while women whose mother-in-law is the primary caregiver instead report significantly lower overall wellness Article URL: https://plos.io/45Sz6RO Article title: Investigating the role of family members in postnatal care: Evidence from mother-caregiver dyads in India Author countries: U.S., India Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. END ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Scientists create ChatGPT-like AI model for neuroscience to build one of the most detailed mouse brain maps to date

AI and omics unlock personalized drugs and RNA therapies for heart disease

2023 ocean heatwave ‘unprecedented but not unexpected’

Johns Hopkins researchers develop AI to predict risk of US car crashes

New drug combination offers hope for men with advanced prostate cancer

New discovery finds gene converts insulin-producing cells into blood-sugar boosters

Powerful and precise multi-color lasers now fit on a single chip

Scientists agree chemicals can affect behavior, but industry workers more reluctant about safety testing

DNA nanospring measures cellular motor power

Elsevier Foundation and RIKEN launch “Envisioning Futures” report: paving the way for gender equity and women’s leadership in Japanese research

Researchers discover enlarged areas of the spinal cord in fish, previously found only in four-limbed vertebrates

Bipolar disorder heterogeneity decoded: transforming global psychiatric treatment approaches

Catching Alport syndrome through universal age-3 urine screening

Instructions help you remember something better than emotions or a good night’s sleep

Solar energy is now the world’s cheapest source of power, a Surrey study finds

Scientists reverse Alzheimer’s in mice using nanoparticles

‘Good’ gut bacteria boosts placenta for healthier pregnancy

USC team demonstrates first optical device based on “optical thermodynamics”

Microplastics found to change gut microbiome in first human-sample study

Artificially sweetened and sugary drinks are both associated with an increased risk of liver disease, study finds

Plastic in the soil, but not as we know it: Biodegradable microplastics rewire carbon storage in farm fields

Yeast proteins reveal the secrets of drought resistance

Psychiatry, primary care, and OB/GYN subspecialties hit hardest by physician attrition

New Canadian study reveals where HIV hides in different parts of the body

Lidocaine poisonings rise despite overall drop in local anesthetic toxicity

Politics follow you on the road

Scientists blaze new path to fighting viral diseases

The mouse eye as a window to spotting systemic disease

AI and the Future of Cancer Research and Cancer Care to headline October 24 gathering of global oncology leaders at the National Press Club: NFCR Global Summit to feature top scientists, entrepreneurs

FDA clears UCLA heart tissue regeneration drug AD-NP1 for clinical trials

[Press-News.org] Revolutionizing impedance flow cytometry with adjustable microchannel height
Researchers from Japan develop a dynamic microfluidic channel that significantly improves the flow cytometer’s performance