Efficient On-Chip Separation and Labeling of Extracellular Vesicles from Whole Blood.

Abstract

The development of high-throughput technologies for the separation and labeling of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from whole blood is critical for downstream EV detection and analysis. However, conventional EV separation and labeling workflows are typically labor-intensive and inefficient, requiring multiple sequential processing steps. Here, we present a microfluidic platform that integrates negative magnetophoresis-based separation with mixing-enhanced on-chip labeling. The chip adopts a vertical flow channel architecture in combination with a Halbach-array magnetic field configuration, thereby overcoming the throughput limitations inherent to traditional horizontal microchannels. Parallel channels can be freely arranged above on the magnetic array to achieve ultra-high throughput processing, achieving a cell removal efficiency of 99.97% at a blood-to-sheath flow ratio of 1:5. Furthermore, by incorporating a narrow-wide channel design synergized with a herringbone-Tesla micromixer structure, the platform achieves a labeling efficiency of 91.8% within 2 min, approaching the performance of conventional 20 min incubation. This system offers both high-throughput and integration capabilities, providing a powerful technical platform for EV-related life science research.