High-Purity Isolation and Biomarker Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which are shed from primary cancer lesions into the bloodstream, play a critical role in cancer metastasis and are increasingly recognized as valuable biomarkers in oncology. As the number of CTCs is extremely small in peripheral blood, high-purity isolation and subsequent molecular analyses of CTCs are still technically challenging.
Features
- We have established a robust and high-purity isolation/recovery methodology for CTCs through repeated sorting with a microchannel chip-based cell sorter.
- This methodology enables accurate quantification of CTCs and comprehensive analyses of their surface marker and target-molecule expression.
- Furthermore, we have developed stable and long-term storage conditions for CTCs for approximately 1 to 6 months, enabling retrospective analyses and wide-ranging use of CTCs for your clinical and translational cancer research.
Applications of CTC Analysis Data in Cancer Drug Development
Our CTC analytical platform provides the following services to support your cancer research and development:
- Assessment of Disease Progression and Therapeutic Response: With our post-isolation analyses of CTCs, you can obtain useful information on tumor pathology and monitor the responses to anticancer therapies.
- Molecular Characterization: With our comprehensive profiling, including DNA mutation analysis, RNA expression quantification (service in development), and multiplex protein analyses, you can evaluate the therapeutic targets and resistance mechanisms of your drugs.
Major Service Menu*
We offer the following research services
| CTC Isolation, Recovery, and Enumeration | Utilizing advanced cell sorting technology, we isolate and enumerate CTCs to support your evaluation of cancer progression and therapeutic efficacy. |
|---|---|
| Surface Marker and Target Molecule Expression Analysis | We quantify the expression of CTC-specific surface markers and therapeutic targets, providing critical insights into druggable pathways and resistance signatures. |
| Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Analysis | By measuring cytokeratin (epithelial marker) and vimentin (mesenchymal marker) expression in CTCs, we support your investigations into cancer invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. |
| Genetic and Transcriptomic Profiling | We employ quantitative PCR (qPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze genetic alterations (DNA) and gene expression levels (RNA: service in preparation), without relying on whole-genome amplification, thereby ensuring accuracy and minimizing artifacts. |
- *Please note:All services are provided strictly for research purposes and are not intended for diagnostic use.
Points to Consider for Human Clinical Samples
- Ethical Compliance: Approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent ethics committee at client’s institution is required to ensure scientific and ethical appropriateness.
- Informed Consent and Privacy: All samples must be de-identified, with informed consent, to protect patient privacy.
- Biosafety: Samples containing agents classified as biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) or higher, and those positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are NOT generally accepted.
Contact Us for Services
