Figure 1
(A) Schematic representation of the distribution of particles and color-coded velocities in the direction of the flow. Note that the particles with highest flow velocity are located in the centre of the channel while those distributed at the walls flow more slowly. (B) Graphical description of the flow-lines distribution at the bifurcation of a representative blood vessel based on the numerical simulations of the mathematical model. The streamlines are color-coded following the value of the velocity in mm/s. (C) Image of the microfluidic Y-chamber connected to the perfusion pump for the in vitro fluidic experiments mimicking a vessel bifurcation. (D, E) Representative fluorescence images of the trajectories of GFP-tagged CTCs in the microfluidic chambers following the high-velocity streamlines from the principal towards the secondary channel (asterisks in panel D), and the minoritarian component following the inertial trajectories towards the low-velocity area at the carina (arrowhead in panel E). The vertex of the bifurcation has been delineated by dashed lines. (F) Arrest of GFP-tagged CTC at the low-velocity area of the bifurcation resulting from the inertial trajectories upon CTC recirculation. (G) Representative sequence of a GFP-tagged CTC illustrating the residence time at the carina (arrowhead), in comparison with the trails resulting from the majoritarian CTC following the high-velocity streamlines (asterisks); the entire sequence lasts one second, as numerically indicated.
