CTC-5

CTC-5 characterizes circulating tumor cells (CTCs) by combining isolation-by-size and multiparametric staining with synchronized microscopy data to support research on metastatic progression and tumor evolution.

Key Features:

• Low-Cost Isolation Pipeline: Employs an isolation by size method (ScreenCell Cyto) to capture CTCs without biomarker-based pre-selection.
• Multiparametric Characterization: Integrates histochemical morphology stains and multiparametric immunofluorescence on the same isolated CTCs to analyze single cells and clusters.
• Open-Source Software Integration: Provides open-source software that synchronizes microscopy data from multiple sources (https://github.com/CTC5/) to enable high-parameter analysis.

Scientific Applications:

• Basic CTC biology: Supports basic research into circulating tumor cell characterization across malignancies, including beyond breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
• Metastasis and tumor evolution studies: Enables studies of metastatic progression and tumor evolution through multiparametric analysis of CTCs.
• Biomarker-independent phenotyping: Permits investigation of CTCs from malignancies with poorly defined phenotypes via non–biomarker-based isolation.

Methodology:

Uses isolation by size (ScreenCell Cyto), histochemical morphology staining, multiparametric immunofluorescence, and synchronization of microscopy data via the project's open-source software (https://github.com/CTC5/), organized into a two-tier approach separating basic-research characterization and clinical prognostic/diagnostic testing.