Elucidating drug resistance properties in scarce cancer stem cells using droplet microarray

The screening and characterization of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been challenging due to sample scarcity. We have developed a miniaturized high-content screening (HCS) assay platform to study intra-cellular proteins related to the survival and apoptosis of CSCs with chemotherapeutic treatment. By overcoming critical bottlenecks associated with sample scarcity, we are able to elucidate the drug responses of the side-population (SP) phenotype characteristics of CSCs. This successful miniaturization of HCS assays facilitates the development of cancer drug treatments, and paves the way for nanoliter volume manipulation for cell-based studies and screening. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.