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Biosensors Dec 2022A laboratory blood test is vital for assessing a patient's health and disease status. Advances in microfluidic technology have opened the door for on-chip blood... (Review)
Review
A laboratory blood test is vital for assessing a patient's health and disease status. Advances in microfluidic technology have opened the door for on-chip blood analysis. Currently, microfluidic devices can reproduce myriad routine laboratory blood tests. Considerable progress has been made in microfluidic cytometry, blood cell separation, and characterization. Along with the usual clinical parameters, microfluidics makes it possible to determine the physical properties of blood and blood cells. We review recent advances in microfluidic systems for measuring the physical properties and biophysical characteristics of blood and blood cells. Added emphasis is placed on multifunctional platforms that combine several microfluidic technologies for effective cell characterization. The combination of hydrodynamic, optical, electromagnetic, and/or acoustic methods in a microfluidic device facilitates the precise determination of various physical properties of blood and blood cells. We analyzed the physical quantities that are measured by microfluidic devices and the parameters that are determined through these measurements. We discuss unexplored problems and present our perspectives on the long-term challenges and trends associated with the application of microfluidics in clinical laboratories. We expect the characterization of the physical properties of blood and blood cells in a microfluidic environment to be considered a standard blood test in the future.
Topics: Humans; Microfluidics; Cell Separation; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Blood Cells; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
PubMed: 36671848
DOI: 10.3390/bios13010013 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2023Soft lithography has permitted rapid prototyping of precise microfluidic features by patterning a deformable elastomer such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a...
Soft lithography has permitted rapid prototyping of precise microfluidic features by patterning a deformable elastomer such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a photolithographically patterned mold. In microfluidics applications where the flexibility of PDMS is a drawback, a variety of more rigid materials have been proposed. Compared to alternatives, devices fabricated from epoxy and glass have superior mechanical performance, feature resolution, and solvent compatibility. Here we provide a detailed step-by-step method for fabricating rigid microfluidic devices from soft lithography patterned epoxy and glass. The bonding protocol was optimized yielding devices that withstand pressures exceeding 500 psi. Using this method, we demonstrate the use of rigid high aspect ratio spiral microchannels for high throughput cell focusing.
Topics: Microfluidics; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Dimethylpolysiloxanes
PubMed: 36683072
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28495-2 -
Biosensors Jul 2022Separation and detection of cells and particles in a suspension are essential for various applications, including biomedical investigations and clinical diagnostics.... (Review)
Review
Separation and detection of cells and particles in a suspension are essential for various applications, including biomedical investigations and clinical diagnostics. Microfluidics realizes the miniaturization of analytical devices by controlling the motion of a small volume of fluids in microchannels and microchambers. Accordingly, microfluidic devices have been widely used in particle/cell manipulation processes. Different microfluidic methods for particle separation include dielectrophoretic, magnetic, optical, acoustic, hydrodynamic, and chemical techniques. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a method for manipulating polarizable particles' trajectories in non-uniform electric fields using unique dielectric characteristics. It provides several advantages for dealing with neutral bioparticles owing to its sensitivity, selectivity, and noninvasive nature. This review provides a detailed study on the signal-based DEP methods that use the applied signal parameters, including frequency, amplitude, phase, and shape for cell/particle separation and manipulation. Rather than employing complex channels or time-consuming fabrication procedures, these methods realize sorting and detecting the cells/particles by modifying the signal parameters while using a relatively simple device. In addition, these methods can significantly impact clinical diagnostics by making low-cost and rapid separation possible. We conclude the review by discussing the technical and biological challenges of DEP techniques and providing future perspectives in this field.
Topics: Cell Separation; Electrophoresis; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics
PubMed: 35884313
DOI: 10.3390/bios12070510 -
Biosensors Jul 2022Biosensors are ubiquitous in a variety of disciplines, such as biochemical, electrochemical, agricultural, and biomedical areas. They can integrate various point-of-care... (Review)
Review
Biosensors are ubiquitous in a variety of disciplines, such as biochemical, electrochemical, agricultural, and biomedical areas. They can integrate various point-of-care applications, such as in the food, healthcare, environmental monitoring, water quality, forensics, drug development, and biological domains. Multiple strategies have been employed to develop and fabricate miniaturized biosensors, including design, optimization, characterization, and testing. In view of their interactions with high-affinity biomolecules, they find application in the sensitive detection of analytes, even in small sample volumes. Among the many developed techniques, microfluidics have been widely explored; these use fluid mechanics to operate miniaturized biosensors. The currently used commercial devices are bulky, slow in operation, expensive, and require human intervention; thus, it is difficult to automate, integrate, and miniaturize the existing conventional devices for multi-faceted applications. Microfluidic biosensors have the advantages of mobility, operational transparency, controllability, and stability with a small reaction volume for sensing. This review addresses biosensor technologies, including the design, classification, advances, and challenges in microfluidic-based biosensors. The value chain for developing miniaturized microfluidic-based biosensor devices is critically discussed, including fabrication and other associated protocols for application in various point-of-care testing applications.
Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Humans; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Microfluidics; Point-of-Care Systems; Point-of-Care Testing
PubMed: 35884346
DOI: 10.3390/bios12070543 -
Cells Feb 2023Osteoarthritis (OA) remains a prevalent disease affecting more than 20% of the global population, resulting in morbidity and lower quality of life for patients. The... (Review)
Review
Osteoarthritis (OA) remains a prevalent disease affecting more than 20% of the global population, resulting in morbidity and lower quality of life for patients. The study of OA pathophysiology remains predominantly in animal models due to the complexities of mimicking the physiological environment surrounding the joint tissue. Recent development in microfluidic organ-on-chip (OoC) systems have demonstrated various techniques to mimic and modulate tissue physiological environments. Adaptations of these techniques have demonstrated success in capturing a joint tissue's tissue physiology for studying the mechanism of OA. Adapting these techniques and strategies can help create human-specific in vitro models that recapitulate the cellular processes involved in OA. This review aims to comprehensively summarise various demonstrations of microfluidic platforms in mimicking joint microenvironments for future platform design iterations.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Quality of Life; Microfluidics; Models, Animal; Osteoarthritis
PubMed: 36831245
DOI: 10.3390/cells12040579 -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2021Microfluidics is a relatively newly emerged field based on the combined principles of physics, chemistry, biology, fluid dynamics, microelectronics, and material... (Review)
Review
Microfluidics is a relatively newly emerged field based on the combined principles of physics, chemistry, biology, fluid dynamics, microelectronics, and material science. Various materials can be processed into miniaturized chips containing channels and chambers in the microscale range. A diverse repertoire of methods can be chosen to manufacture such platforms of desired size, shape, and geometry. Whether they are used alone or in combination with other devices, microfluidic chips can be employed in nanoparticle preparation, drug encapsulation, delivery, and targeting, cell analysis, diagnosis, and cell culture. This paper presents microfluidic technology in terms of the available platform materials and fabrication techniques, also focusing on the biomedical applications of these remarkable devices.
Topics: Animals; Cell Culture Techniques; Drug Delivery Systems; High-Throughput Screening Assays; Humans; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics; Molecular Biology; Nanoparticles; Pharmaceutical Preparations
PubMed: 33670545
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042011 -
Nature Reviews. Genetics Jun 2017Recent advances in cellular profiling have demonstrated substantial heterogeneity in the behaviour of cells once deemed 'identical', challenging fundamental notions of... (Review)
Review
Recent advances in cellular profiling have demonstrated substantial heterogeneity in the behaviour of cells once deemed 'identical', challenging fundamental notions of cell 'type' and 'state'. Not surprisingly, these findings have elicited substantial interest in deeply characterizing the diversity, interrelationships and plasticity among cellular phenotypes. To explore these questions, experimental platforms are needed that can extensively and controllably profile many individual cells. Here, microfluidic structures - whether valve-, droplet- or nanowell-based - have an important role because they can facilitate easy capture and processing of single cells and their components, reducing labour and costs relative to conventional plate-based methods while also improving consistency. In this article, we review the current state-of-the-art methodologies with respect to microfluidics for mammalian single-cell 'omics' and discuss challenges and future opportunities.
Topics: Animals; Genomics; Humans; Microfluidics; Single-Cell Analysis
PubMed: 28392571
DOI: 10.1038/nrg.2017.15 -
Biosensors Oct 2021This Perspective discusses the literature related to two-phase biocatalysis in microfluidic droplets. Enzymes used as catalysts in biocatalysis are generally less stable...
This Perspective discusses the literature related to two-phase biocatalysis in microfluidic droplets. Enzymes used as catalysts in biocatalysis are generally less stable in organic media than in their native aqueous environments; however, chemical and pharmaceutical compounds are often insoluble in water. The use of aqueous/organic two-phase media provides a solution to this problem and has therefore become standard practice for multiple biotransformations. In batch, two-phase biocatalysis is limited by mass transport, a limitation that can be overcome with the use of microfluidic systems. Although, two-phase biocatalysis in laminar flow systems has been extensively studied, microfluidic droplets have been primarily used for enzyme screening. In this Perspective, we summarize the limited published work on two-phase biocatalysis in microfluidic droplets and discuss the limitations, challenges, and future perspectives of this technology.
Topics: Biocatalysis; Microfluidics; Water
PubMed: 34821623
DOI: 10.3390/bios11110407 -
Platelets Jul 2017
Topics: Animals; Blood Platelets; Humans; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics; Research
PubMed: 28700317
DOI: 10.1080/09537104.2017.1325187 -
Molecular Biotechnology Mar 2024Thanks to recent and continuing technological innovations, modern microfluidic systems are increasingly offering researchers working across all fields of biotechnology... (Review)
Review
Thanks to recent and continuing technological innovations, modern microfluidic systems are increasingly offering researchers working across all fields of biotechnology exciting new possibilities (especially with respect to facilitating high throughput analysis, portability, and parallelization). The advantages offered by microfluidic devices-namely, the substantially lowered chemical and sample consumption they require, the increased energy and mass transfer they offer, and their comparatively small size-can potentially be leveraged in every sub-field of biotechnology. However, to date, most of the reported devices have been deployed in furtherance of healthcare, pharmaceutical, and/or industrial applications. In this review, we consider examples of microfluidic and miniaturized systems across biotechnology sub-fields. In this context, we point out the advantages of microfluidics for various applications and highlight the common features of devices and the potential for transferability to other application areas. This will provide incentives for increased collaboration between researchers from different disciplines in the field of biotechnology.
Topics: Microfluidics; Biotechnology
PubMed: 36515858
DOI: 10.1007/s12033-022-00626-6