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Biofabrication Sep 2019Recent advances in bioprinting technologies have enabled rapid manufacturing of organ-on-chip models along with biomimetic tissue microarchitectures. Bioprinting... (Review)
Review
Recent advances in bioprinting technologies have enabled rapid manufacturing of organ-on-chip models along with biomimetic tissue microarchitectures. Bioprinting techniques can be used to integrate microfluidic channels and flow connections in organ-on-chip models. We review bioprinters in two categories of nozzle-based and optical-based methods, and then discuss their fabrication parameters such as resolution, replication fidelity, fabrication time, and cost for micro-tissue models and microfluidic applications. The use of bioprinters has shown successful replicates of functional engineered tissue models integrated within a desired microfluidic system, which facilitates the observation of metabolism or secretion of models and sophisticated control of a dynamic environment. This may provide a wider order of tissue engineering fabrication in mimicking physiological conditions for enhancing further applications such as drug development and pathological studies.
Topics: Animals; Bioprinting; Humans; Microtechnology; Optics and Photonics; Tissue Engineering
PubMed: 31170695
DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ab2798 -
Trends in Biotechnology Jan 2022Billions of years of Darwinian evolution has led to the emergence of highly sophisticated and diverse life forms on Earth. Inspired by natural evolution, similar... (Review)
Review
Billions of years of Darwinian evolution has led to the emergence of highly sophisticated and diverse life forms on Earth. Inspired by natural evolution, similar principles have been adopted in laboratory evolution for the fast optimization of genes and proteins for specific applications. In this review, we highlight state-of-the-art laboratory evolution strategies for protein engineering, with a special emphasis on in vitro strategies. We further describe how recent progress in microfluidic technology has allowed the generation and manipulation of artificial compartments for high-throughput laboratory evolution experiments. Expectations for the future are high: we foresee a revolution on-a-chip.
Topics: Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Microfluidics; Protein Engineering
PubMed: 34049723
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.04.009 -
Biosensors Aug 2023Biosensors are a promising tool for a wide variety of target analyte detection and enable point-of-care diagnostics with reduced volume and space [...].
Biosensors are a promising tool for a wide variety of target analyte detection and enable point-of-care diagnostics with reduced volume and space [...].
Topics: Microfluidics; Point-of-Care Testing
PubMed: 37754077
DOI: 10.3390/bios13090843 -
Mikrochimica Acta Nov 2022Electrode miniaturization has profoundly revolutionized the field of electrochemical sensing, opening up unprecedented opportunities for probing biological events with a... (Review)
Review
Electrode miniaturization has profoundly revolutionized the field of electrochemical sensing, opening up unprecedented opportunities for probing biological events with a high spatial and temporal resolution, integrating electrochemical systems with microfluidics, and designing arrays for multiplexed sensing. Several technological issues posed by the desire for downsizing have been addressed so far, leading to micrometric and nanometric sensing systems with different degrees of maturity. However, there is still an endless margin for researchers to improve current strategies and cope with demanding sensing fields, such as lab-on-a-chip devices and multi-array sensors, brain chemistry, and cell monitoring. In this review, we present current trends in the design of micro-/nano-electrochemical sensors and cutting-edge applications reported in the last 10 years. Micro- and nanosensors are divided into four categories depending on the transduction mechanism, e.g., amperometric, impedimetric, potentiometric, and transistor-based, to best guide the reader through the different detection strategies and highlight major advancements as well as still unaddressed demands in electrochemical sensing.
Topics: Electrodes; Microfluidics; Potentiometry; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
PubMed: 36416992
DOI: 10.1007/s00604-022-05548-3 -
Biosensors Jan 2023Microfluidics refers to a technique for controlling and analyzing the fluids or micro-/nano-bioparticles in microscale channels or structures [...].
Microfluidics refers to a technique for controlling and analyzing the fluids or micro-/nano-bioparticles in microscale channels or structures [...].
Topics: Microfluidics
PubMed: 36831927
DOI: 10.3390/bios13020161 -
Current Opinion in Insect Science Dec 2018Micro-Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) microphones inspired by the remarkable phonotactic capability of Ormia ochracea offer the promise of microscale directional... (Review)
Review
Micro-Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) microphones inspired by the remarkable phonotactic capability of Ormia ochracea offer the promise of microscale directional microphones with a greatly reduced need for post-processing of signals. Gravid O. ochracea females can locate their host cricket's 5 kHz mating calls to an accuracy of less than 2° despite having a distance of approximately 500 μm between the ears. MEMS devices base on the principles of operation of O. ochracea's hearing system have been well studied, however commercial implementation has proven challenging due to the system's reliance on carefully tailored ratios of stiffness and damping, which are difficult to realize in standard MEMS fabrication processes, necessitating a trade-off between wide-band operation and sensitivity. A survey of the variety of strategies that have been followed to address these inherent challenges is presented.
Topics: Acoustics; Animals; Auditory Perception; Diptera; Host-Parasite Interactions; Microtechnology; Orthoptera
PubMed: 30553482
DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.09.002 -
Nature Communications Oct 2022Microrobots have attracted the attention of scientists owing to their unique features to accomplish tasks in hard-to-reach sites in the human body. Microrobots can be... (Review)
Review
Microrobots have attracted the attention of scientists owing to their unique features to accomplish tasks in hard-to-reach sites in the human body. Microrobots can be precisely actuated and maneuvered individually or in a swarm for cargo delivery, sampling, surgery, and imaging applications. In addition, microrobots have found applications in the environmental sector (e.g., water treatment). Besides, recent advancements of three-dimensional (3D) printers have enabled the high-resolution fabrication of microrobots with a faster design-production turnaround time for users with limited micromanufacturing skills. Here, the latest end applications of 3D printed microrobots are reviewed (ranging from environmental to biomedical applications) along with a brief discussion over the feasible actuation methods (e.g., on- and off-board), and practical 3D printing technologies for microrobot fabrication. In addition, as a future perspective, we discussed the potential advantages of integration of microrobots with smart materials, and conceivable benefits of implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), as well as physical intelligence (PI). Moreover, in order to facilitate bench-to-bedside translation of microrobots, current challenges impeding clinical translation of microrobots are elaborated, including entry obstacles (e.g., immune system attacks) and cumbersome standard test procedures to ensure biocompatibility.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence; Humans; Microtechnology; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Robotics; Smart Materials
PubMed: 36198675
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33409-3 -
Biosensors Mar 2023Organ-on-a-Chip is a microfluidic cell culture device manufactured via microchip fabrication methods [...].
Organ-on-a-Chip is a microfluidic cell culture device manufactured via microchip fabrication methods [...].
Topics: Microfluidics; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Cell Culture Techniques
PubMed: 37185511
DOI: 10.3390/bios13040436 -
Biosensors Jul 2021Recent advances in microfluidics, microelectronics, and electrochemical sensing methods have steered the way for the development of novel and potential wearable... (Review)
Review
Recent advances in microfluidics, microelectronics, and electrochemical sensing methods have steered the way for the development of novel and potential wearable biosensors for healthcare monitoring. Wearable bioelectronics has received tremendous attention worldwide due to its great a potential for predictive medical modeling and allowing for personalized point-of-care-testing (POCT). They possess many appealing characteristics, for example, lightweight, flexibility, good stretchability, conformability, and low cost. These characteristics make wearable bioelectronics a promising platform for personalized devices. In this paper, we review recent progress in flexible and wearable sensors for non-invasive biomonitoring using sweat as the bio-fluid. Real-time and molecular-level monitoring of personal health states can be achieved with sweat-based or perspiration-based wearable biosensors. The suitability of sweat and its potential in healthcare monitoring, sweat extraction, and the challenges encountered in sweat-based analysis are summarized. The paper also discusses challenges that still hinder the full-fledged development of sweat-based wearables and presents the areas of future research.
Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Electrochemical Techniques; Microfluidics; Sweat; Wearable Electronic Devices
PubMed: 34436047
DOI: 10.3390/bios11080245 -
Biosensors Oct 2021Liquid crystals (LCs) with stimuli-responsive configuration transition and optical anisotropic properties have attracted enormous interest in the development of simple... (Review)
Review
Liquid crystals (LCs) with stimuli-responsive configuration transition and optical anisotropic properties have attracted enormous interest in the development of simple and label-free biosensors. The combination of microfluidics and the LCs offers great advantages over traditional LC-based biosensors including small sample consumption, fast analysis and low cost. Moreover, microfluidic techniques provide a promising tool to fabricate uniform and reproducible LC-based sensing platforms. In this review, we emphasize the recent development of microfluidics in the fabrication and integration of LC-based biosensors, including LC planar sensing platforms and LC droplets. Fabrication and integration of LC-based planar platforms with microfluidics for biosensing applications are first introduced. The generation and entrapment of monodisperse LC droplets with different microfluidic structures, as well as their applications in the detection of chemical and biological species, are then summarized. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of the development of LC-based microfluidic biosensors are proposed. This review will promote the understanding of microfluidic techniques in LC-based biosensors and facilitate the development of LC-based microfluidic biosensing devices with high performance.
Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Liquid Crystals; Microfluidics
PubMed: 34677341
DOI: 10.3390/bios11100385