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Biomedical Microdevices Aug 2019Conventional skin and blood sampling techniques for disease diagnosis, though effective, are often highly invasive and some even suffer from variations in analysis. With... (Review)
Review
Conventional skin and blood sampling techniques for disease diagnosis, though effective, are often highly invasive and some even suffer from variations in analysis. With the improvements in molecular detection, the amount of starting sample quantity needed has significantly reduced in some diagnostic procedures, and this has led to an increased interest in microsampling techniques for disease biomarker detection. The miniaturization of sampling platforms driven by microsampling has the potential to shift disease diagnosis and monitoring closer to the point of care. The faster turnaround time for actionable results has improved patient care. The variations in sample quantification and analysis remain a challenge in the microsampling field. The future of microsampling looks promising. Emerging techniques are being clinically tested and monitored by regulatory bodies. This process is leading to safer and more reliable diagnostic platforms. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of current skin and blood microsampling techniques.
Topics: Animals; Blood; Humans; Microtechnology; Point-of-Care Systems; Skin
PubMed: 31418068
DOI: 10.1007/s10544-019-0412-y -
Cytometry. Part a : the Journal of the... Jun 2021
Topics: Microfluidics; Single-Cell Analysis
PubMed: 34043873
DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24463 -
Biosensors & Bioelectronics Mar 2022Droplet microfluidics offers a unique opportunity for ultrahigh-throughput experimentation with minimal sample consumption and thus has obtained increasing attention,... (Review)
Review
Droplet microfluidics offers a unique opportunity for ultrahigh-throughput experimentation with minimal sample consumption and thus has obtained increasing attention, particularly for biological applications. Detection and measurements of analytes or biomarkers in tiny droplets are essential for proper analysis of biological and chemical assays like single-cell studies, cytometry, nucleic acid detection, protein quantification, environmental monitoring, drug discovery, and point-of-care diagnostics. Current detection setups widely use microscopes as a central device and other free-space optical components. However, microscopic setups are bulky, complicated, not flexible, and expensive. Furthermore, they require precise optical alignments, specialized optical and technical knowledge, and cumbersome maintenance. The establishment of efficient, simple, and cheap detection methods is one of the bottlenecks for adopting microfluidic strategies for diverse bioanalytical applications and widespread laboratory use. Together with great advances in optofluidic components, the integration of optical fibers as a light guiding medium into microfluidic chips has recently revolutionized analytical possibilities. Optical fibers embedded in a microfluidic platform provide a simpler, more flexible, lower-cost, and sensitive setup for the detection of several parameters from biological and chemical samples and enable widespread, hands-on application much beyond thriving point-of-care developments. In this review, we examine recent developments in droplet microfluidic systems using optical fiber as a light guiding medium, primarily focusing on different optical detection methods such as fluorescence, absorbance, light scattering, and Raman scattering and the potential applications in biochemistry and biotechnology that are and will be arising from this.
Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics; Optical Devices; Optical Fibers
PubMed: 34974260
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2021.113910 -
Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao. Yi Xue Ban =... May 2023Droplet-based microfluidics is a technology that generates and manipulates highly uniform droplets, ranging from picoliter to nanoliter droplets, in microchannels under... (Review)
Review
Droplet-based microfluidics is a technology that generates and manipulates highly uniform droplets, ranging from picoliter to nanoliter droplets, in microchannels under precise control. In biological research, each droplet can be used to encapsulate a small group of cells or even a single cell, and then serve as an individual container for biochemical reaction, which is well suited for high-throughput and high-resolution biochemical analysis. In the field of microbial research, from cultivation and identification of microbes to the investigation of the spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial communities, from precise quantitation of microbiota to systematic study of microbial interactions, and from the isolation of rare and unculturable microbes to the development of genetically engineered strains, droplet microfluidic technology has played an important promotional role in all these aspects. Droplet microfluidics shows potential for becoming a basic tool for exploring single-cell microbes in microbiological research. In this review, we gave a brief overview of the technical basis of droplet microfluidics. Then, we presented its latest applications in microbial research and had some discussions, aiming to provide a reference for relevant research on microorganisms.
Topics: Microfluidics; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
PubMed: 37248604
DOI: 10.12182/20230560303 -
Acta Biomaterialia Jun 2018Nano- and microparticles have increasingly widespread applications in nanomedicine, ranging from drug delivery to imaging. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
Nano- and microparticles have increasingly widespread applications in nanomedicine, ranging from drug delivery to imaging. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles are the most widely-applied type of particles due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Here, we discuss the preparation of PLGA particles, and various modifications to tailor particles for applications in biological systems. We highlight new preparation approaches, including microfluidics and PRINT method, and modifications of PLGA particles resulting in novel or responsive properties, such as Janus or upconversion particles. Finally, we describe how the preparation methods can- and should-be adapted to tailor the properties of particles for the desired biomedical application. Our aim is to enable researchers who work with PLGA particles to better appreciate the effects of the selected preparation procedure on the final properties of the particles and its biological implications.
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Nanoparticles are increasingly important in the field of biomedicine. Particles made of polymers are in the spotlight, due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, versatility. In this review, we aim to discuss the range of formulation techniques, manipulations, and applications of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles, to enable a researcher to effectively select or design the optimal particles for their application. We describe the various techniques of PLGA particle synthesis and their impact on possible applications. We focus on recent developments in the field of PLGA particles, and new synthesis techniques that have emerged over the past years. Overall, we show how the chemistry of PLGA particles can be adapted to solve pressing biological needs.
Topics: Animals; Biocompatible Materials; Humans; Materials Testing; Microfluidics; Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer
PubMed: 29653217
DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.04.006 -
Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology... 2019
Topics: Animals; Cell Culture Techniques; Humans; Microtechnology; Organ Specificity; Organoids; Pluripotent Stem Cells; Tissue Engineering
PubMed: 30831074
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.02.005 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2022Viral infections are a significant public health problem, primarily due to their high transmission rate, various pathological manifestations, ranging from mild to severe... (Review)
Review
Viral infections are a significant public health problem, primarily due to their high transmission rate, various pathological manifestations, ranging from mild to severe symptoms and subclinical onset. Laboratory diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, with a short enough turnaround time, are promising tools to improve patient care, antiviral therapeutic decisions, and infection prevention. Numerous microbiological molecular and serological diagnostic testing devices have been developed and authorised as benchtop systems, and only a few as rapid miniaturised, fully automated, portable digital platforms. Their successful implementation in virology relies on their performance and impact on patient management. This review describes the current progress and perspectives in developing micro- and nanotechnology-based solutions for rapidly detecting human viral respiratory infectious diseases. It provides a nonexhaustive overview of currently commercially available and under-study diagnostic testing methods and discusses the sampling and viral genetic trends as preanalytical components influencing the results. We describe the clinical performance of tests, focusing on alternatives such as microfluidics-, biosensors-, Internet-of-Things (IoT)-based devices for rapid and accurate viral loads and immunological responses detection. The conclusions highlight the potential impact of the newly developed devices on laboratory diagnostic and clinical outcomes.
Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Communicable Diseases; Humans; Microfluidics; Respiratory Tract Infections; Serologic Tests
PubMed: 35252028
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.807253 -
Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering Jun 2022An integrative approach based on microfluidic design and stem cell biology enables capture of the spatial-temporal environmental evolution underpinning epigenetic... (Review)
Review
An integrative approach based on microfluidic design and stem cell biology enables capture of the spatial-temporal environmental evolution underpinning epigenetic remodeling and the morphogenetic process. We examine the body of literature that encompasses microfluidic applications where human induced pluripotent stem cells are derived starting from human somatic cells and where human pluripotent stem cells are differentiated into different cell types. We focus on recent studies where the intrinsic features of microfluidics have been exploited to control the reprogramming and differentiation trajectory at the microscale, including the capability of manipulating the fluid velocity field, mass transport regime, and controllable composition within micro- to nanoliter volumes in space and time. We also discuss studies of emerging microfluidic technologies and applications. Finally, we critically discuss perspectives and challenges in the field and how these could be instrumental for bringing about significant biological advances in the field of stem cell engineering.
Topics: Cell Differentiation; Humans; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Microfluidics; Pluripotent Stem Cells
PubMed: 35378044
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-092021-042744 -
Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry... Jul 2021Droplet-based microfluidics has emerged as an important subfield within the microfluidic and general analytical communities. Indeed, several unique applications such as... (Review)
Review
Droplet-based microfluidics has emerged as an important subfield within the microfluidic and general analytical communities. Indeed, several unique applications such as digital assay readout and single-cell sequencing now have commercial systems based on droplet microfluidics. Yet there remains room for this research area to grow. To date, most analytical readouts are optical in nature, relatively few studies have integrated sample preparation, and passive means for droplet formation and manipulation have dominated the field. Analytical scientists continue to expand capabilities by developing droplet-compatible method adaptations, for example, by interfacing to mass spectrometers or automating droplet sampling for temporally resolved analysis. In this review, we highlight recently developed fluidic control techniques and unique integrations of analytical methodology with droplet microfluidics-focusing on automation and the connections to analog/digital domains-and we conclude by offering a perspective on current challenges and future applications.
Topics: Biological Assay; Mass Spectrometry; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics
PubMed: 33979546
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-122120-042627 -
Trends in Biotechnology Mar 2023We review the emergence of the new field of organ-on-a-chip (OOAC) engineering, from the parent fields of tissue engineering and microfluidics. We place into perspective... (Review)
Review
We review the emergence of the new field of organ-on-a-chip (OOAC) engineering, from the parent fields of tissue engineering and microfluidics. We place into perspective the tools and capabilities brought into the OOAC field by early tissue engineers and microfluidics experts. Liver-on-a-chip and heart-on-a-chip are used as two case studies of systems that heavily relied on tissue engineering techniques and that were amongst the first OOAC models to be implemented, motivated by the need to better assess toxicity to human tissues in preclinical drug development. We review current challenges in OOAC that often stem from the same challenges in the parent fields, such as stable vascularization and drug absorption.
Topics: Humans; Tissue Engineering; Microtechnology; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Liver; Microfluidics
PubMed: 36725464
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.12.018