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Molecular Pharmaceutics Dec 2020Drug delivery systems (DDSs) have great potential for improving the treatment of several diseases, especially microbial infections and cancers. However, the formulation... (Review)
Review
Drug delivery systems (DDSs) have great potential for improving the treatment of several diseases, especially microbial infections and cancers. However, the formulation procedures of DDSs remain challenging, especially at the nanoscale. Reducing batch-to-batch variation and enhancing production rate are some of the essential requirements for accelerating the translation of DDSs from a small scale to an industrial level. Microfluidic technologies have emerged as an alternative to the conventional bench methods to address these issues. By providing precise control over the fluid flows and rapid mixing, microfluidic systems can be used to fabricate and engineer different types of DDSs with specific properties for efficient delivery of a wide range of drugs and genetic materials. This review discusses the principles of controlled rapid mixing that have been employed in different microfluidic strategies for producing DDSs. Moreover, the impact of the microfluidic device design and parameters on the type and properties of DDS formulations was assessed, and recent applications in drug and gene delivery were also considered.
Topics: Drug Compounding; Drug Delivery Systems; Gene Transfer Techniques; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Microfluidics; Nanomedicine; Nanoparticles
PubMed: 33213144
DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.0c00913 -
Science Progress 2012The field of microfluidics, often also referred to as "Lab-on-a-Chip" has made significant progress in the last 15 years and is an essential tool in the development of... (Review)
Review
The field of microfluidics, often also referred to as "Lab-on-a-Chip" has made significant progress in the last 15 years and is an essential tool in the development of new products and protocols in the life sciences. This article provides a broad overview on the developments on the academic as well as the commercial side. Fabrication technologies for polymer-based devices are presented and a strategy for the development of complex integrated devices is discussed, together with an example on the use of these devices in pathogen detection.
Topics: Biosensing Techniques; Equipment Design; Flow Injection Analysis; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics
PubMed: 22893979
DOI: 10.3184/003685012X13361524970266 -
Chemical Society Reviews Jul 2013Raman microscopy systems are becoming increasingly widespread and accessible for characterising chemical species. Microfluidic systems are also progressively finding... (Review)
Review
Raman microscopy systems are becoming increasingly widespread and accessible for characterising chemical species. Microfluidic systems are also progressively finding their way into real world applications. Therefore, it is anticipated that the integration of Raman systems with microfluidics will become increasingly attractive and practical. This review aims to provide an overview of Raman microscopy-microfluidics integrated systems for researchers who are actively interested in utilising these tools. The fundamental principles and application strengths of Raman microscopy are discussed in the context of microfluidics. Various configurations of microfluidics that incorporate Raman microscopy methods are presented, with applications highlighted. Data analysis methods are discussed, with a focus on assisting the interpretation of Raman-microfluidics data from complex samples. Finally, possible future directions of Raman-microfluidic systems are presented.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Microfluidics; Microscopy; Spectrum Analysis, Raman
PubMed: 23624774
DOI: 10.1039/c3cs35515b -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2016This article reviews recent developments in droplet microfluidics enabling high-throughput single-cell analysis. Five key aspects in this field are included in this... (Review)
Review
This article reviews recent developments in droplet microfluidics enabling high-throughput single-cell analysis. Five key aspects in this field are included in this review: (1) prototype demonstration of single-cell encapsulation in microfluidic droplets; (2) technical improvements of single-cell encapsulation in microfluidic droplets; (3) microfluidic droplets enabling single-cell proteomic analysis; (4) microfluidic droplets enabling single-cell genomic analysis; and (5) integrated microfluidic droplet systems enabling single-cell screening. We examine the advantages and limitations of each technique and discuss future research opportunities by focusing on key performances of throughput, multifunctionality, and absolute quantification.
Topics: Animals; Genomics; High-Throughput Screening Assays; Humans; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics; Proteomics; Single-Cell Analysis
PubMed: 27399651
DOI: 10.3390/molecules21070881 -
Topics in Current Chemistry (Cham) Oct 2016A compact snapshot of the current convergence of novel developments relevant to chemical engineering is given. Process intensification concepts are analysed through the... (Review)
Review
A compact snapshot of the current convergence of novel developments relevant to chemical engineering is given. Process intensification concepts are analysed through the lens of microfluidics and sonochemistry. Economical drivers and their influence on scientific activities are mentioned, including innovation opportunities towards deployment into society. We focus on the control of cavitation as a means to improve the energy efficiency of sonochemical reactors, as well as in the solids handling with ultrasound; both are considered the most difficult hurdles for its adoption in a practical and industrial sense. Particular examples for microfluidic clogging prevention, numbering-up and scaling-up strategies are given. To conclude, an outlook of possible new directions of this active and promising combination of technologies is hinted.
Topics: Crystallization; Durapatite; Microfluidics; Sonication
PubMed: 27654863
DOI: 10.1007/s41061-016-0070-y -
Annals of Biomedical Engineering Jun 2012The emerging field of micro-technology has opened up new possibilities for exploring cellular chemotaxis in real space and time, and at single cell resolution.... (Review)
Review
The emerging field of micro-technology has opened up new possibilities for exploring cellular chemotaxis in real space and time, and at single cell resolution. Chemotactic cells sense and move in response to chemical gradients and play important roles in a number of physiological and pathological processes, including development, immune responses, and tumor cell invasions. Due to the size proximity of the microfluidic device to cells, microfluidic chemotaxis devices advance the traditional macro-scale chemotaxis assays in two major directions: one is to build well defined and stable chemical gradients at cellular length scales, and the other is to provide a platform for quantifying cellular responses at both cellular and molecular levels using advanced optical imaging systems. Here, we present a critical review on the designing principles, recent development, and potential capabilities of the microfluidic chemotaxis assay for solving problems that are of importance in the biomedical engineering field.
Topics: Animals; Cell Culture Techniques; Chemotaxis; Humans; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics
PubMed: 22189490
DOI: 10.1007/s10439-011-0489-9 -
Lab on a Chip Dec 2016Nanoparticles have been widely implemented for healthcare and nanoscience industrial applications. Thus, efficient and effective nanoparticle separation methods are... (Review)
Review
Nanoparticles have been widely implemented for healthcare and nanoscience industrial applications. Thus, efficient and effective nanoparticle separation methods are essential for advancement in these fields. However, current technologies for separation, such as ultracentrifugation, electrophoresis, filtration, chromatography, and selective precipitation, are not continuous and require multiple preparation steps and a minimum sample volume. Microfluidics has offered a relatively simple, low-cost, and continuous particle separation approach, and has been well-established for micron-sized particle sorting. Here, we review the recent advances in nanoparticle separation using microfluidic devices, focusing on its techniques, its advantages over conventional methods, and its potential applications, as well as foreseeable challenges in the separation of synthetic nanoparticles and biological molecules, especially DNA, proteins, viruses, and exosomes.
Topics: Fractionation, Field Flow; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Magnetic Fields; Microfluidics; Nanoparticles; Optical Tweezers
PubMed: 27830852
DOI: 10.1039/c6lc01045h -
Analytical Chemistry Jun 2021Nanoflow liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (NanoLC-MS) has become the method of choice for the analysis of complex biological systems, especially when the...
Nanoflow liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (NanoLC-MS) has become the method of choice for the analysis of complex biological systems, especially when the available sample amount is limited. The preparation of high-performance capillary columns for nanoLC use is still a technical challenge. Here, we report a segmented microfluidic method for the preparation of packed capillary columns, where liquid segments were used as soft, dynamic, and well-dispersed slurry reservoirs for carrying and delivering micrometer packing particles. Based on this microfluidic packing technology, the column bed was assembled layer-by-layer at a 50 μm resolution, and ultralong capillary columns of 3, 5, and 10 m were fabricated in such a manner. The microfluidically packed columns demonstrated excellent separation efficiencies of 116 000 plates/m. The higher efficiencies obtained at higher slurry concentrations also indicate that a high-quality packed bed can be obtained without sacrificing the packing speed. Kinetic performance limit analysis shows that the microfluidic packed columns have higher peak capacity production efficiency in the high-resolution region, presenting an improved separation impedance of 2800, which is significantly better than columns packed with the conventional slurry packing method. In comparison with a commercial nanoLC column, a 5 m long microfluidic packed column was evaluated for proteomic analysis using a standard HeLa protein digest and presented 261% improvement in peptide identification capability, resulting in significantly enhanced protein identification confidence.
Topics: Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Chromatography, Liquid; Humans; Mass Spectrometry; Microfluidics; Proteomics
PubMed: 34111926
DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c00545 -
Journal of Chromatography. A Feb 2015Microfluidic devices offer great advantages in integrating sample processes, minimizing sample and reagent volumes, and increasing analysis speed, while mass... (Review)
Review
Microfluidic devices offer great advantages in integrating sample processes, minimizing sample and reagent volumes, and increasing analysis speed, while mass spectrometry detection provides high information content, is sensitive, and can be used in quantitative analyses. The coupling of microfluidic devices to mass spectrometers is becoming more common with the strengths of both systems being combined to analyze precious and complex samples. This review summarizes select achievements published between 2010 and July 2014 in novel coupling between microfluidic devices and mass spectrometers. The review is subdivided by the types of ionization sources employed, and the different microfluidic systems used.
Topics: Mass Spectrometry; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics
PubMed: 25458901
DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2014.10.039 -
Journal of Separation Science Jun 2012Lab on a chip (LOC) technology is a promising miniaturization approach. The feature that it significantly reduced sample consumption makes great sense in analytical and... (Review)
Review
Lab on a chip (LOC) technology is a promising miniaturization approach. The feature that it significantly reduced sample consumption makes great sense in analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. Since the start of LOC technology, much attention has been focused on continuous flow microfluidic systems. At the turn of the century, droplet microfluidics, which was also termed segmented flow microfluidics, was introduced. Droplet microfluidics employs two immiscible phases to form discrete droplets, which are ideal vessels with confined volume, restricted dispersion, limited cross-contamination, and high surface area. Due to these unique features, droplet microfluidics proves to be a versatile tool in microscale sample handling. This article reviews the utility of droplet microfluidics in microanalytical systems with an emphasize on separation science, including sample encapsulation at ultra-small volume, compartmentalization of separation bands, isolation of droplet contents, and related detection techniques.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; Microfluidics; Peptides; Proteins
PubMed: 22733508
DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201200115