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Nie J, Fu J, He Y. Hydrogels: The Next Generation Body Materials for Microfluidic Chips? SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2003797. [PMID: 33103353 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202003797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The integration of microfluidics with biomedical research is confronted with considerable limitations due to its body materials. With high content of water, hydrogels own superior biocompatibility and degradability. Can hydrogels become another material choice for the construction of microfluidic chips, particularly biofluidics? The present review aims to systematically establish the concept of hydrogel-based microfluidic chips (HMCs) and address three main concerns: i) why choosing hydrogels? ii) how to fabricate HMCs?, and iii) in which fields to apply HMCs? It is envisioned that hydrogels may be used increasingly as substitute for traditional materials and gradually act as the body material for microfluidic chips. The modifications of conventional process are highlighted to overcome issues arising from the incompatibility between the construction methods and hydrogel materials. Specifically targeting at the "soft and wet" hydrogels, an efficient flowchart of "i) high resolution template printing; ii) damage-free demolding; iii) twice-crosslinking bonding" is proposed. Accordingly, a broader microfluidic chip concept is proposed in terms of form and function. Potential biomedical applications of HMCs are discussed. This review also highlights the challenges arising from the material replacement, as well as the future directions of the proposed concept. Finally, the authors' viewpoints and perspectives for this emerging field are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Jianzhong Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yong He
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Mold, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
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Zhao P, Wang J, Li Y, Wang X, Chen C, Liu G. Microfluidic Technology for the Production of Well-Ordered Porous Polymer Scaffolds. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1863. [PMID: 32825098 PMCID: PMC7564514 DOI: 10.3390/polym12091863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in tissue engineering (TE) have revealed that porosity architectures, such as pore shape, pore size and pore interconnectivity are the key morphological properties of scaffolds. Well-ordered porous polymer scaffolds, which have uniform pore size, regular geometric shape, high porosity and good pore interconnectivity, facilitate the loading and distribution of active biomolecules, as well as cell adhesion, proliferation and migration. However, these are difficult to prepare by traditional methods and the existing well-ordered porous scaffold preparation methods require expensive experimental equipment or cumbersome preparation steps. Generally, droplet-based microfluidics, which generates and manipulates discrete droplets through immiscible multiphase flows inside microchannels, has emerged as a versatile tool for generation of well-ordered porous materials. This short review details this novel method and the latest developments in well-ordered porous scaffold preparation via microfluidic technology. The pore structure and properties of microfluidic scaffolds are discussed in depth, laying the foundation for further research and application in TE. Furthermore, we outline the bottlenecks and future developments in this particular field, and a brief outlook on the future development of microfluidic technique for scaffold fabrication is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Zhao
- Energy Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China; (J.W.); (Y.L.); (C.C.); (G.L.)
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Jianchun Wang
- Energy Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China; (J.W.); (Y.L.); (C.C.); (G.L.)
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Yan Li
- Energy Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China; (J.W.); (Y.L.); (C.C.); (G.L.)
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Xueying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Interfacial Reaction & Sensing Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China;
| | - Chengmin Chen
- Energy Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China; (J.W.); (Y.L.); (C.C.); (G.L.)
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
| | - Guangxia Liu
- Energy Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China; (J.W.); (Y.L.); (C.C.); (G.L.)
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, China
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Kalirajan C, Palanisamy T. Bioengineered Hybrid Collagen Scaffold Tethered with Silver-Catechin Nanocomposite Modulates Angiogenesis and TGF-β Toward Scarless Healing in Chronic Deep Second Degree Infected Burns. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e2000247. [PMID: 32378364 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202000247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Management of burn wounds with diabetes and microbial infection is challenging in tissue engineering. The delayed wound healing further leads to scar formation in severe burn injury. Herein, a silver-catechin nanocomposite tethered collagen scaffold with angiogenic and antibacterial properties is developed to enable scarless healing in chronic wounds infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa under diabetic conditions. Histological observations of the granulation tissues collected from an experimental rat model show characteristic structural organizations similar to normal skin, whereas the open wound and pristine collagen scaffold treated animals display elevated dermis with thick epidermal layer and lack of appendages. Epidermal thickness of the hybrid scaffold treated diabetic animals is lowered to 33 ± 2 µm compared to 90 ± 2 µm for pristine collagen scaffold treated groups. Further, the scar elevation index of 1.3 ± 0.1 estimated for the bioengineered scaffold treated diabetic animals is closer to the normal skin. Immunohistochemical analyses provide compelling evidence for the enhanced angiogenesis as well as downregulated transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF-β1) and upregulated TGF-β3 expressions in the hybrid scaffold treated animal groups. The insights from this study endorse the bioengineered collagen scaffolds for applications in tissue regeneration without scar in chronic burn wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheirmadurai Kalirajan
- Advanced Materials LaboratoryCentral Leather Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) Adyar Chennai 600020 India
- University of Madras Chepauk Chennai 600005 India
| | - Thanikaivelan Palanisamy
- Advanced Materials LaboratoryCentral Leather Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) Adyar Chennai 600020 India
- University of Madras Chepauk Chennai 600005 India
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Wang J, Yu Y, Guo J, Lu W, Wei Q, Zhao Y. The Construction and Application of Three-Dimensional Biomaterials. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 4:e1900238. [PMID: 32293130 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201900238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biomaterials have been widely explored and applied in many areas, especially in the field of tissue engineering. The interface of biomaterials and cells has been deeply investigated. However, it has been demonstrated that conventional 2D biomaterials fail to maintain the 3D structures and phenotypes of cells, which is the result of their limited ability to mimic the latter's complex extracellular matrix. To overcome this challenge, cell cultivation dependent on 3D biomaterials has emerged as an alternative strategy to make the recovery of 3D structures and functions of cells possible. Thus, with the thriving development of 3D cell culture in tissue engineering, a holistic review of the construction and application of 3D biomaterials is desired. Here, recent developments in 3D biomaterials for tissue engineering are reviewed. An overview of various approaches to construct 3D biomaterials, such as electro-jetting/-spinning, micro-molding, microfluidics, and 3D bio-printing, is first presented. Their typical applications in constructing cell sheets, vascular structures, cell spheroids, and macroscopic cellular constructs are described as well. Following these two sections, the current status and challenges are analyzed, as well as the future outlook of 3D biomaterials for tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210031, China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yunru Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Jiahui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Wei Lu
- College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210031, China
| | - Qiong Wei
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
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Jeyhani M, Thevakumaran R, Abbasi N, Hwang DK, Tsai SSH. Microfluidic Generation of All-Aqueous Double and Triple Emulsions. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1906565. [PMID: 31985166 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201906565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Higher order emulsions are used in a variety of different applications in biomedicine, biological studies, cosmetics, and the food industry. Conventional droplet generation platforms for making higher order emulsions use organic solvents as the continuous phase, which is not biocompatible and as a result, further washing steps are required to remove the toxic continuous phase. Recently, droplet generation based on aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) has emerged in the field of droplet microfluidics due to their intrinsic biocompatibility. Here, a platform to generate all-aqueous double and triple emulsions by introducing pressure-driven flows inside a microfluidic hybrid device is presented. This system uses a conventional microfluidic flow-focusing geometry coupled with a coaxial microneedle and a glass capillary embedded in flow-focusing junctions. The configuration of the hybrid device enables the focusing of two coaxial two-phase streams, which helps to avoid commonly observed channel-wetting problems. It is shown that this approach achieves the fabrication of higher-order emulsions in a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic device, and controls the structure of the all-aqueous emulsions. This hybrid microfluidic approach allows for facile higher-order biocompatible emulsion formation, and it is anticipated that this platform will find utility for generating biocompatible materials for various biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Jeyhani
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST)-a Partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
| | - Risavarshni Thevakumaran
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST)-a Partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Niki Abbasi
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST)-a Partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
| | - Dae Kun Hwang
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST)-a Partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Scott S H Tsai
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST)-a Partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1T8, Canada
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