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Cao J, Chande C, Köhler JM. Microtoxicology by microfluidic instrumentation: a review. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:2600-2623. [PMID: 35678285 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00268j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microtoxicology is concerned with the toxic effects of small amounts of substances. This review paper discusses the application of small amounts of noxious substances for toxicological investigation in small volumes. The vigorous development of miniaturized methods in microfluidics over the last two decades involves chip-based devices, micro droplet-based procedures, and the use of micro-segmented flow for microtoxicological studies. The studies have shown that the microfluidic approach is particularly valuable for highly parallelized and combinatorial dose-response screenings. Accurate dosing and mixing of effector substances in large numbers of microcompartments supplies detailed data of dose-response functions by highly concentration-resolved assays and allows evaluation of stochastic responses in case of small separated cell ensembles and single cell experiments. The investigations demonstrate that very different biological targets can be studied using miniaturized approaches, among them bacteria, eukaryotic microorganisms, cell cultures from tissues of multicellular organisms, stem cells, and early embryonic states. Cultivation and effector exposure tests can be performed in small volumes over weeks and months, confirming that the microfluicial strategy is also applicable for slow-growing organisms. Here, the state of the art of miniaturized toxicology, particularly for studying antibiotic susceptibility, drug toxicity testing in the miniaturized system like organ-on-chip, environmental toxicology, and the characterization of combinatorial effects by two and multi-dimensional screenings, is discussed. Additionally, this review points out the practical limitations of the microtoxicology platform and discusses perspectives on future opportunities and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialan Cao
- Techn. Univ. Ilmenau, Dept. Phys. Chem. and Microreaction Technology, Institute for Micro- und Nanotechnologies/Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ilmenau, Germany.
| | - Charmi Chande
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA
| | - J Michael Köhler
- Techn. Univ. Ilmenau, Dept. Phys. Chem. and Microreaction Technology, Institute for Micro- und Nanotechnologies/Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ilmenau, Germany.
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2
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Henkel T, Mayer G, Hampl J, Cao J, Ehrhardt L, Schober A, Groß GA. From Microtiter Plates to Droplets—There and Back Again. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13071022. [PMID: 35888839 PMCID: PMC9316479 DOI: 10.3390/mi13071022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidic screening techniques can benefit from interfacing established microtiter plate-based screening and sample management workflows. Interfacing tools are required both for loading preconfigured microtiter-plate (MTP)-based sample collections into droplets and for dispensing the used droplets samples back into MTPs for subsequent storage or further processing. Here, we present a collection of Digital Microfluidic Pipetting Tips (DMPTs) with integrated facilities for droplet generation and manipulation together with a robotic system for its operation. This combination serves as a bidirectional sampling interface for sample transfer from wells into droplets (w2d) and vice versa droplets into wells (d2w). The DMPT were designed to fit into 96-deep-well MTPs and prepared from glass by means of microsystems technology. The aspirated samples are converted into the channel-confined droplets’ sequences separated by an immiscible carrier medium. To comply with the demands of dose-response assays, up to three additional assay compound solutions can be added to the sample droplets. To enable different procedural assay protocols, four different DMPT variants were made. In this way, droplet series with gradually changing composition can be generated for, e.g., 2D screening purposes. The developed DMPT and their common fluidic connector are described here. To handle the opposite transfer d2w, a robotic transfer system was set up and is described briefly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Henkel
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Leibniz-IPHT, Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07745 Jena, Germany; (T.H.); (G.M.)
| | - Günter Mayer
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Leibniz-IPHT, Albert-Einstein-Str. 9, 07745 Jena, Germany; (T.H.); (G.M.)
| | - Jörg Hampl
- Department of Nano-Biosystem Technology, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Technical University Ilmenau, Prof.-Schmidt-Str. 26, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.H.); (A.S.)
| | - Jialan Cao
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Technical University Ilmenau, Prof.-Schmidt-Str. 26, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (L.E.)
| | - Linda Ehrhardt
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Technical University Ilmenau, Prof.-Schmidt-Str. 26, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (L.E.)
| | - Andreas Schober
- Department of Nano-Biosystem Technology, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Technical University Ilmenau, Prof.-Schmidt-Str. 26, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.H.); (A.S.)
| | - Gregor Alexander Groß
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Technical University Ilmenau, Prof.-Schmidt-Str. 26, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (L.E.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-3677-69-3716
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3
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Zhang H, Rong G, Bian S, Sawan M. Lab-on-Chip Microsystems for Ex Vivo Network of Neurons Studies: A Review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:841389. [PMID: 35252149 PMCID: PMC8888888 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.841389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing population is suffering from neurological disorders nowadays, with no effective therapy available to treat them. Explicit knowledge of network of neurons (NoN) in the human brain is key to understanding the pathology of neurological diseases. Research in NoN developed slower than expected due to the complexity of the human brain and the ethical considerations for in vivo studies. However, advances in nanomaterials and micro-/nano-microfabrication have opened up the chances for a deeper understanding of NoN ex vivo, one step closer to in vivo studies. This review therefore summarizes the latest advances in lab-on-chip microsystems for ex vivo NoN studies by focusing on the advanced materials, techniques, and models for ex vivo NoN studies. The essential methods for constructing lab-on-chip models are microfluidics and microelectrode arrays. Through combination with functional biomaterials and biocompatible materials, the microfluidics and microelectrode arrays enable the development of various models for ex vivo NoN studies. This review also includes the state-of-the-art brain slide and organoid-on-chip models. The end of this review discusses the previous issues and future perspectives for NoN studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sumin Bian
- CenBRAIN Lab, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mohamad Sawan
- CenBRAIN Lab, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
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Maurya R, Gohil N, Bhattacharjee G, Alzahrani KJ, Ramakrishna S, Singh V. Microfluidics for single cell analysis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 186:203-215. [PMID: 35033285 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cells have several internal molecules that are present in low amounts and any fluctuation in its number drives a change in cell behavior. These molecules present inside the cells are continuously fluctuating, thus producing noises in the intrinsic environment and thereby directly affecting the cellular behavior. Single-cell analysis using microfluidics is an important tool for monitoring cell behavior by analyzing internal molecules. Several gene circuits have been designed for this purpose that are labeled with fluorescence encoding genes for monitoring cell dynamics and behavior. We discuss herewith designed and fabricated microfluidics devices that are used for trapping and tracking cells under controlled environmental conditions. This chapter highlights microfluidics chip for monitoring cells to promote their basic understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Maurya
- Department of Biosciences, School of Science, Indrashil University, Rajpur, Mehsana, Gujarat, India
| | - Nisarg Gohil
- Department of Biosciences, School of Science, Indrashil University, Rajpur, Mehsana, Gujarat, India
| | - Gargi Bhattacharjee
- Department of Biosciences, School of Science, Indrashil University, Rajpur, Mehsana, Gujarat, India
| | - Khalid J Alzahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suresh Ramakrishna
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea; College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Vijai Singh
- Department of Biosciences, School of Science, Indrashil University, Rajpur, Mehsana, Gujarat, India.
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Cao J, Richter F, Kastl M, Erdmann J, Burgold C, Dittrich D, Schneider S, Köhler JM, Groß GA. Droplet-Based Screening for the Investigation of Microbial Nonlinear Dose-Response Characteristics System, Background and Examples. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11060577. [PMID: 32521679 PMCID: PMC7345031 DOI: 10.3390/mi11060577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidics is a versatile tool to reveal the dose–response relationship of different effectors on the microbial proliferation. Traditional readout parameter is the temporal development of the cell density for different effector concentrations. To determine nonlinear or unconventional dose–response relationships, data with high temporal resolution and dense concentration graduation are essential. If microorganisms with slow microbial growth kinetics are investigated, a sterile and evaporation-free long-term incubation technique is required. Here, we present a modular droplet-based screening system which was developed to solve these issues. Beside relevant technical aspects of the developed modules, the procedural workflow, and exemplary dose–response data for 1D and 2D dose–response screenings are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialan Cao
- Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnologies, Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (F.R.); (S.S.); (J.M.K.)
| | - Felix Richter
- Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnologies, Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (F.R.); (S.S.); (J.M.K.)
| | - Michael Kastl
- CETONI GmbH Automatisierung und Microsysteme, 07554 Korbussen, Germany; (M.K.); (J.E.); (C.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Jonny Erdmann
- CETONI GmbH Automatisierung und Microsysteme, 07554 Korbussen, Germany; (M.K.); (J.E.); (C.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Christian Burgold
- CETONI GmbH Automatisierung und Microsysteme, 07554 Korbussen, Germany; (M.K.); (J.E.); (C.B.); (D.D.)
| | - David Dittrich
- CETONI GmbH Automatisierung und Microsysteme, 07554 Korbussen, Germany; (M.K.); (J.E.); (C.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Steffen Schneider
- Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnologies, Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (F.R.); (S.S.); (J.M.K.)
| | - J. Michael Köhler
- Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnologies, Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (F.R.); (S.S.); (J.M.K.)
| | - G. Alexander Groß
- Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnologies, Department of Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technologies, Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany; (J.C.); (F.R.); (S.S.); (J.M.K.)
- Correspondence:
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6
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Microfluidic Chamber Design for Controlled Droplet Expansion and Coalescence. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11040394. [PMID: 32290165 PMCID: PMC7231328 DOI: 10.3390/mi11040394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The defined formation and expansion of droplets are essential operations for droplet-based screening assays. The volumetric expansion of droplets causes a dilution of the ingredients. Dilution is required for the generation of concentration graduation which is mandatory for many different assay protocols. Here, we describe the design of a microfluidic operation unit based on a bypassed chamber and its operation modes. The different operation modes enable the defined formation of sub-µL droplets on the one hand and the expansion of low nL to sub-µL droplets by controlled coalescence on the other. In this way the chamber acts as fluidic interface between two fluidic network parts dimensioned for different droplet volumes. Hence, channel confined droplets of about 30–40 nL from the first network part were expanded to cannel confined droplets of about 500 to about 2500 nL in the second network part. Four different operation modes were realized: (a) flow rate independent droplet formation in a self-controlled way caused by the bypassed chamber design, (b) single droplet expansion mode, (c) multiple droplet expansion mode, and (d) multiple droplet coalescence mode. The last mode was used for the automated coalescence of 12 droplets of about 40 nL volume to produce a highly ordered output sequence with individual droplet volumes of about 500 nL volume. The experimental investigation confirmed a high tolerance of the developed chamber against the variation of key parameters of the dispersed-phase like salt content, pH value and fluid viscosity. The presented fluidic chamber provides a solution for the problem of bridging different droplet volumes in a fluidic network.
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Kim S, Masum F, Kim JK, Chung HJ, Jeon JS. On-chip phenotypic investigation of combinatory antibiotic effects by generating orthogonal concentration gradients. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:959-973. [PMID: 30768106 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc01406j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Combinatory therapy using two or more kinds of antibiotics is attracting considerable attention for inhibiting multi-drug resistant pathogenic bacteria. Although the therapy mostly leads to more powerful antimicrobial effects than using a single antibiotic (synergy), interference may arise from certain antibiotic combinations, resulting in the antimicrobial effect being suppressed (antagonism). Here, we present a microfluidic-based phenotypic screening chip to investigate combinatory antibiotic effects by automatically generating two orthogonal concentration gradients on a bacteria-trapping agarose gel. Computational simulations and fluorescence experiments together verify the simultaneous establishment of 121 concentration combinations, facilitating on-chip drug testing with stability and efficiency. Against Gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, our chip allows the measurement of phenotypic growth levels, and enables various types of analyses for all antibiotic pairs to be conducted in 7 h. Furthermore, by providing a specific amount of susceptibility data, our chip enables the two reference models, Loewe additivity and Bliss independence, to be implemented, which classify the antibiotic interaction types into synergy or antagonism. These results suggest the efficacy of our chip as a cell-based drug screening platform for exploring the underlying pharmacological patterns of antibiotic interactions, with potential applications in guidance in clinical therapies and in screening other cell-type agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seunggyu Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Kim S, Masum F, Jeon JS. Recent Developments of Chip-based Phenotypic Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13206-019-3109-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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9
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Kim S, Lee S, Kim JK, Chung HJ, Jeon JS. Microfluidic-based observation of local bacterial density under antimicrobial concentration gradient for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2019; 13:014108. [PMID: 30867878 PMCID: PMC6404913 DOI: 10.1063/1.5066558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The need for accurate and efficient antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) has been emphasized with respect to the emerging antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic bacteria which has increased over the recent decades. In this study, we introduce a microfluidic system that enables rapid formation of the antibiotic concentration gradient with convenient bacterial growth measurement based on color scales. Furthermore, we expanded the developed system to analyze combinatory effects of antibiotics and measured the collective antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria compared to single microfluidic AST methods. By injecting a continuous flow precisely into the channel, the system enabled the concentration gradient to be established between two parallel channels of different antibiotic concentrations within 30 min, before bacteria enter the exponential growth phase. Moreover, the local bacterial growth levels under antibiotic gradient were quantitatively determined by calculating the position-specific grayscale values from the microscopic images and were compared with the conventional optical density measurement method. We tested five antibiotic types on our platform for the pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and we were able to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at which 90% to 95% of bacterial growth was inhibited. Finally, we demonstrated the efficacy of our system by showing that most of the antibiotic MICs determined in our platform show good agreement with the MIC range suggested by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institutes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seunggyu Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Seokhun Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Ju-Kang Kim
- Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
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10
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Wink K, Mahler L, Beulig JR, Piendl SK, Roth M, Belder D. An integrated chip-mass spectrometry and epifluorescence approach for online monitoring of bioactive metabolites from incubated Actinobacteria in picoliter droplets. Anal Bioanal Chem 2018; 410:7679-7687. [PMID: 30269162 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-018-1383-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We present a lab-on-a-chip approach for the analysis of secondary metabolites produced in microfluidic droplets by simultaneous epifluorescence microscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The approach includes encapsulation and long-term off-chip incubation of microbes in surfactant-stabilized droplets followed by a transfer of droplets into a microfluidic chip for subsequent analysis. Before the reinjected droplets are spaced and electrosprayed from an integrated emitter into a mass spectrometer, the presence of fluorescent marker molecules is monitored nearly simultaneously with a custom-made portable epifluorescence microscope. This combined fluorescence and MS-detection setup allows the analysis of metabolites and fluorescent labels in a complex biological matrix at a single droplet level. Using hyphae of Streptomyces griseus, encapsulated in microfluidic droplets of ~ 200 picoliter as a model system, we show the detection of in situ produced streptomycin by ESI-MS and the feasibility of detecting fluorophores inside droplets shortly before they are electrosprayed. The presented method expands the analytical toolbox for the discovery of bioactive metabolites such as novel antibiotics, produced by microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Wink
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lisa Mahler
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology -Hans Knöll Institute-, Bio Pilot Plant, Jena, 07745, Germany
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Julia R Beulig
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian K Piendl
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Roth
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology -Hans Knöll Institute-, Bio Pilot Plant, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Detlev Belder
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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11
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Passive Mixing inside Microdroplets. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:mi9040160. [PMID: 30424094 PMCID: PMC6187237 DOI: 10.3390/mi9040160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Droplet-based micromixers are essential units in many microfluidic devices for widespread applications, such as diagnostics and synthesis. The mixers can be either passive or active. When compared to active methods, the passive mixer is widely used because it does not require extra energy input apart from the pump drive. In recent years, several passive droplet-based mixers were developed, where mixing was characterized by both experiments and simulation. A unified physical understanding of both experimental processes and simulation models is beneficial for effectively developing new and efficient mixing techniques. This review covers the state-of-the-art passive droplet-based micromixers in microfluidics, which mainly focuses on three aspects: (1) Mixing parameters and analysis method; (2) Typical mixing element designs and the mixing characters in experiments; and, (3) Comprehensive introduction of numerical models used in microfluidic flow and diffusion.
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Campana O, Wlodkowic D. Ecotoxicology Goes on a Chip: Embracing Miniaturized Bioanalysis in Aquatic Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:932-946. [PMID: 29284083 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b03370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Biological and environmental sciences are, more than ever, becoming highly dependent on technological and multidisciplinary approaches that warrant advanced analytical capabilities. Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technologies are perhaps one the most groundbreaking offshoots of bioengineering, enabling design of an entirely new generation of bioanalytical instrumentation. They represent a unique approach to combine microscale engineering and physics with specific biological questions, providing technological advances that allow for fundamentally new capabilities in the spatiotemporal analysis of molecules, cells, tissues, and even small metazoan organisms. While these miniaturized analytical technologies experience an explosive growth worldwide, with a substantial promise of a direct impact on biosciences, it seems that lab-on-a-chip systems have so far escaped the attention of aquatic ecotoxicologists. In this Critical Review, potential applications of the currently existing and emerging chip-based technologies for aquatic ecotoxicology and water quality monitoring are highlighted. We also offer suggestions on how aquatic ecotoxicology can benefit from adoption of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices for accelerated bioanalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Campana
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía, CSIC , Puerto Real, 11519, Spain
| | - Donald Wlodkowic
- School of Science, RMIT University , Melbourne, Victoria 3083, Australia
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Holtze C, Weisse SA, Vranceanu M. Commercial Value and Challenges of Drop-Based Microfluidic Screening Platforms–An Opinion. MICROMACHINES 2017. [PMCID: PMC6190191 DOI: 10.3390/mi8060193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Developments in High Throughput Screening aim at maximizing the number of samples per time and reducing the cost per sample, e.g., by applying very small sample volumes. The ultimate technological step in miniaturization is moving from microtiter plate wells to droplets, and from batch-wise characterization to the continuous preparation and analysis of samples. A range of drop-based microfluidic screening platforms has emerged that benefit from drop-formation rates of thousands per second, perfect drop size uniformity, plug-flow and compartmentalization, and the possibility of continuously analyzing a train of drops. However, after many years of intensive research, only few commercial applications have been developed and substantial development in the field is still required to make them reliable and broadly applicable. Can academic research achieve this, given that most of the fundamental concepts have been described already, making it hard to publish a big story? Can start-up companies raise enough money to overcome the technical issues of drop-based screening platforms? This contribution addresses the question, focusing on how the different stakeholders in the field should interact so that disillusionment will not put a premature end to the development of drop-based screening technologies.
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14
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Cao J, Hafermann L, Köhler JM. Stochastically reduced communities-Microfluidic compartments as model and investigation tool for soil microorganism growth in structured spaces. Eng Life Sci 2017; 17:792-800. [PMID: 32624825 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.201600264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial community in soil is a complex and dynamic system. Using traditional culture experiments it is difficult to model the stochastic distribution of single organisms of microbial communities in the soil pore's structure. Droplet-based micro-segmented flow technique allows the transfer of the principle of stochastic confinement of stochastically reduced communities from soil micro pores into nanoliter droplets. Microfluidics was applied for the investigation and comparison of soil samples from ancient mining areas by highly resolved concentration-dependent screenings. As results, the generation, incubation, and in situ optical characterization of nanoliter droplets of suspensions of unknown soil microbial communities allowed the identification of different response characteristics toward heavy metal exposition. The investigations proved the high potential of microfluidics for investigations of soil microbial communities. It may be in the future helpful to detect bacteria and consortia with special biosorption characteristics, which could be useful for the development of biological accumulation and detoxification strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialan Cao
- Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technology, Institute for Micro- und Nanotechnologies / Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnique Ilmenau University of Technology Ilmenau Germany
| | - Lars Hafermann
- Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technology, Institute for Micro- und Nanotechnologies / Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnique Ilmenau University of Technology Ilmenau Germany
| | - J Michael Köhler
- Physical Chemistry and Microreaction Technology, Institute for Micro- und Nanotechnologies / Institute for Chemistry and Biotechnique Ilmenau University of Technology Ilmenau Germany
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15
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Dai J, Hamon M, Jambovane S. Microfluidics for Antibiotic Susceptibility and Toxicity Testing. Bioengineering (Basel) 2016; 3:bioengineering3040025. [PMID: 28952587 PMCID: PMC5597268 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering3040025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Revised: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent emergence of antimicrobial resistance has become a major concern for worldwide policy makers as very few new antibiotics have been developed in the last twenty-five years. To prevent the death of millions of people worldwide, there is an urgent need for a cheap, fast and accurate set of tools and techniques that can help to discover and develop new antimicrobial drugs. In the past decade, microfluidic platforms have emerged as potential systems for conducting pharmacological studies. Recent studies have demonstrated that microfluidic platforms can perform rapid antibiotic susceptibility tests to evaluate antimicrobial drugs’ efficacy. In addition, the development of cell-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip platforms have enabled the early drug testing, providing more accurate insights into conventional cell cultures on the drug pharmacokinetics and toxicity, at the early and cheaper stage of drug development, i.e., prior to animal and human testing. In this review, we focus on the recent developments of microfluidic platforms for rapid antibiotics susceptibility testing, investigating bacterial persistence and non-growing but metabolically active (NGMA) bacteria, evaluating antibiotic effectiveness on biofilms and combinatorial effect of antibiotics, as well as microfluidic platforms that can be used for in vitro antibiotic toxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Dai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
| | - Morgan Hamon
- Renal Regeneration Laboratory, VAGLAHS at Sepulveda, North Hills, CA 91343, USA.
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Sachin Jambovane
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA 99354, USA.
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Schütt J, Ibarlucea B, Illing R, Zörgiebel F, Pregl S, Nozaki D, Weber WM, Mikolajick T, Baraban L, Cuniberti G. Compact Nanowire Sensors Probe Microdroplets. NANO LETTERS 2016; 16:4991-5000. [PMID: 27417510 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b01707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The conjunction of miniature nanosensors and droplet-based microfluidic systems conceptually opens a new route toward sensitive, optics-less analysis of biochemical processes with high throughput, where a single device can be employed for probing of thousands of independent reactors. Here we combine droplet microfluidics with the compact silicon nanowire based field effect transistor (SiNW FET) for in-flow electrical detection of aqueous droplets one by one. We chemically probe the content of numerous (∼10(4)) droplets as independent events and resolve the pH values and ionic strengths of the encapsulated solution, resulting in a change of the source-drain current ISD through the nanowires. Further, we discuss the specificities of emulsion sensing using ion sensitive FETs and study the effect of droplet sizes with respect to the sensor area, as well as its role on the ability to sense the interior of the aqueous reservoir. Finally, we demonstrate the capability of the novel droplets based nanowire platform for bioassay applications and carry out a glucose oxidase (GOx) enzymatic test for glucose detection, providing also the reference readout with an integrated parallel optical detector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Schütt
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Bergoi Ibarlucea
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Rico Illing
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Felix Zörgiebel
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sebastian Pregl
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Daijiro Nozaki
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Walter M Weber
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Namlab GmbH, Nöthnitzerstraße 64, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Mikolajick
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Namlab GmbH, Nöthnitzerstraße 64, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Larysa Baraban
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Gianaurelio Cuniberti
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials and Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology , Budapesterstrasse 27, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
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