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Jeong H, Porello EAL, Rosario JG, Kuang D, Han SH, Sul JY, Lim B, Lee D, Kim J. SCO-pH: Microfluidic dynamic phenotyping platform for high-throughput screening of single cell acidification. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.08.593179. [PMID: 38766224 PMCID: PMC11100697 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.08.593179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Studies on the dynamics of single cell phenotyping have been hampered by the lack of quantitative high-throughput metabolism assays. Extracellular acidification, a prominent phenotype, yields significant insights into cellular metabolism, including tumorigenicity. Here, we develop a versatile microfluidic system for single cell optical pH analysis (SCO-pH), which compartmentalizes single cells in 140-pL droplets and immobilizes approximately 40,000 droplets in a two-dimensional array for temporal extracellular pH analysis. SCO-pH distinguishes cells undergoing hyperglycolysis induced by oligomycin A from untreated cells by monitoring their extracellular acidification. To facilitate pH sensing in each droplet, we encapsulate a cell-impermeable pH probe whose fluorescence intensities are quantified. Using this approach, we can differentiate hyperglycolytic cells and concurrently observe single cell heterogeneity in extracellular acidification dynamics. This high-throughput system will be useful in applications that require dynamic phenotyping of single cells with significant heterogeneity.
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2
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Wei Y, Feng Y, Wang K, Wei Y, Li Q, Zuo X, Li B, Li J, Wang L, Fan C, Zhu Y. Directing the Encapsulation of Single Cells with DNA Framework Nucleator-Based Hydrogel Growth. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319907. [PMID: 38391274 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Encapsulating individual mammalian cells with biomimetic materials holds potential in ex vivo cell culture and engineering. However, current methodologies often present tradeoffs between homogeneity, stability, and cell compatibility. Here, inspired by bacteria that use proteins stably anchored on their outer membranes to nucleate biofilm growth, we develop a single-cell encapsulation strategy by using a DNA framework structure as a nucleator (DFN) to initiate the growth of DNA hydrogels under cell-friendly conditions. We find that among the tested structures, the tetrahedral DFN can evenly and stably reside on cell membranes, effectively initiating hybridization chain reactions which generate homogeneously dense yet flexible single-cell encapsulation for diverse cell lines. The encapsulation persists for up to 72 hours in a serum-containing cell culture environment, representing a ~70-fold improvement compared to encapsulations mediated by single-stranded DNA nucleators. The metabolism and proliferation of the encapsulated cells are suppressed, but can be restored to the original efficiencies upon release, suggesting the superior cell compatibility of the encapsulation. We also find that compared to naked cells, the encapsulated cells exhibit a lower autophagy level after undergoing mechanical stress, suggesting the protective effect of the DNA encapsulation. This method may provide a new tool for ex vivo cell engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Wei
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueyue Feng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaizhe Wang
- Ningbo Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Probe Materials and Technology, Ningbo Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 315300, Ningbo, China
| | - Yuhui Wei
- The Interdisciplinary Research Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhangjiang Laboratory, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaolei Zuo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acids Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200127, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Li
- The Interdisciplinary Research Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhangjiang Laboratory, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 201210, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiang Li
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Science, Shanghai University, 200444, Shanghai, China
| | - Lihua Wang
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Science, Shanghai University, 200444, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Institute of Materiobiology, College of Science, Shanghai University, 200444, Shanghai, China
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3
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Jiang L, Guo K, Chen Y, Xiang N. Droplet Microfluidics for Current Cancer Research: From Single-Cell Analysis to 3D Cell Culture. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:1335-1354. [PMID: 38420753 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Differences in drug resistance and treatment response caused by the heterogeneity of cancer cells are the primary reasons for poor cancer therapy outcomes in patients. In addition, current in vitro anticancer drug-screening methods rely on two-dimensional monolayer-cultured cancer cells, which cannot accurately predict drug behavior in vivo. Therefore, a powerful tool to study the heterogeneity of cancer cells and produce effective in vitro tumor models is warranted to leverage cancer research. Droplet microfluidics has become a powerful platform for the single-cell analysis of cancer cells and three-dimensional cell culture of in vitro tumor spheroids. In this review, we discuss the use of droplet microfluidics in cancer research. Droplet microfluidic technologies, including single- or double-emulsion droplet generation and passive- or active-droplet manipulation, are concisely discussed. Recent advances in droplet microfluidics for single-cell analysis of cancer cells, circulating tumor cells, and scaffold-free/based 3D cell culture of tumor spheroids have been systematically introduced. Finally, the challenges that must be overcome for the further application of droplet microfluidics in cancer research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Kefan Guo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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4
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Yang G, Gao C, Chen D, Wang J, Huo X, Chen J. Multiplex fluorescence detection of single-cell droplet microfluidics and its application in quantifying protein expression levels. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2023; 17:064106. [PMID: 38162228 PMCID: PMC10754627 DOI: 10.1063/5.0179121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
This study presented a platform of multiplex fluorescence detection of single-cell droplet microfluidics with demonstrative applications in quantifying protein expression levels. The platform of multiplex fluorescence detection mainly included optical paths adopted from conventional microscopy enabling the generation of three optical spots from three laser sources for multiple fluorescence excitation and capture of multiple fluorescence signals by four photomultiplier tubes. As to platform characterization, microscopic images of three optical spots were obtained where clear Gaussian distributions of intensities without skewness confirmed the functionality of the scanning lens, while the controllable distances among three optical spots validated the functionality of fiber collimators and the reflector lens. As to demonstration, this platform was used to quantify single-cell protein expression within droplets where four-type protein expression of α-tubulin, Ras, c-Myc, and β-tubulin of CAL 27 (Ncell = 1921) vs WSU-HN6 (Ncell = 1881) were quantitatively estimated, which were (2.85 ± 0.72) × 105 vs (4.83 ± 1.58) × 105, (3.69 ± 1.41) × 104 vs (5.07 ± 2.13) × 104, (5.90 ± 1.45) × 104 vs (9.57 ± 2.85) × 104, and (3.84 ± 1.28) × 105 vs (3.30 ± 1.10) × 105, respectively. Neural pattern recognition was utilized for the classification of cell types, achieving successful rates of 69.0% (α-tubulin), 75.4% (Ras), 89.1% (c-Myc), 65.8% (β-tubulin), and 99.1% in combination, validating the capability of this platform of multiplex fluorescence detection to quantify various types of single-cell proteins, which could provide comprehensive evaluations on cell status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Junbo Wang
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed:; ; and
| | - Xiaoye Huo
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed:; ; and
| | - Jian Chen
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed:; ; and
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5
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Sun G, Qu L, Azi F, Liu Y, Li J, Lv X, Du G, Chen J, Chen CH, Liu L. Recent progress in high-throughput droplet screening and sorting for bioanalysis. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 225:115107. [PMID: 36731396 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Owing to its ability to isolate single cells and perform high-throughput sorting, droplet sorting has been widely applied in several research fields. Compared with flow cytometry, droplet allows the encapsulation of single cells for cell secretion or lysate analysis. With the rapid development of this technology in the past decade, various droplet sorting devices with high throughput and accuracy have been developed. A droplet sorter with the highest sorting throughput of 30,000 droplets per second was developed in 2015. Since then, increased attention has been paid to expanding the possibilities of droplet sorting technology and strengthening its advantages over flow cytometry. This review aimed to summarize the recent progress in droplet sorting technology from the perspectives of device design, detection signal, actuating force, and applications. Technical details for improving droplet sorting through various approaches are introduced and discussed. Finally, we discuss the current limitations of droplet sorting for single-cell studies along with the existing gap between the laboratory and industry and provide our insights for future development of droplet sorters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyun Sun
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Lisha Qu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Fidelis Azi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology GTIIT, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Yanfeng Liu
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Jianghua Li
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xueqin Lv
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Guocheng Du
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Chia-Hung Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Long Liu
- Science Center for Future Foods, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China; Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
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6
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Gebreyesus ST, Muneer G, Huang CC, Siyal AA, Anand M, Chen YJ, Tu HL. Recent advances in microfluidics for single-cell functional proteomics. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1726-1751. [PMID: 36811978 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc01096h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell proteomics (SCP) reveals phenotypic heterogeneity by profiling individual cells, their biological states and functional outcomes upon signaling activation that can hardly be probed via other omics characterizations. This has become appealing to researchers as it enables an overall more holistic view of biological details underlying cellular processes, disease onset and progression, as well as facilitates unique biomarker identification from individual cells. Microfluidic-based strategies have become methods of choice for single-cell analysis because they allow facile assay integrations, such as cell sorting, manipulation, and content analysis. Notably, they have been serving as an enabling technology to improve the sensitivity, robustness, and reproducibility of recently developed SCP methods. Critical roles of microfluidics technologies are expected to further expand rapidly in advancing the next phase of SCP analysis to reveal more biological and clinical insights. In this review, we will capture the excitement of the recent achievements of microfluidics methods for both targeted and global SCP, including efforts to enhance the proteomic coverage, minimize sample loss, and increase multiplexity and throughput. Furthermore, we will discuss the advantages, challenges, applications, and future prospects of SCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofani Tafesse Gebreyesus
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
- Nano Science and Technology Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Gul Muneer
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
- Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | | | - Asad Ali Siyal
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
| | - Mihir Anand
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
- Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ju Chen
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hsiung-Lin Tu
- Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
- Nano Science and Technology Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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7
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Dietsche CL, Hirth E, Dittrich PS. Multiplexed analysis of signalling proteins at the single-immune cell level. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:362-371. [PMID: 36606762 PMCID: PMC9844122 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00891b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
High numbers of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumour microenvironment are associated with a poor prognosis. However, the effect of TAMs on tumour progression depends on the proteins secreted by individual TAMs. Here, we developed a microfluidic platform to quantitatively measure the secreted proteins of individual macrophages as well as macrophages polarized by the culture medium derived from breast cancer cells. The macrophages were captured in hydrodynamic traps and isolated with pneumatically activated valves for single-cell analysis. Barcoded and functionalized magnetic beads were captured in specially designed traps to determine the secreted proteins by immunoassay. Individual bead trapping facilitated the recording of the protein concentration since all beads were geometrically constrained in the same focal plane, which is an important requirement for rapid and automated image analysis. By determining three signaling proteins, namely interleuking 10 (IL-10), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), we successfully distinguished between differently polarized macrophages. The results indicate a heterogeneous pattern, with M2 macrophages characterized by a higher secretion of IL-10, while M1 macrophages secrete high levels of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α. The macrophages treated with the supernatant from cancer cells show a similar signalling pattern to M2 macrophages with an increased secretion of the pro-tumoural cytokine VEGF. This microfluidic method resolves correlations in signaling protein expression at the single-cell level. Ultimately, single-macrophage analysis can contribute to the development of novel therapies aimed at reversing M2-like TAMs into M1-like TAMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudius L Dietsche
- Department of Biosystems and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4125 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Elisabeth Hirth
- Department of Biosystems and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4125 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Petra S Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4125 Basel, Switzerland.
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8
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Jiang L, Yang H, Cheng W, Ni Z, Xiang N. Droplet microfluidics for CTC-based liquid biopsy: a review. Analyst 2023; 148:203-221. [PMID: 36508171 DOI: 10.1039/d2an01747d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important biomarkers of liquid biopsy. The number and heterogeneity of CTCs play an important role in cancer diagnosis and personalized medicine. However, owing to the low-abundance biomarkers of CTCs, conventional assays are only able to detect CTCs at the population level. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a highly sensitive method to analyze CTCs at the single-cell level. As an important branch of microfluidics, droplet microfluidics is a high-throughput and sensitive single-cell analysis platform for the quantitative detection and heterogeneity analysis of CTCs. In this review, we focus on the quantitative detection and heterogeneity analysis of CTCs using droplet microfluidics. Technologies that enable droplet microfluidics, particularly high-throughput droplet generation and high-efficiency droplet manipulation, are first discussed. Then, recent advances in detecting and analyzing CTCs using droplet microfluidics from the different aspects of nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites are introduced. The purpose of this review is to provide guidance for the continued study of droplet microfluidics for CTC-based liquid biopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Hang Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Weiqi Cheng
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
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9
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Zhuang S, Liu H, Inglis DW, Li M. Tuneable Cell-Laden Double-Emulsion Droplets for Enhanced Signal Detection. Anal Chem 2023; 95:2039-2046. [PMID: 36634052 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c04697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) or double-emulsion (DE) droplets have been widely used for cellular assays at a single-cell level because of their stability and biocompatibility. The oil shell of w/o/w droplets plays the role of a semipermeable membrane that allows substances with low molecular weight (e.g., water) to travel through but restricts those with high molecular weight (e.g., fluorescent biomarkers). Therefore, the core of DEs can be manipulated using osmosis, resulting in the shrinking or swelling of the core. Water leaves the inner aqueous phase to the outer phase via the oil shell when the osmotic pressure of the outer phase is higher than that in the inner phase, causing the shrinkage of DEs and vice versa. These processes can be achieved by transferring the DEs to hypertonic or hypotonic solutions. Manipulation of the core size of DEs can be beneficial to cellular assays. First, due to the selectivity of the oil shell of DEs, the concentration of biomarkers in the core increases when the inner aqueous phase is shrunk, resulting in the enhancement of biosignals. We demonstrate this by encapsulating the Bgl3 enzyme-secreting yeast with a substrate that displays fluorescence after hydrolyzation. In a second application, a single GFP-tagged yeast cell was encapsulated in DEs. After swelling the core of DEs, we observe that the larger core of DEs promotes cell growth compared to those with the smaller cores, leading to more intracellular proteins (green-fluorescent protein) for screening. These osmotic manipulations provide new tools for droplet-based biochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Zhuang
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Hangrui Liu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - David W Inglis
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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Rodríguez CF, Andrade-Pérez V, Vargas MC, Mantilla-Orozco A, Osma JF, Reyes LH, Cruz JC. Breaking the clean room barrier: exploring low-cost alternatives for microfluidic devices. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1176557. [PMID: 37180035 PMCID: PMC10172592 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1176557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses both science and engineering, which aims to design and fabricate devices capable of manipulating extremely low volumes of fluids on a microscale level. The central objective of microfluidics is to provide high precision and accuracy while using minimal reagents and equipment. The benefits of this approach include greater control over experimental conditions, faster analysis, and improved experimental reproducibility. Microfluidic devices, also known as labs-on-a-chip (LOCs), have emerged as potential instruments for optimizing operations and decreasing costs in various of industries, including pharmaceutical, medical, food, and cosmetics. However, the high price of conventional prototypes for LOCs devices, generated in clean room facilities, has increased the demand for inexpensive alternatives. Polymers, paper, and hydrogels are some of the materials that can be utilized to create the inexpensive microfluidic devices covered in this article. In addition, we highlighted different manufacturing techniques, such as soft lithography, laser plotting, and 3D printing, that are suitable for creating LOCs. The selection of materials and fabrication techniques will depend on the specific requirements and applications of each individual LOC. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the numerous alternatives for the development of low-cost LOCs to service industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, and biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - María Camila Vargas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Johann F. Osma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luis H. Reyes
- Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- *Correspondence: Luis H. Reyes, ; Juan C. Cruz,
| | - Juan C. Cruz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- *Correspondence: Luis H. Reyes, ; Juan C. Cruz,
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11
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Yang G, Yang H, Zhang T, Gao C, Chen D, Wang J, Chen J. Quantitative flow cytometry leveraging
droplet‐based
constriction microchannels with high reliability and high sensitivity. Cytometry A 2022; 103:429-438. [PMID: 36420790 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This study presented a quantitative flow cytometry leveraging droplet-based constriction microchannels with high reliability and high sensitivity. Droplets encapsulating single cells and even distribution of fluorescein labeled antibodies removed from targeted cells deformed through the constriction microchannel where the excited fluorescent signals were sampled and interpreted into numbers of proteins based on volume equivalence in measurement of droplets and calibration of fluorescence. To improve the detection reliability, a comprehensive analysis and comparison of multiple stripping agents such as proteinase K, guanidine hydrochloride, and urea was conducted. To improve the detection sensitivity, light modulation was used to address electrical noises and quartz microchannels were fabricated to address optical noises. As a demonstration, based on this quantitative flow cytometry of droplet microfluidics, (1) mutant p53 expressions of single cells were quantified as 1.95 ± 0.60 × 105 (ncell = 2918 of A431) and 1.30 ± 0.70 × 105 (ncell = 3954 of T47D); (2) single-cell expressions of Ras, c-Myc, and β-tubulin were quantified as 1.90 ± 0.59 × 105 , 4.39 ± 1.44 × 105 , and 2.97 ± 0.81 × 105 (ncell = 3298 of CAL 27), 1.83 ± 0.58 × 105 , 2.08 ± 0.13 × 106 , and 1.96 ± 0.74 × 105 (ncell = 5459 of WSU-HN6). As a microfluidic tool capable of quantitatively estimating single-cell protein expressions, this methodology may provide a new quantitative perspective for the field of flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Hongyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Future Technology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Future Technology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Chiyuan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Future Technology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Deyong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Future Technology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Junbo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Future Technology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Future Technology University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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12
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Wei Z, Wang S, Hirvonen J, Santos HA, Li W. Microfluidics Fabrication of Micrometer-Sized Hydrogels with Precisely Controlled Geometries for Biomedical Applications. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2200846. [PMID: 35678152 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Micrometer-sized hydrogels are cross-linked three-dimensional network matrices with high-water contents and dimensions ranging from several to hundreds of micrometers. Due to their excellent biocompatibility and capability to mimic physiological microenvironments in vivo, micrometer-sized hydrogels have attracted much attention in the biomedical engineering field. Their biological properties and applications are primarily influenced by their chemical compositions and geometries. However, inhomogeneous morphologies and uncontrollable geometries limit traditional micrometer-sized hydrogels obtained by bulk mixing. In contrast, microfluidic technology holds great potential for the fabrication of micrometer-sized hydrogels since their geometries, sizes, structures, compositions, and physicochemical properties can be precisely manipulated on demand based on the excellent control over fluids. Therefore, micrometer-sized hydrogels fabricated by microfluidic technology have been applied in the biomedical field, including drug encapsulation, cell encapsulation, and tissue engineering. This review introduces micrometer-sized hydrogels with various geometries synthesized by different microfluidic devices, highlighting their advantages in various biomedical applications over those from traditional approaches. Overall, emerging microfluidic technologies enrich the geometries and morphologies of hydrogels and accelerate translation for industrial production and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyang Wei
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
| | - Shiqi Wang
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
| | - Jouni Hirvonen
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
| | - Hélder A Santos
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, W.J. Kolff Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science, University Medical Center Groningen/University of Groningen, Ant. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - Wei Li
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
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13
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Babayekhorasani F, Hosseini M, Spicer PT. Molecular and Colloidal Transport in Bacterial Cellulose Hydrogels. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:2404-2414. [PMID: 35544686 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial cellulose biofilms are complex networks of strong interwoven nanofibers that control transport and protect bacterial colonies in the film. The design of diverse applications of these bacterial cellulose films also relies on understanding and controlling transport through the fiber mesh, and transport simulations of the films are most accurate when guided by experimental characterization of the structures and the resultant diffusion inside. Diffusion through such films is a function of their key microstructural length scales, determining how molecules, as well as particles and microorganisms, permeate them. We use microscopy to study the unique bacterial cellulose film via its pore structure and quantify the mobility dynamics of various sizes of tracer particles and macromolecules. Mobility is hindered within the films, as confinement and local movement strongly depend on the void size relative to diffusing tracers. The biofilms have a naturally periodic structure of alternating dense and porous layers of nanofiber mesh, and we tune the magnitude of the spacing via fermentation conditions. Micron-sized particles can diffuse through the porous layers but cannot penetrate the dense layers. Tracer mobility in the porous layers is isotropic, indicating a largely random pore structure there. Molecular diffusion through the whole film is only slightly reduced by the structural tortuosity. Knowledge of transport variations within bacterial cellulose networks can be used to guide the design of symbiotic cultures in these structures and enhance their use in applications like biomedical implants, wound dressings, lab-grown meat, clothing textiles, and sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maryam Hosseini
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Patrick T Spicer
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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14
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Wang Y, Fang Y, Zhu Y, Bi S, Liu Y, Ju H. Single cell multi-miRNAs quantification with hydrogel microbeads for liver cancer cell subtypes discrimination. Chem Sci 2022; 13:2062-2070. [PMID: 35308856 PMCID: PMC8848760 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc05304c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The simultaneous quantification of multi-miRNAs in single cells reveals cellular heterogeneity, and benefits the subtypes discrimination of cancer cells . Though micro-droplet techniques enable successful single cell encapsulation, the isolated and restricted reaction space of microdroplets causes cross-reactions and inaccuracy for simultaneous multi-miRNAs quantification. Herein, we develop a hydrogel microbead based strategy for the simultaneous sensitive quantification of miRNA-21, 122 and 222 in single cells. Single cells are encapsulated and undergo cytolysis in hydrogel microbeads. The three target miRNAs are retained in the microbead by pre-immobilized capture probes, and activate rolling circle amplification (RCA) reactions. The RCA products are hybridized with corresponding dye labelled DNA reporters, and the respective fluorescence intensities are recorded for multi-miRNA quantification. The porous structure of the hydrogel microbeads allows the free diffusion of reactants and easy removal of unreacted DNA strands, which effectively avoids nonspecific cross-reactions. Clear differentiation of cellular heterogeneity and subpopulation discrimination are achieved for three kinds of liver cancer cells and one normal liver cell. A single cell multi-miRNAs quantification strategy is reported. Single cells are encapsulated and undergo cytolysis in hydrogel microbeads, then the quantitative analysis of three miRNAs is used to achieve sub-populations discrimination for liver cells.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingfei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Yanyun Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Yu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Shiyi Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China
| | - Huangxian Ju
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
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15
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Liu D, Sun M, Zhang J, Hu R, Fu W, Xuanyuan T, Liu W. Single-cell droplet microfluidics for biomedical applications. Analyst 2022; 147:2294-2316. [DOI: 10.1039/d1an02321g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on the recent advances in the fundamentals of single-cell droplet microfluidics and its applications in biomedicine, providing insights into design and establishment of single-cell microsystems and their further performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Meilin Sun
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Rui Hu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wenzhu Fu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Tingting Xuanyuan
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wenming Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
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16
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Gao Z, Song Y, Hsiao TY, He J, Wang C, Shen J, MacLachlan A, Dai S, Singer BH, Kurabayashi K, Chent P. Machine-Learning-Assisted Microfluidic Nanoplasmonic Digital Immunoassay for Cytokine Storm Profiling in COVID-19 Patients. ACS NANO 2021; 15:18023-18036. [PMID: 34714639 PMCID: PMC8577373 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c06623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Cytokine storm, known as an exaggerated hyperactive immune response characterized by elevated release of cytokines, has been described as a feature associated with life-threatening complications in COVID-19 patients. A critical evaluation of a cytokine storm and its mechanistic linkage to COVID-19 requires innovative immunoassay technology capable of rapid, sensitive, selective detection of multiple cytokines across a wide dynamic range at high-throughput. In this study, we report a machine-learning-assisted microfluidic nanoplasmonic digital immunoassay to meet the rising demand for cytokine storm monitoring in COVID-19 patients. Specifically, the assay was carried out using a facile one-step sandwich immunoassay format with three notable features: (i) a microfluidic microarray patterning technique for high-throughput, multiantibody-arrayed biosensing chip fabrication; (ii) an ultrasensitive nanoplasmonic digital imaging technology utilizing 100 nm silver nanocubes (AgNCs) for signal transduction; (iii) a rapid and accurate machine-learning-based image processing method for digital signal analysis. The developed immunoassay allows simultaneous detection of six cytokines in a single run with wide working ranges of 1-10,000 pg mL-1 and ultralow detection limits down to 0.46-1.36 pg mL-1 using a minimum of 3 μL serum samples. The whole chip can afford a 6-plex assay of 8 different samples with 6 repeats in each sample for a total of 288 sensing spots in less than 100 min. The image processing method enhanced by convolutional neural network (CNN) dramatically shortens the processing time ∼6,000 fold with a much simpler procedure while maintaining high statistical accuracy compared to the conventional manual counting approach. The immunoassay was validated by the gold-standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and utilized for serum cytokine profiling of COVID-19 positive patients. Our results demonstrate the nanoplasmonic digital immunoassay as a promising practical tool for comprehensive characterization of cytokine storm in patients that holds great promise as an intelligent immunoassay for next generation immune monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuangqiang Gao
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Yujing Song
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
| | - Te Yi Hsiao
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Jiacheng He
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Chuanyu Wang
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Jialiang Shen
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Alana MacLachlan
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Siyuan Dai
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Benjamin H. Singer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
| | - Katsuo Kurabayashi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
- Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
| | - Pengyu Chent
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
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17
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Yu Z, Jin J, Shui L, Chen H, Zhu Y. Recent advances in microdroplet techniques for single-cell protein analysis. Trends Analyt Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2021.116411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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18
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Park J, Park S, Hyun KA, Jung HI. Microfluidic recapitulation of circulating tumor cell-neutrophil clusters via double spiral channel-induced deterministic encapsulation. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3483-3497. [PMID: 34309611 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00433f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cell (CTC)-neutrophil clusters are highly potent precursors of cancer metastasis. However, their rarity in patients' blood has restricted research thus far, and moreover, studies on in vitro methods for mimicking cell clusters have generally neglected in vivo conditions. Here, we introduce an inertial-force-assisted droplet microfluidic chip that allows the recapitulation of CTC-neutrophil clusters in terms of physical as well as biochemical features. The deterministic encapsulation of cells via double spiral channels facilitates the pairing of neutrophils and cancer cells with ratios of interest (from 1 : 1 to 1 : 3). The encapsulated cells are spontaneously associated to form clusters, achieving the physical emulation of CTC-neutrophil clusters. Furthermore, the molecular signatures of CTC-neutrophil clusters (e.g., their E-cadherin, VCAM-1, and mRNA expressions) were well defined. Our novel microfluidic platform for exploring CTC-neutrophil clusters can therefore play a promising role in cancer-metastasis studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhyun Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sunyoung Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyung A Hyun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyo-Il Jung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Zhai X, Ruan C, Shen J, Zheng C, Zhao X, Pan H, Lu WW. Clay-based nanocomposite hydrogel with attractive mechanical properties and sustained bioactive ion release for bone defect repair. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:2394-2406. [PMID: 33625433 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00184a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Although clay-based nanocomposite hydrogels have been widely explored, their instability in hot water and saline solution inhibits their applications in biomedical engineering, and the exploration of clay-based nanocomposite hydrogels in bone defect repair is even less. In this work, we developed a stable clay-based nanocomposite hydrogel using 4-acryloylmorpholine as the monomer. After UV light illumination, the obtained poly(4-acryloylmorpholine) clay-based nanocomposite hydrogel (poly(4-acry)-clay nanocomposite hydrogel) exhibits excellent mechanical properties due to the hydrogen bond interactions between the poly(4-acryloylmorpholine) chains and the physical crosslinking effect of the nanoclay. Besides good biocompatibility, the sustainable release of intrinsic Mg2+ and Si4+ from the poly(4-acry)-clay nanocomposite hydrogel endows the system with excellent ability to promote the osteogenic differentiation of primary rat osteoblasts (ROBs) and can promote new bone formation effectively after implantation. We anticipate that these kinds of clay-based nanocomposite hydrogels with sustained release of bioactive ions will open a new avenue for the development of novel biomaterials for bone regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyun Zhai
- Tianjin Key Laboratory for Rare Earth Materials and Applications, Center for Rare Earth and Inorganic Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Changshun Ruan
- Research Center for Human Tissue and Organs Degeneration, Institute Biomedical and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Jie Shen
- Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Orthopaedic Regenerative Technologies, Orthopaedic Research Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China
| | - Chuping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology and the State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease Pharmacological Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511436, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhao
- Research Center for Human Tissue and Organs Degeneration, Institute Biomedical and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Haobo Pan
- Research Center for Human Tissue and Organs Degeneration, Institute Biomedical and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - William Weijia Lu
- Research Center for Human Tissue and Organs Degeneration, Institute Biomedical and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China. and Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
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20
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Recent advances in single-cell analysis: Encapsulation materials, analysis methods and integrative platform for microfluidic technology. Talanta 2021; 234:122671. [PMID: 34364472 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Traditional cell biology researches on cell populations by their origin, tissue, morphology, and secretions. Because of the heterogeneity of cells, research at the single-cell level can obtain more accurate and comprehensive information that reflects the physiological state and process of the cell, increasing the significance of single-cell analysis. The application of single-cell analysis is faced with the problem of contaminated or damaged cells caused by cell sample transportation. Reversible encapsulation of a single cell can protect cells from the external environment and open the encapsulation shell to release cells, thus preserving cell integrity and improving extraction efficiency of analytes. Meanwhile, microfluidic single cell analysis (MSCA) exhibits integration, miniaturization, and high throughput, which can considerably improve the efficiency of single-cell analysis. The researches on single-cell reversible encapsulation materials, single-cell analysis methods, and the MSCA integration platform are analyzed and summarized in this review. The problems of single-cell viability, network of single-cell signal, and simultaneous detection of multiple biotoxins in food based on single-cell are proposed for future research.
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21
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Zhao S, Huang PH, Zhang H, Rich J, Bachman H, Ye J, Zhang W, Chen C, Xie Z, Tian Z, Kang P, Fu H, Huang TJ. Fabrication of tunable, high-molecular-weight polymeric nanoparticles via ultrafast acoustofluidic micromixing. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2453-2463. [PMID: 33978043 PMCID: PMC8213440 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00265a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
High-molecular-weight polymeric nanoparticles are critical to increasing the loading efficacy and tuning the release profile of targeted molecules for medical diagnosis, imaging, and therapeutics. Although a number of microfluidic approaches have attained reproducible nanoparticle synthesis, it is still challenging to fabricate nanoparticles from high-molecular-weight polymers in a size and structure-controlled manner. In this work, an acoustofluidic platform is developed to synthesize size-tunable, high-molecular-weight (>45 kDa) poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles without polymer aggregation by exploiting the characteristics of complete and ultrafast mixing. Moreover, the acoustofluidic approach achieves two features that have not been achieved by existing microfluidic approaches: (1) multi-step (≥2) sequential nanoprecipitation in a single device, and (2) synthesis of core-shell structured PLGA-PEG/lipid nanoparticles with high molecular weights. The developed platform expands microfluidic potential in nanomaterial synthesis, where high-molecular-weight polymers, multiple reagents, or sequential nanoprecipitations are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaiguo Zhao
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Po-Hsun Huang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Heying Zhang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Joseph Rich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Hunter Bachman
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Jennifer Ye
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Wenfen Zhang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Chuyi Chen
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Zhemiao Xie
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Zhenhua Tian
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Putong Kang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Hai Fu
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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22
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Herrmann A, Haag R, Schedler U. Hydrogels and Their Role in Biosensing Applications. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100062. [PMID: 33939333 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hydrogels play an important role in the field of biomedical research and diagnostic medicine. They are emerging as a powerful tool in the context of bioanalytical assays and biosensing. In this context, this review gives an overview of different hydrogels and the role they adopt in a range of applications. Not only are hydrogels beneficial for the immobilization and embedding of biomolecules, but they are also used as responsive material, as wearable devices, or as functional material. In particular, the scientific and technical progress during the last decade is discussed. The newest hydrogel types, their synthesis, and many applications are presented. Advantages and performance improvements are described, along with their limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Herrmann
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy Freie Universität Berlin Takustr. 3 Berlin 14195 Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy Freie Universität Berlin Takustr. 3 Berlin 14195 Germany
| | - Uwe Schedler
- PolyAn GmbH Rudolf‐Baschant‐Straße 2 Berlin 13086 Germany
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23
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Shieh H, Saadatmand M, Eskandari M, Bastani D. Microfluidic on-chip production of microgels using combined geometries. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1565. [PMID: 33452407 PMCID: PMC7810975 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81214-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfluidic on-chip production of microgels using external gelation can serve numerous applications that involve encapsulation of sensitive cargos. Nevertheless, on-chip production of microgels in microfluidic devices can be challenging due to problems induced by the rapid increase in precursor solution viscosity like clogging. Here, a novel design incorporating a step, which includes a sudden increase in cross-sectional area, before a flow-focusing nozzle was proposed for microfluidic droplet generators. Besides, a shielding oil phase was utilized to avoid the occurrence of emulsification and gelation stages simultaneously. The step which was located before the flow-focusing nozzle facilitated the full shielding of the dispersed phase due to 3-dimensional fluid flow in this geometry. The results showed that the microfluidic device was capable of generating highly monodispersed spherical droplets (CV < 2% for step and CV < 5% for flow-focusing nozzle) with an average diameter in the range of 90-190 μm, both in step and flow-focusing nozzle. Moreover, it was proved that the device could adequately create a shelter for the dispersed phase regardless of the droplet formation locus. The ability of this microfluidic device in the production of microgels was validated by creating alginate microgels (with an average diameter of ~ 100 μm) through an external gelation process with on-chip calcium chloride emulsion in mineral oil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Shieh
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Saadatmand
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mahnaz Eskandari
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Dariush Bastani
- Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
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24
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Napiorkowska M, Pestalozzi L, Panke S, Held M, Schmitt S. High-Throughput Optimization of Recombinant Protein Production in Microfluidic Gel Beads. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2005523. [PMID: 33325637 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202005523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Efficient production hosts are a key requirement for bringing biopharmaceutical and biotechnological innovations to the market. In this work, a truly universal high-throughput platform for optimization of microbial protein production is described. Using droplet microfluidics, large genetic libraries of strains are encapsulated into biocompatible gel beads that are engineered to selectively retain any protein of interest. Bead-retained products are then fluorescently labeled and strains with superior production titers are isolated using flow cytometry. The broad applicability of the platform is demonstrated by successfully culturing several industrially relevant bacterial and yeast strains and detecting peptides or proteins of interest that are secreted or released from the cell via autolysis. Lastly, the platform is applied to optimize cutinase secretion in Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) and a strain with 5.7-fold improvement is isolated. The platform permits the analysis of >106 genotypes per day and is readily applicable to any protein that can be equipped with a His6 -tag. It is envisioned that the platform will be useful for large screening campaigns that aim to identify improved hosts for large-scale production of biotechnologically relevant proteins, thereby accelerating the costly and time-consuming process of strain engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Napiorkowska
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge, CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Luzius Pestalozzi
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
| | - Sven Panke
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
| | - Martin Held
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
| | - Steven Schmitt
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, 4058, Switzerland
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25
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Zenhausern R, Chen CH, Yoon JY. Microfluidic sample preparation for respiratory virus detection: A review. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:011503. [PMID: 33643510 PMCID: PMC7889292 DOI: 10.1063/5.0041089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Techniques used to prepare clinical samples have been perfected for use in diagnostic testing in a variety of clinical situations, e.g., to extract, concentrate, and purify respiratory virus particles. These techniques offer a high level of purity and concentration of target samples but require significant equipment and highly trained personnel to conduct, which is difficult to achieve in resource-limited environments where rapid testing and diagnostics are crucial for proper handling of respiratory viruses. Microfluidics has popularly been utilized toward rapid virus detection in resource-limited environments, where most devices focused on detection rather than sample preparation. Initial microfluidic prototypes have been hindered by their reliance on several off-chip preprocessing steps and external laboratory equipment. Recently, sample preparation methods have also been incorporated into microfluidics to conduct the virus detection in an all-in-one, automated manner. Extraction, concentration, and purification of viruses have been demonstrated in smaller volumes of samples and reagents, with no need for specialized training or complex machinery. Recent devices show the ability to function independently and efficiently to provide rapid, automated sample preparation as well as the detection of viral samples with high efficiency. In this review, methods of microfluidic sample preparation for the isolation and purification of viral samples are discussed, limitations of current systems are summarized, and potential advances are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Zenhausern
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Chia-Hung Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jeong-Yeol Yoon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
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26
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Choi JR, Lee JH, Xu A, Matthews K, Xie S, Duffy SP, Ma H. Monolithic hydrogel nanowells-in-microwells enabling simultaneous single cell secretion and phenotype analysis. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4539-4551. [PMID: 33201962 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00965b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cytokine secretion is a form of cellular communication that regulates a wide range of biological processes. A common approach for measuring cytokine secretion from single cells is to confine individual cells in arrays of nanoliter wells (nanowells) fabricated using polydimethylsiloxane. However, this approach cannot be easily integrated in standard microwell plates in order to take advantage of high-throughput infrastructure for automated and multiplexed analysis. Here, we used laser micropatterning to fabricate monolithic hydrogel nanowells inside wells in a microwell plate (microwells) using polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA). This approach produces high-aspect ratio nanowells that retain cells and beads during reagent exchange, enabling simultaneous profiling of single cell secretion and phenotyping via immunostaining. To limit contamination between nanowells, we used methylcellulose as a media additive to reduce diffusion distance. Patterning nanowells monolithically in microwells also dramatically increases density, providing ∼1200 nanowells per microwell in a microwell plate. Using this approach, we profiled IL-8 secretion from single MDA-MB-231 cells, which showed significant heterogeneity. We further profiled the polarization of THP-1 cells into M1 and M2 macrophages, along with their associated IL-1β and CCL-22 secretion profiles. These results demonstrate the potential to use this approach for high-throughput secretion and phenotype analysis on single cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Ru Choi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada. and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jeong Hyun Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada. and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alec Xu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada. and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kerryn Matthews
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada. and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Shuyong Xie
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada. and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Simon P Duffy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada. and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Canada and British Columbia Institute of Technology, Canada
| | - Hongshen Ma
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada. and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Canada and School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Canada and Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, Canada
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27
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Berlanda SF, Breitfeld M, Dietsche CL, Dittrich PS. Recent Advances in Microfluidic Technology for Bioanalysis and Diagnostics. Anal Chem 2020; 93:311-331. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon F. Berlanda
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maximilian Breitfeld
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudius L. Dietsche
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Petra S. Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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28
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Liu H, Xu X, Peng K, Zhang Y, Jiang L, Williams TC, Paulsen IT, Piper JA, Li M. Microdroplet enabled cultivation of single yeast cells correlates with bulk growth and reveals subpopulation phenomena. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 118:647-658. [PMID: 33022743 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Yeast has been engineered for cost-effective organic acid production through metabolic engineering and synthetic biology techniques. However, cell growth assays in these processes were performed in bulk at the population level, thus obscuring the dynamics of rare single cells exhibiting beneficial traits. Here, we introduce the use of monodisperse picolitre droplets as bioreactors to cultivate yeast at the single-cell level. We investigated the effect of acid stress on growth and the effect of potassium ions on propionic acid tolerance for single yeast cells of different species, genotypes, and phenotypes. The results showed that the average growth of single yeast cells in microdroplets experiences the same trend to those of yeast populations grown in bulk, and microdroplet compartments do not significantly affect cell viability. This approach offers the prospect of detecting cell-to-cell variations in growth and physiology and is expected to be applied for the engineering of yeast to produce value-added bioproducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangrui Liu
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, NSW, Australia.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Xin Xu
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kai Peng
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lianmei Jiang
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas C Williams
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Ian T Paulsen
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, NSW, Australia.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James A Piper
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, NSW, Australia.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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29
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van Neel TL, Berry SB, Berthier E, Theberge AB. Localized Cell-Surface Sampling of a Secreted Factor Using Cell-Targeting Beads. Anal Chem 2020; 92:13634-13640. [PMID: 32941013 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c02578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Intercellular communication through the secretion of soluble factors plays a vital role in a wide range of biological processes (e.g., homeostasis, immune response), yet identification and quantification of many of these factors can be challenging due to their degradation or sequestration in cell culture media prior to analysis. Here, we present a customizable bead-based system capable of simultaneously binding to live cells (through antibody-mediated cell tethering) and capturing cell-secreted molecules. Our functionalized beads capture secreted molecules (e.g., hepatocyte growth factor secreted by fibroblasts) that are diminished when sampled via traditional supernatant analysis techniques (p < 0.05), effectively rescuing a reduced signal in the presence of neutralizing components in the cell culture media. Our system enables capture and analysis of molecules integral to chemical communication that would otherwise be markedly decreased prior to analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammi L van Neel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Samuel B Berry
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Erwin Berthier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Ashleigh B Theberge
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, United States
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30
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Abstract
The immune system is composed of heterogeneous populations of immune cells that regulate physiological processes and protect organisms against diseases. Single cell technologies have been used to assess immune cell responses at the single cell level, which are crucial for identifying the causes of diseases and elucidating underlying biological mechanisms to facilitate medical therapy. In the present review we first discuss the most recent advances in the development of single cell technologies to investigate cell signaling, cell-cell interactions and cell migration. Each technology's advantages and limitations and its applications in immunology are subsequently reviewed. The latest progress toward commercialization, the remaining challenges and future perspectives for single cell technologies in immunology are also briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Ru Choi
- Centre for Blood Research, Life Sciences Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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31
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Wei X, Lu Y, Zhang X, Chen ML, Wang JH. Recent advances in single-cell ultra-trace analysis. Trends Analyt Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.115886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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32
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Sun G, Teng Y, Zhao Z, Cheow LF, Yu H, Chen CH. Functional Stem Cell Sorting via Integrative Droplet Synchronization. Anal Chem 2020; 92:7915-7923. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guoyun Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 04-08, Singapore
| | - Yao Teng
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 2 Medical Drive, MD9, Singapore
| | - Zixuan Zhao
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 04-08 Singapore
| | - Lih Feng Cheow
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 04-08, Singapore
| | - Hanry Yu
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 2 Medical Drive, MD9, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 04-08 Singapore
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos 07-01, Singapore
- CAMP, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 CREATE Way, 04-01, Singapore
| | - Chia-Hung Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR China
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33
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Eppler HB, Jewell CM. Biomaterials as Tools to Decode Immunity. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1903367. [PMID: 31782844 PMCID: PMC7124992 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201903367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The immune system has remarkable capabilities to combat disease with exquisite selectivity. This feature has enabled vaccines that provide protection for decades and, more recently, advances in immunotherapies that can cure some cancers. Greater control over how immune signals are presented, delivered, and processed will help drive even more powerful options that are also safe. Such advances will be underpinned by new tools that probe how immune signals are integrated by immune cells and tissues. Biomaterials are valuable resources to support this goal, offering robust, tunable properties. The growing role of biomaterials as tools to dissect immune function in fundamental and translational contexts is highlighted. These technologies can serve as tools to understand the immune system across molecular, cellular, and tissue length scales. A common theme is exploiting biomaterial features to rationally direct how specific immune cells or organs encounter a signal. This precision strategy, enabled by distinct material properties, allows isolation of immunological parameters or processes in a way that is challenging with conventional approaches. The utility of these capabilities is demonstrated through examples in vaccines for infectious disease and cancer immunotherapy, as well as settings of immune regulation that include autoimmunity and transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haleigh B Eppler
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, 8278 Paint Brach Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Biological Sciences Training Program, 1247 Biology Psychology Building, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Christopher M Jewell
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, 8278 Paint Brach Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Biological Sciences Training Program, 1247 Biology Psychology Building, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, 8278 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, 10. N Green Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Medical School, 685 West Baltimore Street, HSF-I Suite 380, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
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34
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Xu X, Wang J, Wu L, Guo J, Song Y, Tian T, Wang W, Zhu Z, Yang C. Microfluidic Single-Cell Omics Analysis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1903905. [PMID: 31544338 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201903905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The commonly existing cellular heterogeneity plays a critical role in biological processes such as embryonic development, cell differentiation, and disease progress. Single-cell omics-based heterogeneous studies have great significance for identifying different cell populations, discovering new cell types, revealing informative cell features, and uncovering significant interrelationships between cells. Recently, microfluidics has evolved to be a powerful technology for single-cell omics analysis due to its merits of throughput, sensitivity, and accuracy. Herein, the recent advances of microfluidic single-cell omics analysis, including different microfluidic platform designs, lysis strategies, and omics analysis techniques, are reviewed. Representative applications of microfluidic single-cell omics analysis in complex biological studies are then summarized. Finally, a few perspectives on the future challenges and development trends of microfluidic-assisted single-cell omics analysis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Xu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Junxia Wang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Lingling Wu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jingjing Guo
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yanling Song
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Tian Tian
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Zhi Zhu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
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35
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George S, Tandon S, Kandasubramanian B. Advancements in Hydrogel-Functionalized Immunosensing Platforms. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:2060-2068. [PMID: 32064366 PMCID: PMC7016926 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b03816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Explicit antigen-antibody binding has accelerated the development of immunosensors for the detection of various analytes in biomedical and environmental domains. Being a subclass of biosensors, immunosensors have been a significant area of research in attaining high sensitivity and an ultralow sensing limit to detect biological analytes present in trace levels. The highly porous structure, large surface area, and excellent biocompatibility of hydrogels enabling the retainability of the activity and innate framework of the attached biomolecules make them a suitable candidate for immunosensor fabrication. Hydrogels based on polycarboxylate, cellulose, polyaniline, polypyrrole, sodium alginate, chitosan, and agarose are exploited in conjunction with other nanomaterials such as AuNPs, GO, and MWCNTs to augment the electron transfer during the immunosensing mechanism. Surface plasmon resonance, electrochemiluminescence, colorimetric, and electrochemical assays are different strategies utilized for the signal transduction in hydrogel-based immunosensors during the formation of the antigen-antibody complex. These hydrogel-based immunosensors exhibit rapid response, excellent stability, reproducibility, high selectivity and high sensitivity, a broad range of detection, an ultralow limit of detection, and display results similar to those for the ELISA test. This review propounds different hydrogel-functionalized immunosensing platforms classified on the basis of their signal transduction for the detection of disparate cancer biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor, α-fetoprotein, prostate-specific antigen, carbohydrate antigen 24-2, carcinoembryonic antigen, neuron-specific enolase, and cytokeratin antigen 21-1), hormones (cortisol, cortisone, and human chorionic gonadotropin), human IgG, and ractopamine in animal feeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suchi
Mercy George
- Nano
Texturing Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DU), Ministry
of Defence, Girinagar, Pune 411025, India
| | - Saloni Tandon
- Biotechnology
Lab, Centre for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, JLN Marg, Jaipur-302004, Rajasthan, India
| | - Balasubramanian Kandasubramanian
- Nano
Texturing Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DU), Ministry
of Defence, Girinagar, Pune 411025, India
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36
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Jones A, Dhanapala L, Kankanamage RNT, Kumar CV, Rusling JF. Multiplexed Immunosensors and Immunoarrays. Anal Chem 2020; 92:345-362. [PMID: 31726821 PMCID: PMC7202053 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abby Jones
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Lasangi Dhanapala
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Rumasha N. T. Kankanamage
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Challa V. Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, 97 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - James F. Rusling
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, 55 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, 97 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
- Department of Surgery and Neag Cancer Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06232, United States
- School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland H91 TK33
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37
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Ding
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Philip D. Howes
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrew J. deMello
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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38
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Single-cell assays using integrated continuous-flow microfluidics. Methods Enzymol 2019. [PMID: 31668236 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2019.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The recent maturation of continuous-flow microfluidic technologies has coincided with transformative new methods to profile single cells, including their genetic types, protein expression and enzyme activities. Continuous-flow high-throughput single-cell screening and sorting can reveal relationships across cellular phenotypes (e.g., enzyme activity and secretion) and genetic fingerprints. This technology provides unique opportunities, as well as experimental and computational challenges, for integrative approaches that can process large amounts of single-cell data. In this chapter, we discuss recent advances in integrated continuous-flow microfluidic approaches with a focus on measurements and statistical analysis of single-cell enzyme activity and their applications in quantitative biology, synthetic biology, and diagnosis.
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39
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Wang Z, Lang B, Qu Y, Li L, Song Z, Wang Z. Single-cell patterning technology for biological applications. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2019; 13:061502. [PMID: 31737153 PMCID: PMC6847985 DOI: 10.1063/1.5123518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell patterning technology has revealed significant contributions of single cells to conduct basic and applied biological studies in vitro such as the understanding of basic cell functions, neuronal network formation, and drug screening. Unlike traditional population-based cell patterning approaches, single-cell patterning is an effective technology of fully understanding cell heterogeneity by precisely controlling the positions of individual cells. Therefore, much attention is currently being paid to this technology, leading to the development of various micro-nanofabrication methodologies that have been applied to locate cells at the single-cell level. In recent years, various methods have been continuously improved and innovated on the basis of existing ones, overcoming the deficiencies and promoting the progress in biomedicine. In particular, microfluidics with the advantages of high throughput, small sample volume, and the ability to combine with other technologies has a wide range of applications in single-cell analysis. Here, we present an overview of the recent advances in single-cell patterning technology, with a special focus on current physical and physicochemical methods including stencil patterning, trap- and droplet-based microfluidics, and chemical modification on surfaces via photolithography, microcontact printing, and scanning probe lithography. Meanwhile, the methods applied to biological studies and the development trends of single-cell patterning technology in biological applications are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Baihe Lang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, China
| | | | | | | | - Zuobin Wang
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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40
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Wei SC, Hsu MN, Chen CH. Plasmonic droplet screen for single-cell secretion analysis. Biosens Bioelectron 2019; 144:111639. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2019.111639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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41
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Chen P, Chen D, Li S, Ou X, Liu BF. Microfluidics towards single cell resolution protein analysis. Trends Analyt Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2019.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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42
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Tavakoli H, Zhou W, Ma L, Perez S, Ibarra A, Xu F, Zhan S, Li X. Recent advances in microfluidic platforms for single-cell analysis in cancer biology, diagnosis and therapy. Trends Analyt Chem 2019; 117:13-26. [PMID: 32831435 PMCID: PMC7434086 DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding molecular, cellular, genetic and functional heterogeneity of tumors at the single-cell level has become a major challenge for cancer research. The microfluidic technique has emerged as an important tool that offers advantages in analyzing single-cells with the capability to integrate time-consuming and labour-intensive experimental procedures such as single-cell capture into a single microdevice at ease and in a high-throughput fashion. Single-cell manipulation and analysis can be implemented within a multi-functional microfluidic device for various applications in cancer research. Here, we present recent advances of microfluidic devices for single-cell analysis pertaining to cancer biology, diagnostics, and therapeutics. We first concisely introduce various microfluidic platforms used for single-cell analysis, followed with different microfluidic techniques for single-cell manipulation. Then, we highlight their various applications in cancer research, with an emphasis on cancer biology, diagnosis, and therapy. Current limitations and prospective trends of microfluidic single-cell analysis are discussed at the end.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Tavakoli
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai
University, Tianjin 300071, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of
Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Wan Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of
Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Lei Ma
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of
Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Stefani Perez
- Biomedical Engineering, Border Biomedical Research Center,
Environmental Science & Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West
University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Andrea Ibarra
- Biomedical Engineering, Border Biomedical Research Center,
Environmental Science & Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West
University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Feng Xu
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center,
Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, People’s Republic of
China
| | - Sihui Zhan
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai
University, Tianjin 300071, People’s Republic of China
| | - XiuJun Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai
University, Tianjin 300071, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of
Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
- Biomedical Engineering, Border Biomedical Research Center,
Environmental Science & Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West
University Ave, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
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Recent Advances in Droplet-based Microfluidic Technologies for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10060412. [PMID: 31226819 PMCID: PMC6631694 DOI: 10.3390/mi10060412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Recently, droplet-based microfluidic systems have been widely used in various biochemical and molecular biological assays. Since this platform technique allows manipulation of large amounts of data and also provides absolute accuracy in comparison to conventional bioanalytical approaches, over the last decade a range of basic biochemical and molecular biological operations have been transferred to drop-based microfluidic formats. In this review, we introduce recent advances and examples of droplet-based microfluidic techniques that have been applied in biochemistry and molecular biology research including genomics, proteomics and cellomics. Their advantages and weaknesses in various applications are also comprehensively discussed here. The purpose of this review is to provide a new point of view and current status in droplet-based microfluidics to biochemists and molecular biologists. We hope that this review will accelerate communications between researchers who are working in droplet-based microfluidics, biochemistry and molecular biology.
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44
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Boothby JM, Samuel J, Ware TH. Molecularly-ordered hydrogels with controllable, anisotropic stimulus response. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:4508-4517. [PMID: 31094394 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00763f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels which morph between programmed shapes in response to aqueous stimuli are of significant interest for biosensors and artificial muscles, among other applications. However, programming hydrogel shape change at small size scales is a significant challenge. Here we use the inherent ordering capabilities of liquid crystals to create a mechanically anisotropic hydrogel; when coupled with responsive comonomers, the mechanical anisotropy in the network guides shape change in response to the desired aqueous condition. Our synthetic strategy hinges on the use of a methacrylic chromonic liquid crystal monomer which can be combined with a non-polymerizable chromonic of similar structure to vary the magnitude of shape change while retaining liquid crystalline order. This shape change is directional due to the mechanical anisotropy of the gel, which is up to 50% stiffer along the chromonic stack direction than perpendicular. Additionally, we show that the type of stimulus to which these anisotropic gels respond can be switched by incorporating responsive, hydrophilic comonomers without destroying the nematic phase or alignment. The utility of these properties is demonstrated in polymerized microstructures which exhibit Gaussian curvature in response to high pH due to emergent ordering in a micron-sized capillary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Boothby
- The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
| | - Jeremy Samuel
- The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
| | - Taylor H Ware
- The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
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45
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Liu Y, Yang Q, Cao L, Xu F. Analysis of Leukocyte Behaviors on Microfluidic Chips. Adv Healthc Mater 2019; 8:e1801406. [PMID: 30672149 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201801406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The orchestration of massive leukocytes in the immune system protects humans from invading pathogens and abnormal cells in the body. So far, researches focusing on leukocyte behaviors are performed based on both in vivo and in vitro models. The in vivo animal models are usually less controllable due to their extreme complexity and nonignorable species issue. Therefore, many researchers turn to in vitro models. With the advances in micro/nanofabrication, the microfluidic chip has emerged as a novel platform for model construction in multiple biomedical research fields. Specifically, the microfluidic chip is used to study leukocyte behaviors, due to its incomparable advantages in high throughput, precise control, and flexible integration. Moreover, the small size of the microstructures on the microfluidic chip can better mimic the native microenvironment of leukocytes, which contributes to a more reliable recapitulation. Herein are reviewed the recent advances in microfluidic chip-based leukocyte behavior analysis to provide an overview of this field. Detailed discussions are specifically focused on host defense against pathogens, immunodiagnosis, and immunotherapy studies on microfluidic chips. Finally, the current technical challenges are discussed, as well as possible innovations in this field to improve the related applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education; School of Life Science and Technology; Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC); Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
| | - Qingzhen Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education; School of Life Science and Technology; Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC); Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
| | - Lei Cao
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education; School of Life Science and Technology; Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC); Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
| | - Feng Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education; School of Life Science and Technology; Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC); Xi'an Jiaotong University; Xi'an Shaanxi 710049 China
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