1
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Yang C, Liu X, Song X, Zhang L. Design and batch fabrication of anisotropic microparticles toward small-scale robots using microfluidics: recent advances. LAB ON A CHIP 2024. [PMID: 39206574 DOI: 10.1039/d4lc00566j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Small-scale robots with shape anisotropy have garnered significant scientific interest due to their enhanced mobility and precise control in recent years. Traditionally, these miniature robots are manufactured using established techniques such as molding, 3D printing, and microfabrication. However, the advent of microfluidics in recent years has emerged as a promising manufacturing technology, capitalizing on the precise and dynamic manipulation of fluids at the microscale to fabricate various complex-shaped anisotropic particles. This offers a versatile and controlled platform, enabling the efficient fabrication of small-scale robots with tailored morphologies and advanced functionalities from the microfluidic-derived anisotropic microparticles at high throughput. This review highlights the recent advances in the microfluidic fabrication of anisotropic microparticles and their potential applications in small-scale robots. In this review, the term 'small-scale robots' broadly encompasses micromotors endowed with capabilities for locomotion and manipulation. Firstly, the fundamental strategies for liquid template formation and the methodologies for generating anisotropic microparticles within the microfluidic system are briefly introduced. Subsequently, the functionality of shape-anisotropic particles in forming components for small-scale robots and actuation mechanisms are emphasized. Attention is then directed towards the diverse applications of these microparticle-derived microrobots in a variety of fields, including pollution remediation, cell microcarriers, drug delivery, and biofilm eradication. Finally, we discuss future directions for the fabrication and development of miniature robots from microfluidics, shedding light on the evolving landscape of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyu Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong 999077, China.
| | - Xurui Liu
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong 999077, China.
| | - Xin Song
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong 999077, China.
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong 999077, China.
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2
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Zhao H, Zhang Y, Hua D. A Review of Research Progress in Microfluidic Bioseparation and Bioassay. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:893. [PMID: 39064404 PMCID: PMC11278910 DOI: 10.3390/mi15070893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
With the rapid development of biotechnology, the importance of microfluidic bioseparation and bioassay in biomedicine, clinical diagnosis, and other fields has become increasingly prominent. Microfluidic technology, with its significant advantages of high throughput, automated operation, and low sample consumption, has brought new breakthroughs in the field of biological separation and bioassay. In this paper, the latest research progress in microfluidic technology in the field of bioseparation and bioassay is reviewed. Then, we focus on the methods of bioseparation including active separation, passive separation, and hybrid separation. At the same time, the latest research results of our group in particle separation are introduced. Finally, some application examples or methods for bioassay after particle separation are listed, and the current challenges and future prospects of bioseparation and bioassay are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dengxin Hua
- Center for Lidar Remote Sensing Research, School of Mechanical and Precision Instrument Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China.; (H.Z.); (Y.Z.)
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3
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Ngum LF, Matsushita Y, El-Mashtoly SF, Fath El-Bab AMR, Abdel-Mawgood AL. Separation of microalgae from bacterial contaminants using spiral microchannel in the presence of a chemoattractant. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2024; 11:36. [PMID: 38647805 PMCID: PMC11016047 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-024-00746-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell separation using microfluidics has become an effective method to isolate biological contaminants from bodily fluids and cell cultures, such as isolating bacteria contaminants from microalgae cultures and isolating bacteria contaminants from white blood cells. In this study, bacterial cells were used as a model contaminant in microalgae culture in a passive microfluidics device, which relies on hydrodynamic forces to demonstrate the separation of microalgae from bacteria contaminants in U and W-shaped cross-section spiral microchannel fabricated by defocusing CO2 laser ablation. At a flow rate of 0.7 ml/min in the presence of glycine as bacteria chemoattractant, the spiral microfluidics devices with U and W-shaped cross-sections were able to isolate microalgae (Desmodesmus sp.) from bacteria (E. coli) with a high separation efficiency of 92% and 96% respectively. At the same flow rate, in the absence of glycine, the separation efficiency of microalgae for U- and W-shaped cross-sections was 91% and 96%, respectively. It was found that the spiral microchannel device with a W-shaped cross-section with a barrier in the center of the channel showed significantly higher separation efficiency. Spiral microchannel chips with U- or W-shaped cross-sections were easy to fabricate and exhibited high throughput. With these advantages, these devices could be widely applicable to other cell separation applications, such as separating circulating tumor cells from blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia F Ngum
- Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences, Biotechnology Program, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Alexandria, 21934, Egypt
| | - Y Matsushita
- Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences, Nanoscience Program, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Alexandria, 21934, Egypt
| | - Samir F El-Mashtoly
- Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences, Biotechnology Program, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Alexandria, 21934, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M R Fath El-Bab
- Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering Department, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Alexandria, 21934, Egypt
| | - Ahmed L Abdel-Mawgood
- Institute of Basic and Applied Sciences, Biotechnology Program, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Alexandria, 21934, Egypt.
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4
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Storti F, Bonfadini S, Criante L. Simplified 3D hydrodynamic flow focusing for lab-on-chip single particle study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14671. [PMID: 37673905 PMCID: PMC10482855 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40430-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurately control of the position of a fluid and particle within lab-on-a-chip platform is a critical prerequisite for many downstream analysis processes, such as detection, trapping and separation, moving the sensing at the single-particle level. With the development of microfluidic fabrication technology, particle/cell focusing has shifted from two to three dimensions. 3D hydrodynamic focusing, which sorts and aligns the incoming cloud of particles so that they pass through the interrogation area one by one, enables new possibilities and breakthroughs in the single-cell analysis system. Despite the excellent results shown in literature, there is still a lack of a device that can simultaneously fulfilling the requirements of high throughput, compactness, high integrability, and ease of use operation to become a widely accepted work center for biomedical research and clinical applications. Here, we proposed a unique 3D flow focusing microfluidic device buried in fused silica substrate that potentially combines all this advantages. By designing a sample channel suspended inside a larger buffer channel, manufactured by exploiting the laser-assisted micromachine technique, a not size-dependent focusing capability is shown. A spatially and temporally stable central flow of a mixture of 15 μm and 6 μm PS particles to a 1 μm PS microsphere solution has been obtained with high accuracy. Finally, to test the achievable focusing resolution, the chip was tested for the detection of Escherichia Coli bacteria in water solution as proof of concept of biological application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Storti
- Center for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134, Milano, Italy
- Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvio Bonfadini
- Center for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134, Milano, Italy
| | - Luigino Criante
- Center for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134, Milano, Italy.
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5
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Hur J, Kim H, Kim U, Kim GB, Kim J, Joo B, Cho D, Lee DS, Chung AJ. Genetically Stable and Scalable Nanoengineering of Human Primary T Cells via Cell Mechanoporation. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:7341-7349. [PMID: 37506062 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c01720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Effective tumor regression has been observed with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells; however, the development of an affordable, safe, and effective CAR-T cell treatment remains a challenge. One of the major obstacles is that the suboptimal genetic modification of T cells reduces their yield and antitumor activity, necessitating the development of a next-generation T cell engineering approach. In this study, we developed a nonviral T cell nanoengineering system that allows highly efficient delivery of diverse functional nanomaterials into primary human T cells in a genetically stable and scalable manner. Our platform leverages the unique cell deformation and restoration process induced by the intrinsic inertial flow in a microchannel to create nanopores in the cellular membrane for macromolecule internalization, leading to effective transfection with high scalability and viability. The proposed approach demonstrates considerable potential as a practical alternative technique for improving the current CAR-T cell manufacturing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongsoo Hur
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyelee Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health (PPH), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Uijin Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Gi-Beom Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- MxT Biotech, Seoul 04785, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Kim
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06355, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Duck Cho
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06355, Republic of Korea
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 03063, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Sung Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram J Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health (PPH), Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- MxT Biotech, Seoul 04785, Republic of Korea
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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6
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High-throughput isolation of cancer cells in spiral microchannel by changing the direction, magnitude and location of the maximum velocity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3213. [PMID: 36828913 PMCID: PMC9958115 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30275-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are scarce cancer cells that rarely spread from primary or metastatic tumors inside the patient's bloodstream. Determining the genetic characteristics of these paranormal cells provides significant data to guide cancer staging and treatment. Cell focusing using microfluidic chips has been implemented as an effective method for enriching CTCs. The distinct equilibrium positions of particles with different diameters across the microchannel width in the simulation showed that it was possible to isolate and concentrate breast cancer cells (BCCs) from WBCs at a moderate Reynolds number. Therefore we demonstrate high throughput isolation of BCCs using a passive, size-based, label-free microfluidic method based on hydrodynamic forces by an unconventional (combination of long loops and U-turn) spiral microfluidic device for isolating both CTCs and WBCs with high efficiency and purity (more than 90%) at a flow rate about 1.7 mL/min, which has a high throughput compared to similar ones. At this golden flow rate, up to 92% of CTCs were separated from the cell suspension. Its rapid processing time, simplicity, and potential ability to collect CTCs from large volumes of patient blood allow the practical use of this method in many applications.
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7
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Microfluidic device for multilayer coating of magnetic microparticles. POWDER TECHNOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2023.118223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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8
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Xiang N, Ni Z. Inertial microfluidics: current status, challenges, and future opportunities. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:4792-4804. [PMID: 36263793 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00722c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Inertial microfluidics uses the hydrodynamic effects induced at finite Reynolds numbers to achieve passive manipulation of particles, cells, or fluids and offers the advantages of high-throughput processing, simple channel geometry, and label-free and external field-free operation. Since its proposal in 2007, inertial microfluidics has attracted increasing interest and is currently widely employed as an important sample preparation protocol for single-cell detection and analysis. Although great success has been achieved in the inertial microfluidics field, its performance and outcome can be further improved. From this perspective, herein, we reviewed the current status, challenges, and opportunities of inertial microfluidics concerning the underlying physical mechanisms, available simulation tools, channel innovation, multistage, multiplexing, or multifunction integration, rapid prototyping, and commercial instrument development. With an improved understanding of the physical mechanisms and the development of novel channels, integration strategies, and commercial instruments, improved inertial microfluidic platforms may represent a new foundation for advancing biomedical research and disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Xiang
- 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.
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9
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He S, Pang W, Wu X, Yang Y, Li W, Qi H, Sun C, Duan X, Wang Y. A targeted hydrodynamic gold nanorod delivery system based on gigahertz acoustic streaming. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:15281-15290. [PMID: 36112106 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr03222h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The hydrodynamic method mimics the in vivo environment of the mechanical effect on cell stimulation, which not only modulates cell physiology but also shows excellent intracellular delivery ability. Herein, a hydrodynamic intracellular delivery system based on the gigahertz acoustic streaming (AS) effect is proposed, which presents powerful targeted delivery capabilities with high efficiency and universality. Results indicate that the range of cells with AuNR introduction is related to that of AS, enabling a tunable delivery range due to the adjustability of the AS radius. Moreover, with the assistance of AS, the organelle localization delivery of AuNRs with different modifications is enhanced. AuNRs@RGD is inclined to accumulate in the nucleus, while AuNRs@BSA tend to enter the mitochondria and AuNRs@PEGnK tend to accumulate in the lysosome. Finally, the photothermal effect is proved based on the large quantities of AuNRs introduced via AS. The abundant introduction of AuNRs under the action of AS can achieve rapid cell heating with the irradiation of a 785 nm laser, which has great potential in shortening the treatment cycle of photothermal therapy (PTT). Thereby, an efficient hydrodynamic technology in AuNR introduction based on AS has been demonstrated. The outstanding location delivery and organelle targeting of this method provides a new idea for precise medical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Wei Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Wenjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Hang Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Chongling Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Xuexin Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Yanyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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10
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Schemberg J, Abbassi AE, Lindenbauer A, Chen LY, Grodrian A, Nakos X, Apte G, Khan N, Kraupner A, Nguyen TH, Gastrock G. Synthesis of Biocompatible Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPION) under Different Microfluidic Regimes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:48011-48028. [PMID: 36223272 PMCID: PMC9615998 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c13156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have a great potential in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications as they provide contrast in magnetic resonance imaging techniques and allow magnetic hyperthermia and drug delivery. Though various types of SPION are commercially available, efforts to improve the quality of SPION are highly in demand. Here, we describe a strategy for optimization of SPION synthesis under microfluidics using the coprecipitation approach. Synthesis parameters such as temperature, pH, iron salt concentration, and coating materials were investigated in continuous and segmented flows. Continuous flow allowed synthesizing particles of a smaller size and higher stability than segmented flow, while both conditions improved the quality of particles compared to batch synthesis. The most stable particles were obtained at a synthesis condition of 6.5 M NH4OH base, iron salt (Fe2+/Fe3+) concentration ratio of 4.3/8.6, carboxymethyl dextran coating of 20 mg/mL, and temperature of 70 °C. The synthesized SPION exhibited a good efficiency in labeling of human platelets and did not impair cells. Our study under flow conditions provides an optimal protocol for the synthesis of better and biocompatible SPION that contributes to the development of nanoparticles for medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Schemberg
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
| | - Abdelouahad El Abbassi
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
| | - Annerose Lindenbauer
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
| | - Li-Yu Chen
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
- Department
of Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute
for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, 07745Jena, Germany
| | - Andreas Grodrian
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
| | - Xenia Nakos
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
| | - Gurunath Apte
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
- Institute
of Nanotechnology (INT) and Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Nida Khan
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
- Institute
for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural
Sciences, Technische Universität
Ilmenau, 98694Ilmenau, Germany
| | | | - Thi-Huong Nguyen
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
- Institute
for Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural
Sciences, Technische Universität
Ilmenau, 98694Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Gunter Gastrock
- Institute
for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurement Techniques (iba), 37308Heiligenstadt, Germany
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11
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Inertia-Acoustophoresis Hybrid Microfluidic Device for Rapid and Efficient Cell Separation. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22134709. [PMID: 35808206 PMCID: PMC9268962 DOI: 10.3390/s22134709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we proposed an integrated microfluidic device that could demonstrate the non-contact, label-free separation of particles and cells through the combination of inertial microfluidics and acoustophoresis. The proposed device integrated two microfluidic chips which were a PDMS channel chip on top of the silicon-based acoustofluidic chip. The PDMS chip worked by prefocusing the particles/cells through inducing the inertial force of the channel structure. The connected acoustofluidic chips separated particles based on their size through an acoustic radiation force. In the serpentine-shaped PDMS chip, particles formed two lines focusing in the channel, and a trifugal-shaped acoustofluidic chip displaced and separated particles, in which larger particles focused on the central channel and smaller ones moved to the side channels. The simultaneous fluidic works allowed high-efficiency particle separation. Using this novel acoustofluidic device with an inertial microchannel, the separation of particles and cells based on their size was presented and analyzed, and the efficiency of the device was shown. The device demonstrated excellent separation performance with a high recovery ratio (up to 96.3%), separation efficiency (up to 99%), and high volume rate (>100 µL/min). Our results showed that integrated devices could be a viable alternative to current cell separation based on their low cost, reduced sample consumption and high throughput capability.
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12
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Alteration of Inertial Focusing Positions in Triangular Channels Using Flexible PDMS Microfluidics. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13206-022-00062-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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13
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Peng B, Yang Z, Yang L, Chen J, Liu L, Wang D. Reducing the Solvent Quality Gives Rise to the Outward Migration of a Star Polymer in Poiseuille Flow. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
| | - Zhenyue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
| | - Li Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environment-friendly Energy Materials, School of Material Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, P. R. China
| | - Jizhong Chen
- Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, P. R. China
| | - Lijun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
| | - Dapeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
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14
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Facile microfabrication of three dimensional-patterned micromixers using additive manufacturing technology. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6346. [PMID: 35428793 PMCID: PMC9012767 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10356-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the manufacturing method of oblique patterns in microchannels and the effect of these patterns on mixing performance in microchannels. To fabricate three-dimensional (3D) and oblique patterns in microchannels, 3D printing and replica methods were utilized to mold patterns and microchannels, respectively. The angle and size of the patterns were controlled by the printing angle and resolution, respectively. The mixing efficiency was experimentally characterized, and the mixing principle was analyzed using computational fluid dynamics simulation. The analysis showed that the mixing channel cast from the mold printed with a printing angle of 30° and resolution of 300 μm exhibited the best mixing efficiency with a segregation index of approximately 0.05 at a Reynolds number of 5.4. This was because, as the patterns inside the microchannel were more oblique, “split” and “recombine” behaviors between two fluids were enhanced owing to the geometrical effect. This study supports the use of the 3D printing method to create unique patterns inside microchannels and improve the mixing performance of two laminar flows for various applications such as point-of-care diagnostics, lab-on-a-chip, and chemical synthesis.
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15
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Inertial separation of microparticles suspended in shear-thinning fluids. CHEMICAL PAPERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11696-022-02184-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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16
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Ezrre S, Reyna MA, Anguiano C, Avitia RL, Márquez H. Lab-on-a-Chip Platforms for Airborne Particulate Matter Applications: A Review of Current Perspectives. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:191. [PMID: 35448251 PMCID: PMC9024784 DOI: 10.3390/bios12040191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) devices are described as versatile, fast, accurate, and low-cost platforms for the handling, detection, characterization, and analysis of a wide range of suspended particles in water-based environments. However, for gas-based applications, particularly in atmospheric aerosols science, LoC platforms are rarely developed. This review summarizes emerging LoC devices for the classification, measurement, and identification of airborne particles, especially those known as Particulate Matter (PM), which are linked to increased morbidity and mortality levels from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. For these devices, their operating principles and performance parameters are introduced and compared while highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Discussing the current applications will allow us to identify challenges and determine future directions for developing more robust LoC devices to monitor and analyze airborne PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Ezrre
- Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Mexicali 21100, Mexico;
| | - Marco A. Reyna
- Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Mexicali 21100, Mexico;
| | - Citlalli Anguiano
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Mexicali 21280, Mexico; (C.A.); (R.L.A.)
| | - Roberto L. Avitia
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Mexicali 21280, Mexico; (C.A.); (R.L.A.)
| | - Heriberto Márquez
- Departamento de Óptica, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Ensenada 22860, Mexico;
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17
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Particle Focusing in a Straight Microchannel with Non-Rectangular Cross-Section. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13020151. [PMID: 35208276 PMCID: PMC8875687 DOI: 10.3390/mi13020151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recently, studies on particle behavior under Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in microchannel have attracted considerable attention because particles and cells of interest can be manipulated and separated from biological samples without any external force. In this paper, two kinds of microchannels with non-rectangular cross-section were fabricated using basic MEMS processes (photolithography, reactive ion etching and anisotropy wet etching), plasma bonding and self-alignment between two PDMS structures. They were used to achieve the experiments for inertial and elasto-inertial particle focusing under Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. The particle behavior was compared and investigated for different flow rates and particle size in the microchannel with rhombic and equilateral hexagonal cross section. We also investigated the influence of Newtonian fluid and viscoelastic fluid on particle migration in both microchannels through the numerical simulation. The experimental results showed the multi-line particle focusing in Newtonian fluid over a wide range of flow rates, but the single-line particle focusing was formed in the centerline under non-Newtonian fluid. The tighter particle focusing appeared under non-Newtonian fluid in the microchannel with equilateral hexagonal cross-section than in the microchannel with rhombic cross section because of the effect of an obtuse angle. It revealed that particles suspended in the channel are likely to drift toward a channel center due to a negative net elasto-inertial force throughout the cross-sectional area. Simulation results support the present experimental observation that the viscoelastic fluid in the microchannel with rhombic and equilateral hexagonal cross-section significantly influences on the particle migration toward the channel center owing to coupled effect of inertia and elasticity.
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18
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Liu P, Liu H, Semenec L, Yuan D, Yan S, Cain AK, Li M. Length-based separation of Bacillus subtilis bacterial populations by viscoelastic microfluidics. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2022; 8:7. [PMID: 35127130 PMCID: PMC8766588 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-021-00333-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrated the label-free continuous separation and enrichment of Bacillus subtilis populations based on length using viscoelastic microfluidics. B. subtilis, a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, has been widely used as a model organism and an industrial workhorse. B. subtilis can be arranged in different morphological forms, such as single rods, chains, and clumps, which reflect differences in cell types, phases of growth, genetic variation, and changing environmental factors. The ability to prepare B. subtilis populations with a uniform length is important for basic biological studies and efficient industrial applications. Here, we systematically investigated how flow rate ratio, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) concentration, and channel length affected the length-based separation of B. subtilis cells. The lateral positions of B. subtilis cells with varying morphologies in a straight rectangular microchannel were found to be dependent on cell length under the co-flow of viscoelastic and Newtonian fluids. Finally, we evaluated the ability of the viscoelastic microfluidic device to separate the two groups of B. subtilis cells by length (i.e., 1-5 μm and >5 μm) in terms of extraction purity (EP), extraction yield (EY), and enrichment factor (EF) and confirmed that the device could separate heterogeneous populations of bacteria using elasto-inertial effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Liu
- Suqian University, Suqian, 223800 China
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Hangrui Liu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Lucie Semenec
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Department of Molecular Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Dan Yuan
- Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216 Australia
| | - Sheng Yan
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China
| | - Amy K. Cain
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Department of Molecular Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
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19
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Tang H, Niu J, Jin H, Lin S, Cui D. Geometric structure design of passive label-free microfluidic systems for biological micro-object separation. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2022; 8:62. [PMID: 35685963 PMCID: PMC9170746 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00386-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Passive and label-free microfluidic devices have no complex external accessories or detection-interfering label particles. These devices are now widely used in medical and bioresearch applications, including cell focusing and cell separation. Geometric structure plays the most essential role when designing a passive and label-free microfluidic chip. An exquisitely designed geometric structure can change particle trajectories and improve chip performance. However, the geometric design principles of passive and label-free microfluidics have not been comprehensively acknowledged. Here, we review the geometric innovations of several microfluidic schemes, including deterministic lateral displacement (DLD), inertial microfluidics (IMF), and viscoelastic microfluidics (VEM), and summarize the most creative innovations and design principles of passive and label-free microfluidics. We aim to provide a guideline for researchers who have an interest in geometric innovations of passive label-free microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Tang
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240 China
| | - Jiaqi Niu
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240 China
| | - Han Jin
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240 China
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 28 Jiangchuan Easternroad, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Shujing Lin
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240 China
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 28 Jiangchuan Easternroad, Shanghai, 200241 China
| | - Daxiang Cui
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Instrument, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240 China
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 28 Jiangchuan Easternroad, Shanghai, 200241 China
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20
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Hassanpour Tamrin S, Sanati Nezhad A, Sen A. Label-Free Isolation of Exosomes Using Microfluidic Technologies. ACS NANO 2021; 15:17047-17079. [PMID: 34723478 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c03469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Exosomes are cell-derived structures packaged with lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. They exist in diverse bodily fluids and are involved in physiological and pathological processes. Although their potential for clinical application as diagnostic and therapeutic tools has been revealed, a huge bottleneck impeding the development of applications in the rapidly burgeoning field of exosome research is an inability to efficiently isolate pure exosomes from other unwanted components present in bodily fluids. To date, several approaches have been proposed and investigated for exosome separation, with the leading candidate being microfluidic technology due to its relative simplicity, cost-effectiveness, precise and fast processing at the microscale, and amenability to automation. Notably, avoiding the need for exosome labeling represents a significant advance in terms of process simplicity, time, and cost as well as protecting the biological activities of exosomes. Despite the exciting progress in microfluidic strategies for exosome isolation and the countless benefits of label-free approaches for clinical applications, current microfluidic platforms for isolation of exosomes are still facing a series of problems and challenges that prevent their use for clinical sample processing. This review focuses on the recent microfluidic platforms developed for label-free isolation of exosomes including those based on sieving, deterministic lateral displacement, field flow, and pinched flow fractionation as well as viscoelastic, acoustic, inertial, electrical, and centrifugal forces. Further, we discuss advantages and disadvantages of these strategies with highlights of current challenges and outlook of label-free microfluidics toward the clinical utility of exosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hassanpour Tamrin
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, CCIT 125, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Amir Sanati Nezhad
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, CCIT 125, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- Center for Bioengineering Research and Education, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Arindom Sen
- Pharmaceutical Production Research Facility, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- Center for Bioengineering Research and Education, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
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21
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Xu X, Huang X, Sun J, Wang R, Yao J, Han W, Wei M, Chen J, Guo J, Sun L, Yin M. Recent progress of inertial microfluidic-based cell separation. Analyst 2021; 146:7070-7086. [PMID: 34761757 DOI: 10.1039/d1an01160j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cell separation has consistently been a pivotal technology of sample preparation in biomedical research. Compared with conventional bulky cell separation technologies applied in the clinic, cell separation based on microfluidics can accurately manipulate the displacement of liquid or cells at the microscale, which has great potential in point-of-care testing (POCT) applications due to small device size, low cost, low sample consumption, and high operating accuracy. Among various microfluidic cell separation technologies, inertial microfluidics has attracted great attention due to its simple structure and high throughput. In recent years, many researchers have explored the principles and applications of inertial microfluidics and developed different channel structures, including straight channels, curved channels, and multistage channels. However, the recently developed multistage channels have not been discussed and classified in detail compared with more widely discussed straight and curved channels. Therefore, in this review, a comprehensive and detailed review of recent progress in the multistage channel is presented. According to the channel structure, the inertial microfluidic separation technology is divided into (i) straight channel, (ii) curved channel, (iii) composite channel, and (iv) integrated device. The structural development of straight and curved channels is discussed in detail. And based on straight and curved channels, the multistage cell separation structures are reviewed, with a special focus on a variety of latest structures and related innovations of composite and integrated channels. Finally, the future prospects for the existing challenges in the development of inertial microfluidic cell separation technology are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Xu
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Xiwei Huang
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Jingjing Sun
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Renjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Jiangfan Yao
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Wentao Han
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Maoyu Wei
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Jin Chen
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Jinhong Guo
- School of Communication and Information Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Lingling Sun
- Key Laboratory of RF Circuits and Systems, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Ming Yin
- The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
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22
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Joo B, Hur J, Kim GB, Yun SG, Chung AJ. Highly Efficient Transfection of Human Primary T Lymphocytes Using Droplet-Enabled Mechanoporation. ACS NANO 2021; 15:12888-12898. [PMID: 34142817 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c10473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Whole-cell-based therapy has been extensively used as an effective disease treatment approach, and it has rapidly changed the therapeutic paradigm. To fully accommodate this shift, advances in genome modification and cell reprogramming methodologies are critical. Traditionally, molecular tools such as viral and polymer nanocarriers and electroporation have been the norm for internalizing external biomolecules into cells for cellular engineering. However, these approaches are not fully satisfactory considering their cytotoxicity, high cost, low scalability, and/or inconsistent and ineffective delivery and transfection. To address these challenges, we present an approach that leverages droplet microfluidics with cell mechanoporation, bringing intracellular delivery to the next level. In our approach, cells and external cargos such as mRNAs and plasmid DNAs are coencapsulated into droplets, and as they pass through a series of narrow constrictions, the cell membrane is mechanically permeabilized where the cargos in the vicinity are internalized via convective solution exchange enhanced by recirculation flows developed in the droplets. Using this principle, we demonstrated a high level of functional macromolecule delivery into various immune cells, including human primary T cells. By utilizing droplets, the cargo consumption was drastically reduced, and near-zero clogging was realized. Furthermore, high scalability without sacrificing cell viability and superior delivery over state-of-the-art methods and benchtop techniques were demonstrated. Notably, the droplet-based intracellular delivery strategy presented here can be further applied to other mechanoporation microfluidic techniques, highlighting its potential for cellular engineering and cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeongju Joo
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongsoo Hur
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Gi-Beom Kim
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Gyu Yun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram J Chung
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
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23
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Ghadiri MM, Hosseini SA, Sadatsakkak SA, Rajabpour A. Inertial microfluidics: Determining the effect of geometric key parameters on capture efficiency along with a feasibility evaluation for bone marrow cells sorting. Biomed Microdevices 2021; 23:41. [PMID: 34379212 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-021-00577-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite great developments in inertial microfluidics, there is still a lack of knowledge to precisely define the particles' behavior in the microchannels. In the present study, as a prerequisite to experimental studies, numerical simulations have been used to study the capture efficiency of target particles in the contraction-expansion microchannel, aiming to provide an estimation of the conditions at which the channel performs best. Fluid analysis based on Navier-Stokes equations is conducted using the finite element method to determine the streamlines and vortices. The highest capture efficiency for 10, 15, and 19-micron particles occurs when the center of the vortex is approximately in the middle of the wide section (at the flow rate of 0.35 ml/min). In addition to investigating the effect of particle diameter and input flow rate, the effect of channel geometry parameters (channel height and initial length of the channel) on particle trapping has also been studied. Also, to consider great interest in separating different-sized bioparticles from a sample, a three-stage platform has been designed to separate four types of bone marrow cells and evaluate the possibility of using contraction-expansion channels in this application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mahdi Ghadiri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Seied Ali Hosseini
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran.
| | | | - Ali Rajabpour
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
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24
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Hur J, Chung AJ. Microfluidic and Nanofluidic Intracellular Delivery. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2004595. [PMID: 34096197 PMCID: PMC8336510 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202004595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Innate cell function can be artificially engineered and reprogrammed by introducing biomolecules, such as DNAs, RNAs, plasmid DNAs, proteins, or nanomaterials, into the cytosol or nucleus. This process of delivering exogenous cargos into living cells is referred to as intracellular delivery. For instance, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 gene editing begins with internalizing Cas9 protein and guide RNA into cells, and chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells are prepared by delivering CAR genes into T lymphocytes for cancer immunotherapies. To deliver external biomolecules into cells, tools, including viral vectors, and electroporation have been traditionally used; however, they are suboptimal for achieving high levels of intracellular delivery while preserving cell viability, phenotype, and function. Notably, as emerging solutions, microfluidic and nanofluidic approaches have shown remarkable potential for addressing this open challenge. This review provides an overview of recent advances in microfluidic and nanofluidic intracellular delivery strategies and discusses new opportunities and challenges for clinical applications. Furthermore, key considerations for future efforts to develop microfluidics- and nanofluidics-enabled next-generation intracellular delivery platforms are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongsoo Hur
- School of Biomedical EngineeringKorea UniversitySeoul02841Republic of Korea
| | - Aram J. Chung
- School of Biomedical EngineeringInterdisciplinary Program in Precision Public HealthKorea UniversitySeoul02841Republic of Korea
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25
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Cruz J, Hjort K. High-resolution particle separation by inertial focusing in high aspect ratio curved microfluidics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13959. [PMID: 34230536 PMCID: PMC8260616 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93177-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to focus, separate and concentrate specific targets in a fluid is essential for the analysis of complex samples such as biological fluids, where a myriad of different particles may be present. Inertial focusing is a very promising technology for such tasks, and specially a recently presented variant, inertial focusing in High Aspect Ratio Curved systems (HARC systems), where the systems are easily engineered and focus the targets together in a stable position over a wide range of particle sizes and flow rates. However, although convenient for laser interrogation and concentration, by focusing all particles together, HARC systems lose an essential feature of inertial focusing: the possibility of particle separation by size. Within this work, we report that HARC systems not only do have the capacity to separate particles but can do so with extremely high resolution, which we demonstrate for particles with a size difference down to 80 nm. In addition to the concept for particle separation, a model considering the main flow, the secondary flow and a simplified expression for the lift force in HARC microchannels was developed and proven accurate for the prediction of the performance of the systems. The concept was also demonstrated experimentally with three different sub-micron particles (0.79, 0.92 and 1.0 µm in diameter) in silicon-glass microchannels, where the resolution in the separation could be modulated by the radius of the channel. With the capacity to focus sub-micron particles and to separate them with high resolution, we believe that inertial focusing in HARC systems is a technology with the potential to facilitate the analysis of complex fluid samples containing bioparticles like bacteria, viruses or eukaryotic organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Cruz
- Division of Microsystems Technology, Uppsala University, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Klas Hjort
- Division of Microsystems Technology, Uppsala University, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala, Sweden
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26
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Tay HM, Leong SY, Xu X, Kong F, Upadya M, Dalan R, Tay CY, Dao M, Suresh S, Hou HW. Direct isolation of circulating extracellular vesicles from blood for vascular risk profiling in type 2 diabetes mellitus. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2511-2523. [PMID: 34042931 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00333j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key mediators of communication among cells, and clinical utilities of EVs-based biomarkers remain limited due to difficulties in isolating EVs from whole blood reliably. We report a novel inertial-based microfluidic platform for direct isolation of nanoscale EVs (exosomes, 50 to 200 nm) and medium-sized EVs (microvesicles, 200 nm to 1 μm) from blood with high efficiency (three-fold increase in EV yield compared to ultracentrifugation). In a pilot clinical study of healthy (n = 5) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, n = 9) subjects, we detected higher EV levels in T2DM patients (P < 0.05), and identified a subset of "high-risk" T2DM subjects with abnormally high (∼10-fold to 50-fold) amounts of platelet (CD41a+) or leukocyte-derived (CD45+) EVs. Our in vitro endothelial cell assay further revealed that EVs from "high-risk" T2DM subjects induced significantly higher vascular inflammation (ICAM-1 expression) (P < 0.05) as compared to healthy and non-"high-risk" T2DM subjects, reflecting a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Overall, the EV isolation tool is scalable, and requires less manual labour, cost and processing time. This enables further development of EV-based diagnostics, whereby a combined immunological and functional phenotyping strategy can potentially be used for rapid vascular risk stratification in T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Min Tay
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block N3, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Sheng Yuan Leong
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block N3, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Xiaohan Xu
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block N3, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Fang Kong
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - Megha Upadya
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - Rinkoo Dalan
- Endocrine and Diabetes, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, 308433, Singapore and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Clinical Sciences Building, 308232, Singapore
| | - Chor Yong Tay
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block N4.1, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Ming Dao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore and Department of Material Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 182 Memorial Dr, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Subra Suresh
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block N4.1, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Han Wei Hou
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block N3, 639798, Singapore. and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Clinical Sciences Building, 308232, Singapore
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27
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Rodriguez-Mateos P, Ngamsom B, Dyer CE, Iles A, Pamme N. Inertial focusing of microparticles, bacteria, and blood in serpentine glass channels. Electrophoresis 2021; 42:2246-2255. [PMID: 34031893 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Early detection of pathogenic microorganisms is pivotal to diagnosis and prevention of health and safety crises. Standard methods for pathogen detection often rely on lengthy culturing procedures, confirmed by biochemical assays, leading to >24 h for a diagnosis. The main challenge for pathogen detection is their low concentration within complex matrices. Detection of blood-borne pathogens via techniques such as PCR requires an initial positive blood culture and removal of inhibitory blood components, reducing its potential as a diagnostic tool. Among different label-free microfluidic techniques, inertial focusing on microscale channels holds great promise for automation, parallelization, and passive continuous separation of particles and cells. This work presents inertial microfluidic manipulation of small particles and cells (1-10 μm) in curved serpentine glass channels etched at different depths (deep and shallow designs) that can be exploited for (1) bacteria preconcentration from biological samples and (2) bacteria-blood cell separation. In our shallow device, the ability to focus Escherichia coli into the channel side streams with high recovery (89% at 2.2× preconcentration factor) could be applied for bacteria preconcentration in urine for diagnosis of urinary tract infections. Relying on differential equilibrium positions of red blood cells and E. coli inside the deep device, 97% red blood cells were depleted from 1:50 diluted blood with 54% E. coli recovered at a throughput of 0.7 mL/min. Parallelization of such devices could process relevant volumes of 7 mL whole blood in 10 min, allowing faster sample preparation for downstream molecular diagnostics of bacteria present in bloodstream.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bongkot Ngamsom
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | | | - Alexander Iles
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Nicole Pamme
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Hull, Hull, UK
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28
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Xia HM, Wu JW, Zheng JJ, Zhang J, Wang ZP. Nonlinear microfluidics: device physics, functions, and applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:1241-1268. [PMID: 33877234 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01120g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The microfluidic flow is typically laminar due to the dominant viscous effects. At Reynolds numbers far below 1 (Re ≪ 1), the fluid inertia can be neglected. For the steady flow of incompressible Newtonian fluids, it approaches linear Stokes flow. At intermediate Re, there exists a weak-inertia flow regime where secondary flows such as Dean vortices are accessible for microfluidic manipulations. Apart from the fluid inertia, other nonlinear factors such as the non-Newtonian fluid properties, concurrent flow of dissimilar fluids, compliant fluidic structures and stimuli-responsive materials can also cause intriguing flow behaviours. Through proper designs, they can be applied for a variety of microfluidic components including mixers, valves, oscillators, stabilizers and auto-regulators etc., greatly enriching the microfluidic flow control and manipulation strategies. Due to its unique working characteristics and advantages, nonlinear microfluidics has increasingly attracted extensive attention. This review presents a systematic survey on this subject. The designs of typical nonlinear microfluidic devices, their working mechanisms, key applications, and the perspective of their future developments will be discussed. The nonlinear microfluidic techniques are believed to play an essential role in the next generation of highly-integrated, automated, and intelligent microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- H M Xia
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, P. R. China.
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The upper limit and lift force within inertial focusing in high aspect ratio curved microfluidics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6473. [PMID: 33742075 PMCID: PMC7979744 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85910-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics exploiting the phenomenon of inertial focusing have attracted much attention in the last decade as they provide the means to facilitate the detection and analysis of rare particles of interest in complex fluids such as blood and natural water. Although many interesting applications have been demonstrated, the systems remain difficult to engineer. A recently presented line of the technology, inertial focusing in High Aspect Ratio Curved microfluidics, has the potential to change this and make the benefits of inertial focusing more accessible to the community. In this paper, with experimental evidence and fluid simulations, we provide the two necessary equations to design the systems and successfully focus the targets in a single, stable, and high-quality position. The experiments also revealed an interesting scaling law of the lift force, which we believe provides a valuable insight into the phenomenon of inertial focusing.
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Malik DJ. Approaches for manufacture, formulation, targeted delivery and controlled release of phage-based therapeutics. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 68:262-271. [PMID: 33744823 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A future successful bacteriophage industry requires development of robust scalable manufacturing platforms for upstream production of high phage titres and their downstream purification and concentration whilst achieving processing yields en route. Development of a broadly applicable process flow sheet employing well-characterised unit operations with knowledge of their critical process parameters is beginning to emerge. A quality-by-design approach is advocated for the development of cost-effective phage production platforms. The use of on-line and at-line process analytical tools for process monitoring, control and quality assurance are discussed. Phage biophysical characterisation tools allowing rational development of liquid formulations and dry powder forms are presented. Recent innovations in phage encapsulation methods highlight the potential innovation opportunities in this research space that could have significant impact on the future prospects of this industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danish J Malik
- Chemical Engineering Department, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom.
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31
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Hur J, Park I, Lim KM, Doh J, Cho SG, Chung AJ. Microfluidic Cell Stretching for Highly Effective Gene Delivery into Hard-to-Transfect Primary Cells. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15094-15106. [PMID: 33034446 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Cell therapy and cellular engineering begin with internalizing synthetic biomolecules and functional nanomaterials into primary cells. Conventionally, electroporation, lipofection, or viral transduction has been used; however, these are limited by their cytotoxicity, low scalability, cost, and/or preparation complexity, especially in primary cells. Thus, a universal intracellular delivery method that outperforms the existing methods must be established. Here, we present a versatile intracellular delivery platform that leverages intrinsic inertial flow developed in a T-junction microchannel with a cavity. The elongational recirculating flows exerted in the channel substantially stretch the cells, creating discontinuities on cell membranes, thereby enabling highly effective internalization of nanomaterials, such as plasmid DNA (7.9 kbp), mRNA, siRNA, quantum dots, and large nanoparticles (300 nm), into different cell types, including hard-to-transfect primary stem and immune cells. We identified that the internalization mechanism of external cargos during the cell elongation-restoration process is achieved by both passive diffusion and convection-based rapid solution exchange across the cell membrane. Using fluidic cell mechanoporation, we demonstrated a transfection yield superior to that of other state-of-the-art microfluidic platforms as well as current benchtop techniques, including lipofectamine and electroporation. In summary, the intracellular delivery platform developed in the present study enables a high delivery efficiency (up to 98%), easy operation (single-step), low material cost (<$1), high scalability (1 × 106 cells/min), minimal cell perturbation (up to 90%), and cell type/cargo insensitive delivery, providing a practical and robust approach anticipated to critically impact cell-based research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongsoo Hur
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Inae Park
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering (I-Bio), Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Min Lim
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology and Incurable Disease Animal Model and Stem Cell Institute (IDASI), Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Junsang Doh
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Ssang-Goo Cho
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology and Incurable Disease Animal Model and Stem Cell Institute (IDASI), Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram J Chung
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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Tang W, Zhu S, Jiang D, Zhu L, Yang J, Xiang N. Channel innovations for inertial microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:3485-3502. [PMID: 32910129 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00714e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Inertial microfluidics has gained significant attention since first being proposed in 2007 owing to the advantages of simplicity, high throughput, precise manipulation, and freedom from an external field. Superior performance in particle focusing, filtering, concentrating, and separating has been demonstrated. As a passive technology, inertial microfluidics technology relies on the unconventional use of fluid inertia in an intermediate Reynolds number range to induce inertial migration and secondary flow, which depend directly on the channel structure, leading to particle migration to the lateral equilibrium position or trapping in a specific cavity. With the advances in micromachining technology, many channel structures have been designed and fabricated in the past decade to explore the fundamentals and applications of inertial microfluidics. However, the channel innovations for inertial microfluidics have not been discussed comprehensively. In this review, the inertial particle manipulations and underlying physics in conventional channels, including straight, spiral, sinusoidal, and expansion-contraction channels, are briefly described. Then, recent innovations in channel structure for inertial microfluidics, especially channel pattern modification and unconventional cross-sectional shape, are reviewed. Finally, the prospects for future channel innovations in inertial microfluidic chips are also discussed. The purpose of this review is to provide guidance for the continued study of innovative channel designs to improve further the accuracy and throughput of inertial microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlai Tang
- School of Electrical and Automation Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Equipment and Manufacturing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Guzniczak E, Krüger T, Bridle H, Jimenez M. Limitation of spiral microchannels for particle separation in heterogeneous mixtures: Impact of particles' size and deformability. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:044113. [PMID: 32831986 PMCID: PMC7419160 DOI: 10.1063/5.0009673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Spiral microchannels have shown promising results for separation applications. Hydrodynamic particle-particle interactions are a known factor strongly influencing focusing behaviors in inertial devices, with recent work highlighting how the performance of bidisperse mixtures is altered when compared with pure components in square channels. This phenomenon has not been previously investigated in detail for spiral channels. Here, we demonstrate that, in spiral channels, both the proportion and deformability of larger particles (13 μm diameter) impact upon the recovery (up to 47% decrease) of small rigid particles (4 μm). The effect, observed at low concentrations (volume fraction <0.0012), is attributed to the hydrodynamic capture of beads by larger cells. These changes in particles focusing behavior directly impede the efficiency of the separation-diverting beads from locations expected from measurements with pure populations to co-collection with larger cells-and could hamper deployment of technology for certain applications. Similar focusing behavior alterations were noted when working with purification of stem cell end products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Guzniczak
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, Scotland
| | - Timm Krüger
- School of Engineering, Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, Scotland
| | - Helen Bridle
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, Scotland
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
| | - Melanie Jimenez
- Biomedical Engineering Division, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, United Kingdom
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A Review of Secondary Flow in Inertial Microfluidics. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11050461. [PMID: 32354106 PMCID: PMC7280964 DOI: 10.3390/mi11050461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Inertial microfluidic technology, which can manipulate the target particle entirely relying on the microchannel characteristic geometry and intrinsic hydrodynamic effect, has attracted great attention due to its fascinating advantages of high throughput, simplicity, high resolution and low cost. As a passive microfluidic technology, inertial microfluidics can precisely focus, separate, mix or trap target particles in a continuous and high-flow-speed manner without any extra external force field. Therefore, it is promising and has great potential for a wide range of industrial, biomedical and clinical applications. In the regime of inertial microfluidics, particle migration due to inertial effects forms multiple equilibrium positions in straight channels. However, this is not promising for particle detection and separation. Secondary flow, which is a relatively minor flow perpendicular to the primary flow, may reduce the number of equilibrium positions as well as modify the location of particles focusing within channel cross sections by applying an additional hydrodynamic drag. For secondary flow, the pattern and magnitude can be controlled by the well-designed channel structure, such as curvature or disturbance obstacle. The magnitude and form of generated secondary flow are greatly dependent on the disturbing microstructure. Therefore, many inventive and delicate applications of secondary flow in inertial microfluidics have been reported. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the usage of the secondary flow in inertial microfluidics.
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Kang G, Carlson DW, Kang TH, Lee S, Haward SJ, Choi I, Shen AQ, Chung AJ. Intracellular Nanomaterial Delivery via Spiral Hydroporation. ACS NANO 2020; 14:3048-3058. [PMID: 32069037 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b07930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In recent nanobiotechnology developments, a wide variety of functional nanomaterials and engineered biomolecules have been created, and these have numerous applications in cell biology. For these nanomaterials to fulfill their promises completely, they must be able to reach their biological targets at the subcellular level and with a high level of specificity. Traditionally, either nanocarrier- or membrane disruption-based method has been used to deliver nanomaterials inside cells; however, these methods are suboptimal due to their toxicity, inconsistent delivery, and low throughput, and they are also labor intensive and time-consuming, highlighting the need for development of a next-generation, intracellular delivery system. This study reports on the development of an intracellular nanomaterial delivery platform, based on unexpected cell-deformation phenomena via spiral vortex and vortex breakdown exerted in the cross- and T-junctions at moderate Reynolds numbers. These vortex-induced cell deformation and sequential restoration processes open cell membranes transiently, allowing effective and robust intracellular delivery of nanomaterials in a single step without the aid of carriers or external apparatus. By using the platform described here (termed spiral hydroporator), we demonstrate the delivery of different nanomaterials, including gold nanoparticles (200 nm diameter), functional mesoporous silica nanoparticles (150 nm diameter), dextran (hydrodynamic diameters between 2-55 nm), and mRNA, into different cell types. We demonstrate here that the system is highly efficient (up to 96.5%) with high throughput (up to 1 × 106 cells/min) and rapid delivery (∼1 min) while maintaining high levels of cell viability (up to 94%).
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Affiliation(s)
- GeoumYoung Kang
- Department of Bio-convergence Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Daniel W Carlson
- Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Tae Ho Kang
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungki Lee
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Simon J Haward
- Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Inhee Choi
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Amy Q Shen
- Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Aram J Chung
- Department of Bio-convergence Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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36
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Hydrophoresis — A Microfluidic Principle for Directed Particle Migration in Flow. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13206-020-4107-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Kang JH. Multiscale Biofluidic and Nanobiotechnology Approaches for Treating Sepsis in Extracorporeal Circuits. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2020; 14:63-71. [PMID: 32218896 PMCID: PMC7095347 DOI: 10.1007/s13206-020-4106-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Infectious diseases and their pandemics periodically attract public interests due to difficulty in treating the patients and the consequent high mortality. Sepsis caused by an imbalanced systemic inflammatory response to infection often leads to organ failure and death. The current therapeutic intervention mainly includes “the sepsis bundles,” antibiotics (antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal), intravenous fluids for resuscitation, and surgery, which have significantly improved the clinical outcomes in past decades; however, the patients with fulminant sepsis are still in desperate need of alternative therapeutic approaches. One of the potential supportive therapies, extracorporeal blood treatment, has emerged and been developed for improving the current therapeutic efficacy. Here, I overview how the treatment of infectious diseases has been assisted with the extracorporeal adjuvant therapy and the potential utility of various nanobiotechnology and microfluidic approaches for developing new auxiliary therapeutic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo H Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919 Republic of Korea
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38
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Lombodorj B, Tseng HC, Chang HY, Lu YW, Tumurpurev N, Lee CW, Ganbat B, Wu RG, Tseng FG. High-Throughput White Blood Cell (Leukocyte) Enrichment from Whole Blood Using Hydrodynamic and Inertial Forces. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11030275. [PMID: 32155862 PMCID: PMC7143169 DOI: 10.3390/mi11030275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
A microfluidic chip, which can separate and enrich leukocytes from whole blood, is proposed. The chip has 10 switchback curve channels, which are connected by straight channels. The straight channels are designed to permit the inertial migration effect and to concentrate the blood cells, while the curve channels allow the Dean flow to further classify the blood cells based on the cell sizes. Hydrodynamic suction is also utilized to remove smaller blood cells (e.g., red blood cell (RBC)) in the curve channels for higher separation purity. By employing the inertial migration, Dean flow force, and hydrodynamic suction in a continuous flow system, our chip successfully separates large white blood cells (WBCs) from the whole blood with the processing rates as high as 1 × 108 cells/sec at a high recovery rate at 93.2% and very few RBCs (~0.1%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Batzorig Lombodorj
- School of Information and Communication Technology, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar 14191, Mongolia;
- Department of Engineering and System Science, Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; (H.C.T.); (C.-W.L.)
| | - Horas Cendana Tseng
- Department of Engineering and System Science, Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; (H.C.T.); (C.-W.L.)
| | - Hwan-You Chang
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan;
| | - Yen-Wen Lu
- Department of Biomechatronics Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-W.L.); (R.-G.W.); (F.-G.T.)
| | - Namnan Tumurpurev
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar 14191, Mongolia;
| | - Chun-Wei Lee
- Department of Engineering and System Science, Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; (H.C.T.); (C.-W.L.)
| | - Batdemberel Ganbat
- Department of Physics, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar 14191, Mongolia;
| | - Ren-Guei Wu
- Department of Engineering and System Science, Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; (H.C.T.); (C.-W.L.)
- Correspondence: (Y.-W.L.); (R.-G.W.); (F.-G.T.)
| | - Fan-Gang Tseng
- Department of Engineering and System Science, Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan; (H.C.T.); (C.-W.L.)
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-W.L.); (R.-G.W.); (F.-G.T.)
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Ahmed H, Ramesan S, Lee L, Rezk AR, Yeo LY. On-Chip Generation of Vortical Flows for Microfluidic Centrifugation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1903605. [PMID: 31535785 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201903605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Microcentrifugation constitutes an important part of the microfluidic toolkit in a similar way that centrifugation is crucial to many macroscopic procedures, given that micromixing, sample preconcentration, particle separation, component fractionation, and cell agglomeration are essential operations in small scale processes. Yet, the dominance of capillary and viscous effects, which typically tend to retard flow, over inertial and gravitational forces, which are often useful for actuating flows and hence centrifugation, at microscopic scales makes it difficult to generate rotational flows at these dimensions, let alone with sufficient vorticity to support efficient mixing, separation, concentration, or aggregation. Herein, the various technologies-both passive and active-that have been developed to date for vortex generation in microfluidic devices are reviewed. Various advantages or limitations associated with each are outlined, in addition to highlighting the challenges that need to be overcome for their incorporation into integrated microfluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heba Ahmed
- Micro/Nanophysics Research Laboratory, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Shwathy Ramesan
- Micro/Nanophysics Research Laboratory, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Lillian Lee
- Micro/Nanophysics Research Laboratory, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Amgad R Rezk
- Micro/Nanophysics Research Laboratory, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Leslie Y Yeo
- Micro/Nanophysics Research Laboratory, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
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Kim JA, Kommajosula A, Choi YH, Lee JR, Jeon EC, Ganapathysubramanian B, Lee W. Inertial focusing in triangular microchannels with various apex angles. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2020; 14:024105. [PMID: 32231759 PMCID: PMC7093208 DOI: 10.1063/1.5133640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
We consider inertial focusing of particles in channels with triangular cross sections. The number and the location of inertial focusing positions in isosceles triangular channels can change with varying blockage ratios (a/H) and Reynolds numbers (Re). In triangular channels, asymmetric velocity gradient induced by the sloped sidewalls leads to changes in the direction and the strength of the inertial lift forces. Therefore, varying the configuration (specifically, angle) of the triangular cross section is expected to lead to a better understanding of the nature of the inertial lift forces. We fabricated triangular microchannels with various apex angles using channel molds that were shaped by a planing process, which provides precise apex angles and sharp corners. The focusing position shift was found to be affected by the channel cross section, as expected. It was determined that the direction of the focusing position shift can be reversed depending on whether the vertex is acute or obtuse. More interestingly, corner focusing modes and splitting of the corner focusing were observed with increasing Re, which could explain the origin of the inertial focusing position changes in triangular channels. We conducted fluid dynamic simulations to create force maps under various conditions. These force maps were analyzed to identify the basins of attraction of various attractors and pinpoint focusing locations using linear stability analysis. Calculating the relative sizes of the basins of attractions and exhaustively identifying the focusing positions, which are very difficult to investigate experimentally, provided us a better understanding of trends in the focusing mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-ah Kim
- Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Aditya Kommajosula
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University (ISU), Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
| | - Yo-han Choi
- Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Je-Ryung Lee
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong 30019, South Korea
| | - Eun-chae Jeon
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610, South Korea
| | | | - Wonhee Lee
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
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Fallahi H, Zhang J, Phan HP, Nguyen NT. Flexible Microfluidics: Fundamentals, Recent Developments, and Applications. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:E830. [PMID: 31795397 PMCID: PMC6953028 DOI: 10.3390/mi10120830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Miniaturization has been the driving force of scientific and technological advances over recent decades. Recently, flexibility has gained significant interest, particularly in miniaturization approaches for biomedical devices, wearable sensing technologies, and drug delivery. Flexible microfluidics is an emerging area that impacts upon a range of research areas including chemistry, electronics, biology, and medicine. Various materials with flexibility and stretchability have been used in flexible microfluidics. Flexible microchannels allow for strong fluid-structure interactions. Thus, they behave in a different way from rigid microchannels with fluid passing through them. This unique behaviour introduces new characteristics that can be deployed in microfluidic applications and functions such as valving, pumping, mixing, and separation. To date, a specialised review of flexible microfluidics that considers both the fundamentals and applications is missing in the literature. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary including: (i) Materials used for fabrication of flexible microfluidics, (ii) basics and roles of flexibility on microfluidic functions, (iii) applications of flexible microfluidics in wearable electronics and biology, and (iv) future perspectives of flexible microfluidics. The review provides researchers and engineers with an extensive and updated understanding of the principles and applications of flexible microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia; (H.F.); (J.Z.); (H.-P.P.)
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42
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Kizer ME, Deng Y, Kang G, Mikael PE, Wang X, Chung AJ. Hydroporator: a hydrodynamic cell membrane perforator for high-throughput vector-free nanomaterial intracellular delivery and DNA origami biostability evaluation. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:1747-1754. [PMID: 30964485 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00041k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The successful intracellular delivery of exogenous macromolecules is crucial for a variety of applications ranging from basic biology to the clinic. However, traditional intracellular delivery methods such as those relying on viral/non-viral nanocarriers or physical membrane disruptions suffer from low throughput, toxicity, and inconsistent delivery performance and are time-consuming and/or labor-intensive. In this study, we developed a single-step hydrodynamic cell deformation-induced intracellular delivery platform named "hydroporator" without the aid of vectors or a complicated/costly external apparatus. By utilizing only fluid inertia, the platform focuses, guides, and stretches cells robustly without clogging. This rapid hydrodynamic cell deformation leads to both convective and diffusive delivery of external (macro)molecules into the cell through transient plasma membrane discontinuities. Using this hydroporation approach, highly efficient (∼90%), high-throughput (>1 600 000 cells per min), and rapid delivery (∼1 min) of different (macro)molecules into a wide range of cell types was achieved while maintaining high cell viability. Taking advantage of the ability of this platform to rapidly deliver large molecules, we also systematically investigated the temporal biostability of vanilla DNA origami nanostructures in living cells for the first time. Experiments using two DNA origami (tube- and donut-shaped) nanostructures revealed that these nanostructures can maintain their structural integrity in living cells for approximately 1 h after delivery, providing new opportunities for the rapid characterization of intracellular DNA biostability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Kizer
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Centre for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY 12180, USA.
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