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Xie Y, Li Y, Lin H, Wang X, Liao W, Liu Z, Lin L. Real-Time pH Sensor in Bacterial Microenvironments Using Liquid Crystal Core-Shell Microspheres. Anal Chem 2024; 96:11472-11478. [PMID: 38957093 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c02040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
It is well-known that the bacterial microenvironment imposes restrictions on the growth and behavior of bacteria. The localized monitoring of microenvironmental factors is appreciated when consulting bacterial adaptation and behavior in the presence of chemical or mechanical stimuli. Herein, we developed a novel liquid crystal (LC) biosensor in a microsphere configuration for real-time 3D monitoring of the bacteria microenvironment, which was implemented by a microfluidic chip. As a proof of concept, a LC gel (LC-Gel) microsphere biosensor was prepared and employed in the localized pH changes of bacteria by observing the configuration change of LC under polarized optical microscopy. Briefly, the microsphere biosensor was constructed in core-shell configuration, wherein the core contained LCE7 (a nematic LC) doped with 4-pentylbiphenyl-4'-carboxylic acid (PBA), and the shell encapsulated the bacteria. The protonation of carboxyl functional groups of the PBA induced a change in charge density on the surface of LCE7 and the orientation of E7 molecules, resulting in the transitions of the LC nucleus from axial to bipolar. The developed LC-Gel microspheres pH sensor exhibited its dominant performance on localized pH real-time sensing with a resolution of 0.1. An intriguing observation from the prepared pH biosensor was that the diverse bacteria impelled distinct acidifying or alkalizing effects. Overall, the facile LC-Gel microsphere biosensor not only provides a versatile tool for label-free, localized pH monitoring but also opens avenues for investigating the effects of chemical and mechanical stimuli on cellular metabolism within bacterial microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoshuang Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Department of Bioengineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yuxuan Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Haifeng Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Department of Bioengineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Xiaorui Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Department of Bioengineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Wenjun Liao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Department of Bioengineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Zeyang Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Ling Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health, Department of Bioengineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
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Bao P, Phillips K, Raval R. Membrane Proteins in Action Monitored by pH-Responsive Liquid Crystal Biosensors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:31843-31850. [PMID: 38841859 PMCID: PMC11194810 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c06614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Liquid crystal (LC) biosensors have received significant attention for their potential applications for point-of-care devices due to their sensitivity, low cost, and easy read-out. They have been employed to detect a wide range of important biological molecules. However, detecting the function of membrane proteins has been extremely challenging due to the difficulty of integrating membrane proteins, lipid membranes, and LCs into one system. In this study, we addressed this challenge by monitoring the proton-pumping function of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) using a pH-sensitive LC thin film biosensor. To achieve this, we deposited purple membranes (PMs) containing a 2D crystal form of bRs onto an LC-aqueous interface. Under light, the PM patches changed the local pH at the LC-aqueous interface, causing a color change in the LC thin film that is observable through a polarizing microscope with crossed polarizers. These findings open up new opportunities to study the biofunctions of membrane proteins and their induced local environmental changes in a solution using LC biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Bao
- Open Innovation
Hub for Antimicrobial
Surfaces, Surface Science Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, U.K.
| | - Kyle Phillips
- Open Innovation
Hub for Antimicrobial
Surfaces, Surface Science Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, U.K.
| | - Rasmita Raval
- Open Innovation
Hub for Antimicrobial
Surfaces, Surface Science Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, U.K.
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Chen S, Wu Z, Zhang Q, Li Y, Yao H, Chen S, Xie T, Lin JM. Gravity-Oriented Microfluidic Device for Biocompatible End-to-End Fabrication of Cell-Laden Microgels. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2306725. [PMID: 38287726 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Droplet microfluidics are extensively utilized to generate monodisperse cell-laden microgels in biomedical applications. However, maintaining cell viability is still challenging due to overexposure to harsh conditions in subsequent procedures that recover the microgels from the oil phase. Here, a gravity-oriented microfluidic device for end-to-end fabrication of cell-laden microgels is reported, which integrates dispersion, gelation, and extraction into a continuous workflow. This innovative on-chip extraction, driven by native buoyancy and kinetically facilitated by pseudosurfactant, exhibits 100% retrieval efficiency for microgels with a wide range of sizes and stiffnesses. The viability of encapsulated cells is perfectly maintained at ≈98% with minimal variations within and between batches. The end-to-end fabrication remarkably enhances the biocompatibility and practicality of microfluidics-based cell encapsulation and is promising to be compatible with various applications ranging from single-cell analysis to clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulang Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zengnan Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuxuan Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Hongren Yao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Shiyu Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Tianze Xie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jin-Ming Lin
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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Bezrukov A, Galeeva A, Krupin A, Galyametdinov Y. Molecular Orientation Behavior of Lyotropic Liquid Crystal-Carbon Dot Hybrids in Microfluidic Confinement. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5520. [PMID: 38791556 PMCID: PMC11122583 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Lyotropic liquid crystals represent an important class of anisotropic colloid systems. Their integration with optically active nanoparticles can provide us with responsive luminescent media that offer new fundamental and applied solutions for biomedicine. This paper analyzes the molecular-level behavior of such composites represented by tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether and nanoscale carbon dots in microfluidic channels. Microfluidic confinement allows for simultaneously applying multiple factors, such as flow dynamics, wall effects, and temperature, for the precise control of the molecular arrangement in such composites and their resulting optical properties. The microfluidic behavior of composites was characterized by a set of analytical and modeling tools such as polarized and fluorescent microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and fluorescent spectroscopy, as well as image processing in Matlab. The composites were shown to form tunable anisotropic intermolecular structures in microchannels with several levels of molecular ordering. A predominant lamellar structure of the composites was found to undergo additional ordering with respect to the microchannel axis and walls. Such an alignment was controlled by applying shear and temperature factors to the microfluidic environment. The revealed molecular behavior of the composite may contribute to the synthesis of hybrid organized media capable of polarized luminescence for on-chip diagnostics and biomimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Bezrukov
- Department of Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Kazan National Research Technological University, 68 Karl Marx Str., 420015 Kazan, Russia; (A.G.); (A.K.); (Y.G.)
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Zhang Y, Yang H, Chen Y, Yu H. Progress in Fabrication and Applications of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Microcapsules. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303198. [PMID: 37971158 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystals (LCs) are well known for inherent responsiveness to external stimuli, such as light, thermal, magnetic, and electric fields. Cholesteric LCs are among the most fascinating, since they possess distinctive optical properties due to the helical molecular orientation. However, the good flow, easy contamination, and poor stability of small-molecule LCs limit their further applications, and microencapsulation as one of the most effective tools can evade these disadvantages. Microencapsulation can offer shell-core structure with LCs in the core can strengthen their stability, avoiding interference with the environment while maintaining the stimuli-responsiveness and optical properties. Here, we report recent progress in the fabrication and applications of cholesteric LC microcapsules (CLCMCs). We summarize general properties and basic principles, fabrication methods including interfacial polymerization, in-situ polymerization, complex coacervation, solvent evaporation, microfluidic and polymerization of reactive mesogens, and then give a comprehensive overview of their applications in various popular domains, including smart fabrics, smart sensor, smart displays, anti-counterfeiting, information encryption, biomedicine and actuators. Finally, we discuss the currently facing challenges and the potential development directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Zhang
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100020, Beijing, China
| | - Haixiao Yang
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100020, Beijing, China
| | - Yinjie Chen
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Printed Electronics, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, 102600, Beijing, China
| | - Haifeng Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering and, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and, Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China
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Sheng L, Song X, Wang M, Zheng S. Thermally reversible hydrogels printing of customizable bio-channels with curvature. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 257:128595. [PMID: 38056748 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Replicating intricate bio-channels, akin to expansive vascular networks, offers numerous advantages including self-repair, replacing damaged bio-channels, testing drugs, and biomedical devices. But, crafting multi-sized, editable bio-channels with specific curvatures, particularly using natural polymer-based bio-inks, poses a significant challenge. To address this, this study introduces a temperature-driven indirect printing method, exemplified by the diploic vein. Here, K-carrageenan (kca)-silk fiber (SF)-hyaluronic acid (HA)/hFOB 1.19 (SV40 transfection of human osteoblasts) and kca-collagen-HA/HUVECs (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) are employed to fabricate vascular-like walls and lumens, utilizing their thermoreversible properties to create multi-stage bifurcated lumens. Precise spatial curvature was generated by heating the vascular network wrapped in poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA). Since temperature is specific to the thermal material carrying the cells, the rheological properties of bioinks, modeling temperature parameters, and their impact on printing size was explored. Additionally, mechanical properties and curvature response were characterized to determine the necessary process parameters for achieving the desired size. Ultimately, in vitro bioprinting experiments involving HUVECs and hFOB 1.19 demonstrate cell viability, adhesion, proliferation, and migration within the intraluminal hydrogel scaffold. This approach allows for customizing bio-channel content and controlling curvature programming, providing new prospects for in vitro biochannel production, with potential benefits for pathology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Sheng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Equipment Design and Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China
| | - Xiaofei Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Equipment Design and Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China
| | - Miaomiao Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Equipment Design and Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China
| | - Shuxian Zheng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Equipment Design and Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China.
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Bezrukov A, Galyametdinov Y. Tuning Molecular Orientation Responses of Microfluidic Liquid Crystal Dispersions to Colloid and Polymer Flows. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13555. [PMID: 37686359 PMCID: PMC10488184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
An important approach to molecular diagnostics is integrating organized substances that provide complex molecular level responses to introduced chemical and biological agents with conditions that optimize and distinguish such responses. In this respect, liquid crystal dispersions are attractive components of molecular diagnostic tools. This paper analyzes a colloid system, containing a nematic liquid crystal as a dispersed phase, and aqueous surfactant and polymer solutions as the continuous phases. We applied a microfluidic approach for tuning orientation of liquid crystal molecules in picoliter droplets immobilized on microchannel walls. Introduction of surfactant to the aqueous phase was found to proportionally increase the order parameter of liquid crystal molecules in microdroplets. Infusion of polymer solutions into surfactant-mediated microfluidic liquid crystal dispersions increased the order parameter at much lower surfactant concentrations, while further infusion of surfactant solutions randomized the orientation of liquid crystal molecules. These effects were correlated with the adsorption of surfactant molecules on surfaces of microdroplets, stabilizing the effect of a polymer matrix on bound surfactant ions and the formation of insoluble polymer-colloid aggregates, respectively. The revealed molecular behavior of liquid crystal dispersions may contribute to optimized synthesis of responsive liquid crystal dispersions for in-flow molecular diagnostics of polymers and colloids, and the development of functional laboratory-on-chip prototypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Bezrukov
- Department of Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Kazan National Research Technological University, 68 Karl Marx Str., Kazan 420015, Russia;
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