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Yun HG, Cadierno YA, Kim TW, Muñoz-Barrutia A, Garica-Gonzalez D, Choi S. Computational Hyperspectral Microflow Cytometry. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2400019. [PMID: 38770741 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400019] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Miniaturized flow cytometry has significant potential for portable applications, such as cell-based diagnostics and the monitoring of therapeutic cell manufacturing, however, the performance of current techniques is often limited by the inability to resolve spectrally-overlapping fluorescence labels. Here, the study presents a computational hyperspectral microflow cytometer (CHC) that enables accurate discrimination of spectrally-overlapping fluorophores labeling single cells. CHC employs a dispersive optical element and an optimization algorithm to detect the full fluorescence emission spectrum from flowing cells, with a high spectral resolution of ≈3 nm in the range from 450 to 650 nm. CHC also includes a dedicated microfluidic device that ensures in-focus imaging through viscoelastic sheathless focusing, thereby enhancing the accuracy and reliability of microflow cytometry analysis. The potential of CHC for analyzing T lymphocyte subpopulations and monitoring changes in cell composition during T cell expansion is demonstrated. Overall, CHC represents a major breakthrough in microflow cytometry and can facilitate its use for immune cell monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Geun Yun
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoel Alonso Cadierno
- Bioengineering Department, Universidad Carlos III De Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, Leganés, Madrid, 28911, Spain
| | - Tae Won Kim
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Arrate Muñoz-Barrutia
- Bioengineering Department, Universidad Carlos III De Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, Leganés, Madrid, 28911, Spain
| | - Daniel Garica-Gonzalez
- Department of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, Universidad Carlos III De Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, Leganés, Madrid, 28911, Spain
| | - Sungyoung Choi
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
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2
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Tanriverdi S, Cruz J, Habibi S, Amini K, Costa M, Lundell F, Mårtensson G, Brandt L, Tammisola O, Russom A. Elasto-inertial focusing and particle migration in high aspect ratio microchannels for high-throughput separation. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2024; 10:87. [PMID: 38919163 PMCID: PMC11196675 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-024-00724-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
The combination of flow elasticity and inertia has emerged as a viable tool for focusing and manipulating particles using microfluidics. Although there is considerable interest in the field of elasto-inertial microfluidics owing to its potential applications, research on particle focusing has been mostly limited to low Reynolds numbers (Re<1), and particle migration toward equilibrium positions has not been extensively examined. In this work, we thoroughly studied particle focusing on the dynamic range of flow rates and particle migration using straight microchannels with a single inlet high aspect ratio. We initially explored several parameters that had an impact on particle focusing, such as the particle size, channel dimensions, concentration of viscoelastic fluid, and flow rate. Our experimental work covered a wide range of dimensionless numbers (0.05 < Reynolds number < 85, 1.5 < Weissenberg number < 3800, 5 < Elasticity number < 470) using 3, 5, 7, and 10 µm particles. Our results showed that the particle size played a dominant role, and by tuning the parameters, particle focusing could be achieved at Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.2 (1 µL/min) to 85 (250 µL/min). Furthermore, we numerically and experimentally studied particle migration and reported differential particle migration for high-resolution separations of 5 µm, 7 µm and 10 µm particles in a sheathless flow at a throughput of 150 µL/min. Our work elucidates the complex particle transport in elasto-inertial flows and has great potential for the development of high-throughput and high-resolution particle separation for biomedical and environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selim Tanriverdi
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, 171 65 Sweden
| | - Javier Cruz
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, 171 65 Sweden
- Division of Microsystems Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 752 37 Sweden
| | - Shahriar Habibi
- FLOW and SeRC (Swedish e-Science Research Centre), Department of Engineering Mechanics, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE 100 44 Sweden
| | - Kasra Amini
- FLOW and Fluid Physics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martim Costa
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, 171 65 Sweden
| | - Fredrik Lundell
- FLOW and Fluid Physics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE 100 44 Sweden
| | - Gustaf Mårtensson
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, 171 65 Sweden
| | - Luca Brandt
- FLOW and SeRC (Swedish e-Science Research Centre), Department of Engineering Mechanics, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE 100 44 Sweden
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Outi Tammisola
- FLOW and SeRC (Swedish e-Science Research Centre), Department of Engineering Mechanics, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE 100 44 Sweden
| | - Aman Russom
- Division of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Protein Science, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, 171 65 Sweden
- AIMES Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences at Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Jeon H, Lee SH, Shin J, Song K, Ahn N, Park J. Elasto-inertial microfluidic separation of microspheres with submicron resolution at high-throughput. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2024; 10:15. [PMID: 38264707 PMCID: PMC10803301 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00633-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Elasto-inertial microfluidic separation offers many advantages including high throughput and separation resolution. Even though the separation efficiency highly depends on precise control of the flow conditions, no concrete guidelines have been reported yet in elasto-inertial microfluidics. Here, we propose a dimensionless analysis for precise estimation of the microsphere behaviors across the interface of Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids. Reynolds number, modified Weissenberg number, and modified elastic number are used to investigate the balance between inertial and elastic lift forces. Based on the findings, we introduce a new dimensionless number defined as the width of the Newtonian fluid stream divided by microsphere diameter. The proposed dimensionless analysis allows us to predict whether the microspheres migrate across the co-flow interface. The theoretical estimation is found to be in good agreement with the experimental results using 2.1- and 3.2-μm-diameter polystyrene microspheres in a co-flow of water and polyethylene oxide solution. Based on the theoretical estimation, we also realize submicron separation of the microspheres with 2.1 and 2.5 μm in diameter at high throughput, high purity (>95%), and high recovery rate (>97%). The applicability of the proposed method was validated by separation of platelets from similar-sized Escherichia coli (E.coli).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunwoo Jeon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186 Republic of Korea
| | - Song Ha Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186 Republic of Korea
| | - Jongho Shin
- Analytical Engineering Team, Samsung Display Co., Ltd., 181 Samsung-ro, Tangjeong-myeon, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, 31454 Republic of Korea
| | - Kicheol Song
- Analytical Engineering Team, Samsung Display Co., Ltd., 181 Samsung-ro, Tangjeong-myeon, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, 31454 Republic of Korea
| | - Nari Ahn
- Analytical Engineering Team, Samsung Display Co., Ltd., 181 Samsung-ro, Tangjeong-myeon, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, 31454 Republic of Korea
| | - Jinsoo Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186 Republic of Korea
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4
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Peng T, Qiang J, Yuan S. Sheathless inertial particle focusing methods within microfluidic devices: a review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 11:1331968. [PMID: 38260735 PMCID: PMC10801244 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1331968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to manipulate and focus particles within microscale fluidic environments is crucial to advancing biological, chemical, and medical research. Precise and high-throughput particle focusing is an essential prerequisite for various applications, including cell counting, biomolecular detection, sample sorting, and enhancement of biosensor functionalities. Active and sheath-assisted focusing techniques offer accuracy but necessitate the introduction of external energy fields or additional sheath flows. In contrast, passive focusing methods exploit the inherent fluid dynamics in achieving high-throughput focusing without external actuation. This review analyzes the latest developments in strategies of sheathless inertial focusing, emphasizing inertial and elasto-inertial microfluidic focusing techniques from the channel structure classifications. These methodologies will serve as pivotal benchmarks for the broader application of microfluidic focusing technologies in biological sample manipulation. Then, prospects for future development are also predicted. This paper will assist in the understanding of the design of microfluidic particle focusing devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Peng
- Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jun Qiang
- The School of Mechanical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Shuai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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5
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Suzuki T, Kalyan S, Berlinicke C, Yoseph S, Zack DJ, Hur SC. Deciphering viscoelastic cell manipulation in rectangular microchannels. PHYSICS OF FLUIDS (WOODBURY, N.Y. : 1994) 2023; 35:103117. [PMID: 37849975 PMCID: PMC10577600 DOI: 10.1063/5.0167285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Viscoelastic focusing has emerged as a promising method for label-free and passive manipulation of micro and nanoscale bioparticles. However, the design of microfluidic devices for viscoelastic particle focusing requires a thorough comprehensive understanding of the flow condition and operational parameters that lead to the desired behavior of microparticles. While recent advancements have been made, viscoelastic focusing is not fully understood, particularly in straight microchannels with rectangular cross sections. In this work, we delve into inertial, elastic, and viscoelastic focusing of biological cells in rectangular cross-section microchannels. By systematically varying degrees of fluid elasticity and inertia, we investigate the underlying mechanisms behind cell focusing. Our approach involves injecting cells into devices with a fixed, non-unity aspect ratio and capturing their images from two orientations, enabling the extrapolation of cross-sectional equilibrium positions from two dimensional (2D) projections. We characterized the changes in hydrodynamic focusing behaviors of cells based on factors, such as cell size, flow rate, and fluid characteristics. These findings provide insights into the flow characteristics driving changes in equilibrium positions. Furthermore, they indicate that viscoelastic focusing can enhance the detection accuracy in flow cytometry and the sorting resolution for size-based particle sorting applications. By contributing to the advancement of understanding viscoelastic focusing in rectangular microchannels, this work provides valuable insight and design guidelines for the development of devices that harness viscoelastic focusing. The knowledge gained from this study can aid in the advancement of viscoelastic particle manipulation technique and their application in various fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Suzuki
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Srivathsan Kalyan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Cynthia Berlinicke
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA
| | - Samantha Yoseph
- Department of Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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6
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Taylor DP, Mathur P, Renaud P, Kaigala GV. Microscale hydrodynamic confinements: shaping liquids across length scales as a toolbox in life sciences. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1415-1437. [PMID: 35348555 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01101d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hydrodynamic phenomena can be leveraged to confine a range of biological and chemical species without needing physical walls. In this review, we list methods for the generation and manipulation of microfluidic hydrodynamic confinements in free-flowing liquids and near surfaces, and elucidate the associated underlying theory and discuss their utility in the emerging area of open space microfluidics applied to life-sciences. Microscale hydrodynamic confinements are already starting to transform approaches in fundamental and applied life-sciences research from precise separation and sorting of individual cells, allowing localized bio-printing to multiplexing for clinical diagnosis. Through the choice of specific flow regimes and geometrical boundary conditions, hydrodynamic confinements can confine species across different length scales from small molecules to large cells, and thus be applied to a wide range of functionalities. We here provide practical examples and implementations for the formation of these confinements in different boundary conditions - within closed channels, in between parallel plates and in an open liquid volume. Further, to enable non-microfluidics researchers to apply hydrodynamic flow confinements in their work, we provide simplified instructions pertaining to their design and modelling, as well as to the formation of hydrodynamic flow confinements in the form of step-by-step tutorials and analytical toolbox software. This review is written with the idea to lower the barrier towards the use of hydrodynamic flow confinements in life sciences research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Taylor
- IBM Research - Europe, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
- Microsystems Laboratory 4, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Prerit Mathur
- IBM Research - Europe, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
- Dept. of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Renaud
- Microsystems Laboratory 4, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Govind V Kaigala
- IBM Research - Europe, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
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7
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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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8
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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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9
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Kwon T, Choi K, Han J. Separation of Ultra-High-Density Cell Suspension via Elasto-Inertial Microfluidics. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2101880. [PMID: 34396694 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202101880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Separation of high-density suspension particles at high throughput is crucial for many chemical, biomedical, and environmental applications. In this study, elasto-inertial microfluidics is used to manipulate ultra-high-density cells to achieve stable equilibrium positions in microchannels, aided by the inherent viscoelasticity of high-density cell suspension. It is demonstrated that ultra-high-density Chinese hamster ovary cell suspension (>26 packed cell volume% (PCV%), >95 million cells mL-1 ) can be focused at distinct lateral equilibrium positions under high-flow-rate conditions (up to 10 mL min-1 ). The effect of flow rates, channel dimensions, and cell densities on this unique focusing behavior is studied. Cell clarification is further demonstrated using this phenomenon, from 29.7 PCV% (108.1 million cells mL-1 ) to 8.3 PCV% (33.2 million cells mL-1 ) with overall 72.1% reduction efficiency and 10 mL min-1 processing rate. This work explores an extreme case of elasto-inertial particle focusing where ultra-high-density culture suspension is efficiently manipulated at high throughput. This result opens up new opportunities for practical applications of high-particle-density suspension manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehong Kwon
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Kyungyong Choi
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Jongyoon Han
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
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10
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Xiang N, Wang S, Ni Z. Secondary-flow-aided single-train elastic-inertial focusing in low elasticity viscoelastic fluids. Electrophoresis 2021; 42:2256-2263. [PMID: 34184303 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Elastic-inertial focusing has attracted increasing interest in recent years due to the three-dimensional (3D) single-train focusing ability it offers. However, multi-train focusing, instead of single-train focusing, was observed in viscoelastic fluids with low elasticity as a result of the competition between inertia effect and viscoelasticity effect. To address this issue, we employed the secondary flow to facilitate single-train elastic-inertial focusing in low elasticity viscoelastic fluids. A three-section contraction-expansion channel was designed to induce the secondary flow to pinch the multiplex focusing trains into a single one exactly at the channel centerline. After demonstrating the focusing process and mechanism in our device, we systematically explored and discussed the effects of particle diameter, operational flow rate, polymer concentration, and channel dimension on particle focusing performances. Our device enables single-train focusing of particles in viscoelastic fluids with low elasticity, and offers advantages of planar single-layer structure, and sheathless, external-field free operation.
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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, P. R. China
| | - Silin Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, P. R. China
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11
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Lu X, Chow JJM, Koo SH, Jiang B, Tan TY, Yang D, Ai Y. Sheathless and high-throughput elasto-inertial bacterial sorting for enhancing molecular diagnosis of bloodstream infection. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2163-2177. [PMID: 33899072 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00085c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purification of bacteria from human blood samples is essential for rapid identification of pathogens by molecular methods, enabling faster and more accurate diagnosis of bloodstream infection than conventional gold standard blood culture methods. The inertial microfluidic method has been broadly studied to isolate biological cells of interest in various biomedical applications due to its label-free and high-throughput advantages. However, because of the bacteria's tininess, which ranges from 0.5 μm to 3 μm, they are challenging to be effectively focused and sorted out in existing inertial microfluidic devices that work well with biological cells larger than 10 μm. Efforts have been made to sort bacterial cells by utilizing extremely small channel dimensions or employing a sheath flow, which thus results in limitations on the throughput and ease of operation. To overcome this challenge, we develop a method that integrates a non-Newtonian fluid with a novel channel design to allow bacteria to be successfully sorted from larger blood cells in a channel dimension of 120 μm × 20 μm without the use of sheath flows. The throughput of this device with four parallel channels is above 400 μL per minute. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis indicates that our inertial sorting approach has a nearly 3-fold improvement in pathogen recovery compared with the commonly used lysis-centrifugation method at pathogen abundances as low as 102 cfu mL-1. With the rapid and simple purification and enrichment of bacterial pathogens, the present inertial sorting method exhibits an ability to enhance the fast and accurate molecular diagnosis of bloodstream bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoguang Lu
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
| | - Joycelyn Jia Ming Chow
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
| | - Seok Hwee Koo
- Clinical Trials & Research Unit, Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
| | - Boran Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
| | - Thean Yen Tan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
| | - Dahou Yang
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
| | - Ye Ai
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
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12
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Ni C, Jiang D. Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Particle Focusing and Separation in Viscoelastic Fluids. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:E908. [PMID: 33007973 PMCID: PMC7599618 DOI: 10.3390/mi11100908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Particle focusing and separation using viscoelastic microfluidic technology have attracted lots of attention in many applications. In this paper, a three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) coupled with the immersed boundary method (IBM) is employed to study the focusing and separation of particles in viscoelastic fluid. In this method, the viscoelastic fluid is simulated by the LBM with two sets of distribution functions and the fluid-particle interaction is calculated by the IBM. The performance of particle focusing under different microchannel aspect ratios (AR) is explored and the focusing equilibrium positions of the particles with various elasticity numbers and particle diameters are compared to illustrate the mechanism of particle focusing and separation in viscoelastic fluids. The results indicate that, for particle focusing in the square channel (AR = 1), the centerline single focusing becomes a bistable focusing at the centerline and corners as El increases. In the rectangular channels (AR < 1), particles with different diameters have different equilibrium positions. The equilibrium position of large particles is closer to the wall, and large particles have a faster lateral migration speed and few large particles migrate towards the channel center. Compared with the square channel, the rectangular channel is a better design for particle separation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Di Jiang
- School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
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Zhang K, Ren Y, Tao Y, Deng X, Liu W, Jiang T, Jiang H. Efficient particle and droplet manipulation utilizing the combined thermal buoyancy convection and temperature-enhanced rotating induced-charge electroosmotic flow. Anal Chim Acta 2020; 1096:108-119. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2019.10.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Asghari M, Cao X, Mateescu B, van Leeuwen D, Aslan MK, Stavrakis S, deMello AJ. Oscillatory Viscoelastic Microfluidics for Efficient Focusing and Separation of Nanoscale Species. ACS NANO 2020; 14:422-433. [PMID: 31794192 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b06123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The ability to precisely control particle migration within microfluidic systems is essential for focusing, separating, counting, and detecting a wide range of biological species. To date, viscoelastic microfluidic systems have primarily been applied to the focusing, separation, and isolation of micrometer-sized species, with their use in nanoparticle manipulations being underdeveloped and underexplored, due to issues related to nanoparticle diffusivity and a need for extended channel lengths. To overcome such issues, we herein present sheathless oscillatory viscoelastic microfluidics as a method for focusing and separating both micrometer and sub-micrometer species. To highlight the efficacy of our approach, we segment our study into three size regimes, namely, micrometer (where characteristic particle dimensions are above 1 μm), sub-micrometer (where characteristic dimensions are between 1 μm and 100 nm), and nano (where characteristic dimensions are below 100 nm) regimes. Based on the ability to successfully manipulate particles in all these regimes, we demonstrate the successful isolation of p-bodies from biofluids (in the micrometer regime), the focusing of λ-DNA (in the sub-micrometer regime), and the focusing of extracellular vesicles (in the nanoregime). Finally, we characterize the physics underlying viscoelastic microflows using a dimensionless number that relates the lateral velocity (due to elastic effects) to the diffusion constant of the species within the viscoelastic carrier fluid. Based on the ability to precisely manipulate species in all three regimes, we expect that sheathless oscillatory viscoelastic microfluidics may be used to good effect in a range of biological and life science applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Asghari
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering , ETH Zürich , Vladimir Prelog Weg 1 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Xiaobao Cao
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering , ETH Zürich , Vladimir Prelog Weg 1 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Bogdan Mateescu
- Department of Biology , ETH Zürich , Universitätstrasse 2 , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Daniel van Leeuwen
- Department of Biology , ETH Zürich , Universitätstrasse 2 , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Mahmut Kamil Aslan
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering , ETH Zürich , Vladimir Prelog Weg 1 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Stavros Stavrakis
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering , ETH Zürich , Vladimir Prelog Weg 1 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Andrew J deMello
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering , ETH Zürich , Vladimir Prelog Weg 1 , 8093 Zürich , Switzerland
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Fan L, Zhao Z, Tao Y, Wu X, Yan Q, Zhe J, Zhao L. Enhanced viscoelastic focusing of particle in microchannel. Electrophoresis 2020; 41:973-982. [DOI: 10.1002/elps.201900397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liang‐Liang Fan
- School of Mechanical EngineeringXi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Zhi Zhao
- School of Mechanical EngineeringXi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Yi‐Yi Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power EngineeringXi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Xu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power EngineeringXi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Qing Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power EngineeringXi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Jiang Zhe
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Akron Akron OH USA
| | - Liang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power EngineeringXi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an Shaanxi P. R. China
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16
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Zhang T, Hong ZY, Tang SY, Li W, Inglis DW, Hosokawa Y, Yalikun Y, Li M. Focusing of sub-micrometer particles in microfluidic devices. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:35-53. [PMID: 31720655 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00785g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sub-micrometer particles (0.10-1.0 μm) are of great significance to study, e.g., microvesicles and protein aggregates are targets for therapeutic intervention, and sub-micrometer fluorescent polystyrene (PS) particles are used as probes for diagnostic imaging. Focusing of sub-micrometer particles - precisely control over the position of sub-micrometer particles in a tightly focused stream - has a wide range of applications in the field of biology, chemistry and environment, by acting as a prerequisite step for downstream detection, manipulation and quantification. Microfluidic devices have been attracting great attention as desirable tools for sub-micrometer particle focusing, due to their small size, low reagent consumption, fast analysis and low cost. Recent advancements in fundamental knowledge and fabrication technologies have enabled microfluidic focusing of particles at sub-micrometer scale in a continuous, label-free and high-throughput manner. Microfluidic methods for the focusing of sub-micrometer particles can be classified into two main groups depending on whether an external field is applied: 1) passive methods, which utilize intrinsic fluidic properties without the need of external actuation, such as inertial, deterministic lateral displacement (DLD), viscoelastic and hydrophoretic focusing; and 2) active methods, where external fields are used, such as dielectrophoretic, thermophoretic, acoustophoretic and optical focusing. This article mainly reviews the studies on the focusing of sub-micrometer particles in microfluidic devices over the past 10 years. It aims to bridge the gap between the focusing of micrometer and nanometer scale (1.0-100 nm) particles and to improve the understanding of development progress, current advances and future prospects in microfluidic focusing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlong Zhang
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan. and School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney 2122, Australia.
| | - Zhen-Yi Hong
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Shi-Yang Tang
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Weihua Li
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - David W Inglis
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney 2122, Australia.
| | - Yoichiroh Hosokawa
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Yaxiaer Yalikun
- Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney 2122, Australia.
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Zhou J, Papautsky I. Viscoelastic microfluidics: progress and challenges. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2020; 6:113. [PMID: 34567720 PMCID: PMC8433399 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-020-00218-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The manipulation of cells and particles suspended in viscoelastic fluids in microchannels has drawn increasing attention, in part due to the ability for single-stream three-dimensional focusing in simple channel geometries. Improvement in the understanding of non-Newtonian effects on particle dynamics has led to expanding exploration of focusing and sorting particles and cells using viscoelastic microfluidics. Multiple factors, such as the driving forces arising from fluid elasticity and inertia, the effect of fluid rheology, the physical properties of particles and cells, and channel geometry, actively interact and compete together to govern the intricate migration behavior of particles and cells in microchannels. Here, we review the viscoelastic fluid physics and the hydrodynamic forces in such flows and identify three pairs of competing forces/effects that collectively govern viscoelastic migration. We discuss migration dynamics, focusing positions, numerical simulations, and recent progress in viscoelastic microfluidic applications as well as the remaining challenges. Finally, we hope that an improved understanding of viscoelastic flows in microfluidics can lead to increased sophistication of microfluidic platforms in clinical diagnostics and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Ian Papautsky
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
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Manshadi MKD, Mohammadi M, Monfared LK, Sanati-Nezhad A. Manipulation of micro- and nanoparticles in viscoelastic fluid flows within microfluid systems. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 117:580-592. [PMID: 31654394 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Manipulation of micro- and nanoparticles in complex biofluids is highly demanded in most biological and biomedical applications. A significant number of microfluidic platforms have been developed for inexpensive, rapid, accurate, and efficient particle manipulation. Due to the enormous potential of viscoelastic fluids (VEFs) for particle manipulation, various emerging microfluidic-based VEFs techniques have been presented over the last decade. This review provides an intuitive understanding of VEF physics for particle separation in different microchannel geometries. Besides, active and passive VEF methods are critically reviewed, highlighting the potential and practical challenges of each technique for particle/cell focusing, sorting, and separation. The outcome of this study could enable recognizing deliverable VEF technology with the promising prospect in the manipulation of submicron biological samples (e.g., exosomes, DNA, and proteins).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad K D Manshadi
- Center for Bioengineering Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Mehdi Mohammadi
- Center for Bioengineering Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Department of Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | | | - Amir Sanati-Nezhad
- Center for Bioengineering Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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Yuan D, Zhao Q, Yan S, Tang SY, Zhang Y, Yun G, Nguyen NT, Zhang J, Li M, Li W. Sheathless separation of microalgae from bacteria using a simple straight channel based on viscoelastic microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:2811-2821. [PMID: 31312819 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00482c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae cells have been recognized as a promising sustainable resource to meet worldwide growing demands for renewable energy, food, livestock feed, water, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and materials. In order to ensure high-efficiency and high-quality production of biomass, biofuel, or bio-based products, purification procedures prior to the storage and cultivation of the microalgae from contaminated bacteria are of great importance. The present work proposed and developed a simple, sheathless, and efficient method to separate microalgae Chlorella from bacteria Bacillus Subtilis in a straight channel using the viscoelasticity of the medium. Microalgae and bacteria migrate to different lateral positions closer to the channel centre and channel walls respectively. Fluorescent microparticles with 1 μm and 5 μm diameters were first used to mimic the behaviours of bacteria and microalgae to optimize the separating conditions. Subsequently, size-based separation in Newtonian fluid and in viscoelastic fluid in straight channels with different aspect ratios was compared and demonstrated. Under the optimal condition, the removal ratio for 1 μm microparticles and separation efficiency for 5 μm particles can reach up to 98.28% and 93.85% respectively. For bacteria and microalgae cells separation, the removal ratio for bacteria and separation efficiency for microalgae cells is 92.69% and 100% respectively. This work demonstrated the continuous and sheathless separation of microalgae from bacteria for the first time by viscoelastic microfluidics. This technique can also be applied as an efficient and user-friendly method to separate mammalian cells or other kinds of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yuan
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. and Department of Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Qianbin Zhao
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Sheng Yan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shi-Yang Tang
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Yuxin Zhang
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Guolin Yun
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2122, Australia.
| | - Weihua Li
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
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20
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Raoufi MA, Mashhadian A, Niazmand H, Asadnia M, Razmjou A, Warkiani ME. Experimental and numerical study of elasto-inertial focusing in straight channels. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2019; 13:034103. [PMID: 31123535 PMCID: PMC6509046 DOI: 10.1063/1.5093345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Elasto-inertial microfluidics has drawn significant attention in recent years due to its enhanced capabilities compared to pure inertial systems in control of small microparticles. Previous investigations have focused mainly on the applications of elasto-inertial sorting, rather than studying its fundamentals. This is because of the complexity of simulation and analysis, due to the presence of viscoelastic force. There have been some investigative efforts on the mechanisms of elasto-inertial focusing in straight channels; however, these studies were limited to simple rectangular channels and neglected the effects of geometry and flow rates on focusing positions. Herein, for the first time, we experimentally and numerically explore the effects of elasticity accompanying channel cross-sectional geometry and sample flow rates on the focusing phenomenon in elasto-inertial systems. The results reveal that increasing the aspect ratio weakens the elastic force more than inertial force, causing a transition from one focusing position to two. In addition, they show that increasing the angle of a channel corner causes the elastic force to push the particles more efficiently toward the center over a larger area of the channel cross section. Following on from this, we proposed a new complex straight channel which demonstrates a tighter focusing band compared to other channel geometries. Finally, we focused Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells (3-5 μm) in the complex channel to showcase its capability in focusing small-size particles. We believe that this research work improves the understanding of focusing mechanisms in viscoelastic solutions and provides useful insights into the design of elasto-inertial microfluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali Mashhadian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Niazmand
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohsen Asadnia
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Amir Razmjou
- UNESCO Center for Membrane Science and Technology, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, NSW, Australia
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Zhang K, Ren Y, Tao Y, Liu W, Jiang T, Jiang H. Efficient Micro/Nanoparticle Concentration using Direct Current-Induced Thermal Buoyancy Convection for Multiple Liquid Media. Anal Chem 2019; 91:4457-4465. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b05105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kailiang Zhang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P. R. China
| | - Yukun Ren
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
| | - Ye Tao
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P. R. China
| | - Weiyu Liu
- School of Electronics and Control Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an, Shanxi 710064, P. R. China
| | - Tianyi Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P. R. China
| | - Hongyuan Jiang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P. R. China
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Yang SH, Park J, Youn JR, Song YS. Programmable microfluidic logic device fabricated with a shape memory polymer. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:2865-2872. [PMID: 30105331 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00627j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Manipulation of particles in a microfluidic system is an important research subject in biomedical engineering. However, most conventional passive techniques for particle control have difficulties in integrating other functions into microfluidic channels. A unique microfluidic valve was proposed in this study for switchable particle control by employing a shape memory polymer (SMP). A microfluidic logic device can be programmed based on deformation of the SMP microchannel constructed on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film. Particles in a viscoelastic flow were focused at preferred equilibrium locations by the competition between inertia and elastic forces. The channel shape played an important role in determining those forces in the channel. Hydrodynamic behavior and shape recovery behavior of the SMP microchannel were modeled theoretically. It was confirmed that the particle valve prepared with the SMP implemented a programmable binary logic operation in the microfluidic channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sei Hyun Yang
- Research Institute of Advanced Materials (RIAM), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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Gou Y, Jia Y, Wang P, Sun C. Progress of Inertial Microfluidics in Principle and Application. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2018; 18:E1762. [PMID: 29857563 PMCID: PMC6021949 DOI: 10.3390/s18061762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Inertial microfluidics has become a popular topic in microfluidics research for its good performance in particle manipulation and its advantages of simple structure, high throughput, and freedom from an external field. Compared with traditional microfluidic devices, the flow field in inertial microfluidics is between Stokes state and turbulence, whereas the flow is still regarded as laminar. However, many mechanical effects induced by the inertial effect are difficult to observe in traditional microfluidics, making particle motion analysis in inertial microfluidics more complicated. In recent years, the inertial migration effect in straight and curved channels has been explored theoretically and experimentally to realize on-chip manipulation with extensive applications from the ordinary manipulation of particles to biochemical analysis. In this review, the latest theoretical achievements and force analyses of inertial microfluidics and its development process are introduced, and its applications in circulating tumor cells, exosomes, DNA, and other biological particles are summarized. Finally, the future development of inertial microfluidics is discussed. Owing to its special advantages in particle manipulation, inertial microfluidics will play a more important role in integrated biochips and biomolecule analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixing Gou
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Yixuan Jia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Peng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Changku Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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Luo T, Fan L, Zeng Y, Liu Y, Chen S, Tan Q, Lam RHW, Sun D. A simplified sheathless cell separation approach using combined gravitational-sedimentation-based prefocusing and dielectrophoretic separation. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:1521-1532. [PMID: 29725680 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00173a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Prefocusing of the cell mixture is necessary for achieving a high-efficiency and continuous dielectrophoretic (DEP) cell separation. However, prefocusing through sheath flow requires a complex and tedious peripheral system for multi-channel fluid control, hindering the integration of DEP separation systems with other microfluidic functionalities for comprehensive clinical and biological tasks. This paper presented a simplified sheathless cell separation approach that combines gravitational-sedimentation-based sheathless prefocusing and DEP separation methods. Through gravitational sedimentation in a tubing, which was inserted into the inlet of a microfluidic chip with an adjustable steering angle, the cells were focused into a stream at the upstream region of a microchannel prior to separation. Then, a DEP force was applied at the downstream region of the microchannel for the active separation of the cells. Through this combined strategy, the peripheral system for the sheath flow was no longer required, and thus the integration of cell separation system with additional microfluidic functionalities was facilitated. The proposed sheathless scheme focused the mixture of cells with different sizes and dielectric properties into a stream in a wide range of flow rates without changing the design of the microfluidic chip. The DEP method is a label-free approach that can continuously separate cells on the basis of the sizes or dielectric properties of the cells and thus capable of greatly flexible cell separation. The efficiency of the proposed approach was experimentally assessed according to its performance in the separation of human acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells from yeast cells with respect to different sizes and THP-1 cells from human acute myelomonocytic leukemia OCI-AML3 cells with respect to different dielectric properties. The experimental results revealed that the separation efficiency of the method can surpass 90% and thus effective in separating cells on the basis of either size or dielectric property.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Luo
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Yuan D, Zhao Q, Yan S, Tang SY, Alici G, Zhang J, Li W. Recent progress of particle migration in viscoelastic fluids. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:551-567. [PMID: 29340388 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc01076a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Recently, research on particle migration in non-Newtonian viscoelastic fluids has gained considerable attention. In a viscoelastic fluid, three dimensional (3D) particle focusing can be easily realized in simple channels without the need for any external force fields or complex microchannel structures compared with that in a Newtonian fluid. Due to its promising properties for particle precise focusing and manipulation, this field has been developed rapidly, and research on the field has been shifted from fundamentals to applications. This review will elaborate the recent progress of particle migration in viscoelastic fluids, especially on the aspect of applications. The hydrodynamic forces on the micro/nano particles in viscoelastic fluids are discussed. Next, we elaborate the basic particle migration in viscoelasticity-dominant fluids and elasto-inertial fluids in straight channels. After that, a comprehensive review on the applications of viscoelasticity-induced particle migration (particle separation, cell deformability measurement and alignment, particle solution exchange, rheometry-on-a-chip and others) is presented; finally, we thrash out some perspectives on the future directions of particle migration in viscoelastic fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yuan
- School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
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Asghari M, Serhatlioglu M, Ortaç B, Solmaz ME, Elbuken C. Sheathless Microflow Cytometry Using Viscoelastic Fluids. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12342. [PMID: 28955054 PMCID: PMC5617843 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12558-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microflow cytometry is a powerful technique for characterization of particles suspended in a solution. In this work, we present a microflow cytometer based on viscoelastic focusing. 3D single-line focusing of microparticles was achieved in a straight capillary using viscoelastic focusing which alleviated the need for sheath flow or any other actuation mechanism. Optical detection was performed by fiber coupled light source and photodetectors. Using this system, we present the detection of microparticles suspended in three different viscoelastic solutions. The rheological properties of the solutions were measured and used to assess the focusing performance both analytically and numerically. The results were verified experimentally, and it has been shown that polyethlyene oxide (PEO) and hyaluronic acid (HA) based sheathless microflow cytometer demonstrates similar performance to state-of-the art flow cytometers. The sheathless microflow cytometer was shown to present 780 particles/s throughput and 5.8% CV for the forward scatter signal for HA-based focusing. The presented system is composed of a single capillary to accommodate the fluid and optical fibers to couple the light to the fluid of interest. Thanks to its simplicity, the system has the potential to widen the applicability of microflow cytometers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Asghari
- UNAM - National Nanotechnology Research Center, Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Murat Serhatlioglu
- UNAM - National Nanotechnology Research Center, Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Bülend Ortaç
- UNAM - National Nanotechnology Research Center, Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet E Solmaz
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Izmir Katip Celebi University, 35620, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Caglar Elbuken
- UNAM - National Nanotechnology Research Center, Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey.
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