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De Lora JA, Aubermann F, Frey C, Jahnke T, Wang Y, Weber S, Platzman I, Spatz JP. Evaluation of Acoustophoretic and Dielectrophoretic Forces for Droplet Injection in Droplet-Based Microfluidic Devices. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:16097-16105. [PMID: 38617618 PMCID: PMC11007716 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Acoustophoretic forces have been successfully implemented into droplet-based microfluidic devices to manipulate droplets. These acoustophoretic forces in droplet microfluidic devices are typically generated as in acoustofluidic devices through transducer actuation of a piezoelectric substrate such as lithium niobate (LiNbO3), which is inherently accompanied by the emergence of electrical fields. Understanding acoustophoretic versus dielectrophoretic forces produced by electrodes and transducers within active microfluidic devices is important for the optimization of device performance during design iterations. In this case study, we design microfluidic devices with a droplet injection module and report an experimental strategy to deduce the respective contribution of the acoustophoretic versus dielectrophoretic forces for the observed droplet injection. Our PDMS-based devices comprise a standard oil-in-water droplet-generating module connected to a T-junction injection module featuring actuating electrodes. We use two different electrode geometries produced within the same PDMS slab as the droplet production/injection channels by filling low-melting-point metal alloy into channels that template the electrode geometries. When these electrodes are constructed on LiNbO3 as the substrate, they have a dual function as a piezoelectric transducer, which we call embedded liquid metal interdigitated transducers (elmIDTs). To decipher the contribution of acoustophoretic versus dielectrophoretic forces, we build the same devices on either piezoelectric LiNbO3 or nonpiezo active glass substrates with different combinations of physical device characteristics (i.e., elmIDT geometry and alignment) and operate in a range of phase spaces (i.e., frequency, voltage, and transducer polarity). We characterize devices using techniques such as laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) and infrared imaging, along with evaluating droplet injection for our series of device designs, constructions, and operating parameters. Although we find that LiNbO3 device designs generate acoustic fields, we demonstrate that droplet injection occurs only due to dielectrophoretic forces. We deduce that droplet injection is caused by the coupled dielectrophoretic forces arising from the operation of elmIDTs rather than by acoustophoretic forces for this specific device design. We arrive at this conclusion because equivalent droplet injection occurs without the presence of an acoustic field using the same electrode designs on nonpiezo active glass substrate devices. This work establishes a methodology to pinpoint the major contributing force of droplet manipulation in droplet-based acoustomicrofluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline A. De Lora
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Aubermann
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Frey
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Timotheus Jahnke
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yuanzhen Wang
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Weber
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ilia Platzman
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Department
of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering (IMSE), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck School Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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2
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Jiang L, Guo K, Chen Y, Xiang N. Droplet Microfluidics for Current Cancer Research: From Single-Cell Analysis to 3D Cell Culture. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:1335-1354. [PMID: 38420753 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Differences in drug resistance and treatment response caused by the heterogeneity of cancer cells are the primary reasons for poor cancer therapy outcomes in patients. In addition, current in vitro anticancer drug-screening methods rely on two-dimensional monolayer-cultured cancer cells, which cannot accurately predict drug behavior in vivo. Therefore, a powerful tool to study the heterogeneity of cancer cells and produce effective in vitro tumor models is warranted to leverage cancer research. Droplet microfluidics has become a powerful platform for the single-cell analysis of cancer cells and three-dimensional cell culture of in vitro tumor spheroids. In this review, we discuss the use of droplet microfluidics in cancer research. Droplet microfluidic technologies, including single- or double-emulsion droplet generation and passive- or active-droplet manipulation, are concisely discussed. Recent advances in droplet microfluidics for single-cell analysis of cancer cells, circulating tumor cells, and scaffold-free/based 3D cell culture of tumor spheroids have been systematically introduced. Finally, the challenges that must be overcome for the further application of droplet microfluidics in cancer research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Kefan Guo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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3
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Ning J, Lei Y, Hu H, Gai C. A Comprehensive Review of Surface Acoustic Wave-Enabled Acoustic Droplet Ejection Technology and Its Applications. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1543. [PMID: 37630082 PMCID: PMC10456473 DOI: 10.3390/mi14081543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on the development of surface acoustic wave-enabled acoustic drop ejection (SAW-ADE) technology, which utilizes surface acoustic waves to eject droplets from liquids without touching the sample. The technology offers advantages such as high throughput, high precision, non-contact, and integration with automated systems while saving samples and reagents. The article first provides an overview of the SAW-ADE technology, including its basic theory, simulation verification, and comparison with other types of acoustic drop ejection technology. The influencing factors of SAW-ADE technology are classified into four categories: fluid properties, device configuration, presence of channels or chambers, and driving signals. The influencing factors discussed in detail from various aspects, such as the volume, viscosity, and surface tension of the liquid; the type of substrate material, interdigital transducers, and the driving waveform; sessile droplets and fluid in channels/chambers; and the power, frequency, and modulation of the input signal. The ejection performance of droplets is influenced by various factors, and their optimization can be achieved by taking into account all of the above factors and designing appropriate configurations. Additionally, the article briefly introduces the application scenarios of SAW-ADE technology in bioprinters and chemical analyses and provides prospects for future development. The article contributes to the field of microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technology and may help researchers to design and optimize SAW-ADE systems for specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hong Hu
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; (J.N.)
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Jiang L, Yang H, Cheng W, Ni Z, Xiang N. Droplet microfluidics for CTC-based liquid biopsy: a review. Analyst 2023; 148:203-221. [PMID: 36508171 DOI: 10.1039/d2an01747d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important biomarkers of liquid biopsy. The number and heterogeneity of CTCs play an important role in cancer diagnosis and personalized medicine. However, owing to the low-abundance biomarkers of CTCs, conventional assays are only able to detect CTCs at the population level. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a highly sensitive method to analyze CTCs at the single-cell level. As an important branch of microfluidics, droplet microfluidics is a high-throughput and sensitive single-cell analysis platform for the quantitative detection and heterogeneity analysis of CTCs. In this review, we focus on the quantitative detection and heterogeneity analysis of CTCs using droplet microfluidics. Technologies that enable droplet microfluidics, particularly high-throughput droplet generation and high-efficiency droplet manipulation, are first discussed. Then, recent advances in detecting and analyzing CTCs using droplet microfluidics from the different aspects of nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites are introduced. The purpose of this review is to provide guidance for the continued study of droplet microfluidics for CTC-based liquid biopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Hang Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Weiqi Cheng
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
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Jin S, Ye G, Cao N, Liu X, Dai L, Wang P, Wang T, Wei X. Acoustics-Controlled Microdroplet and Microbubble Fusion and Its Application in the Synthesis of Hydrogel Microspheres. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:12602-12609. [PMID: 36194518 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Droplet fusion technology is a key technology for many droplet-based biochemical medical applications. By integrating a symmetrical flow channel structure, we demonstrate an acoustics-controlled fusion method of microdroplets using surface acoustic waves. Different kinds of microdroplets can be staggered and ordered in the symmetrical flow channel, proving the good arrangement effect of the microfluidic chip. This method can realize not only the effective fusion of microbubbles but also the effective fusion of microdroplets of different sizes without any modification. Further, we investigate the influence of the input frequency and peak-to-peak value of the driving voltage on microdroplets fusion, giving the effective fusion parameter conditions of microdroplets. Finally, this method is successfully used in the preparation of hydrogel microspheres, offering a new platform for the synthesis of hydrogel microspheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobo Jin
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Guoyong Ye
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Na Cao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou450052, China
| | - Xuling Liu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Liguo Dai
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Pengpeng Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Xueyong Wei
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an710049, China
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6
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Sui M, Dong H, Mu G, Xia J, Zhao J, Yang Z, Li T, Sun T, Grattan KTV. Droplet transportation by adjusting the temporal phase shift of surface acoustic waves in the exciter-exciter mode. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:3402-3411. [PMID: 35899764 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00402j] [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
Droplet actuation using Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology has been widely employed in 'lab-on-a-chip' applications, such as for on-chip Polymerase Chain Reactions. The current strategy uses the exciter-absorber mode (exciting a single InterDigital Transducer, IDT) to form a pure Travelling Surface Acoustic Wave (TSAW) and to actuate the droplet, where the velocity and direction of the droplet can be adjusted by controlling the on-off and amplitude of the excitation signals applied to a pair of IDTs. Herein, in a way that is different from using the exciter-absorber mode, we propose a method of actuating droplets by using the exciter-exciter mode (exciting a pair of IDTs simultaneously), where the velocity and directional adjustment of the droplet can be realized by changing only one excitation parameter for the signals (the temporal phase shift, θ), and the droplet velocity can also be significantly improved. Specifically, we report for the first time the equation of the vibration of the mixed waves (TSAW and Standing Surface Acoustic Wave (SSAW)) formed on the substrate surface using the exciter-exciter mode. This is analyzed theoretically, where it is shown in this work that the amplitude and direction of the TSAW component of the mixed waves can be adjusted by changing θ. Following that, the velocity and directional adjustment of the droplet has been realized by changing θ and the improvement of the droplet velocity has been verified on a one-dimensional SAW device, using this exciter-exciter mode. Moreover a series of experiments on droplet transportation, along different trajectories in an x-y plane, has been carried out using a two-dimensional SAW device and this has demonstrated the effectiveness of the θ changing-based approach. Here this exciter-exciter mode provides an alternative method for the transportation of droplets in 'lab-on-a-chip' applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Sui
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Huijuan Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Guanyu Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Jingze Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Jie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Zhen Yang
- Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine in Orthopedics, Key Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Trauma & War Injuries PLA, Beijing, 100853, China.
| | - Tianlong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Tong Sun
- School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering, City, University of London, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
| | - Kenneth T V Grattan
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
- School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering, City, University of London, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
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7
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Nath A, Sudeepthi A, Sen AK. Trapping of Aqueous Droplets under Surface Acoustic Wave-Driven Streaming in Oil-Filled Microwells. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:4763-4773. [PMID: 35395155 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microwell arrays are ideal platforms for cell culturing, cell separation, and low-volume liquid handling. The ability to manipulate droplets in microwells could open up the opportunity for developing new biochemical assays. Here, we study the trapping of aqueous droplets in an oil-filled microwell driven by the application of nanometer amplitude vibrations called surface acoustic waves (SAW). We elucidate the dynamics of the droplet within the vortex toward the final trapping location and the physics of the trapping phenomenon using a theoretical model by considering the relevant forces. Our study revealed that the combined effect of acoustic radiation and hydrodynamic forces leads to droplet migration and trapping. We demarcate the trapping and nontrapping regimes in terms of the minimum critical input power required for the trapping of droplets of different sizes and densities. We find that the critical power varies as the square of the droplet size and is higher for a denser droplet. The effects of input power and droplet size on the trapping location and trapping time are also studied.
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8
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Liu P, Tian Z, Yang K, Naquin TD, Hao N, Huang H, Chen J, Ma Q, Bachman H, Zhang P, Xu X, Hu J, Huang TJ. Acoustofluidic black holes for multifunctional in-droplet particle manipulation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm2592. [PMID: 35363512 PMCID: PMC10938576 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm2592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic black holes offer superior capabilities for slowing down and trapping acoustic waves for various applications such as metastructures, energy harvesting, and vibration and noise control. However, no studies have considered the linear and nonlinear effects of acoustic black holes on micro/nanoparticles in fluids. This study presents acoustofluidic black holes (AFBHs) that leverage controlled interactions between AFBH-trapped acoustic wave energy and particles in droplets to enable versatile particle manipulation functionalities, such as translation, concentration, and patterning of particles. We investigated the AFBH-enabled wave energy trapping and wavelength shrinking effects, as well as the trapped wave energy-induced acoustic radiation forces on particles and acoustic streaming in droplets. This study not only fills the gap between the emerging fields of acoustofluidics and acoustic black holes but also leads to a class of AFBH-based in-droplet particle manipulation toolsets with great potential for many applications, such as biosensing, point-of-care testing, and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengzhan Liu
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- State Key Lab of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Zhenhua Tian
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Kaichun Yang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ty Downing Naquin
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Nanjing Hao
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Huiyu Huang
- State Key Lab of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Jinyan Chen
- State Key Lab of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Qiuxia Ma
- State Key Lab of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Hunter Bachman
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Peiran Zhang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Xiahong Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products; Institute of Agro-product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Junhui Hu
- State Key Lab of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Link A, McGrath JS, Zaimagaoglu M, Franke T. Active single cell encapsulation using SAW overcoming the limitations of Poisson distribution. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 22:193-200. [PMID: 34889927 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00880c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate the use of an acoustic device to actively encapsulate single red blood cells into individual droplets in a T-junction. We compare the active encapsulation with the passive encapsulation depending on the number of loaded cells as well as the created droplet volumes. This method overcomes the Poisson limitation statistical loading of cells for the passive encapsulation. In our experiments we reach a single cell encapsulation efficiency of 97.9 ± 2.1% at droplet formation rates exceeding 15 Hz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Link
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Oakfield Avenue, G12 8LT Glasgow, UK.
| | - John S McGrath
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Oakfield Avenue, G12 8LT Glasgow, UK.
| | - Mustafa Zaimagaoglu
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Oakfield Avenue, G12 8LT Glasgow, UK.
| | - Thomas Franke
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Oakfield Avenue, G12 8LT Glasgow, UK.
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Wang Z, Wang H, Becker R, Rufo J, Yang S, Mace BE, Wu M, Zou J, Laskowitz DT, Huang TJ. Acoustofluidic separation enables early diagnosis of traumatic brain injury based on circulating exosomes. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2021; 7:20. [PMID: 34567734 PMCID: PMC8433131 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-021-00244-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global cause of morbidity and mortality. Initial management and risk stratification of patients with TBI is made difficult by the relative insensitivity of screening radiographic studies as well as by the absence of a widely available, noninvasive diagnostic biomarker. In particular, a blood-based biomarker assay could provide a quick and minimally invasive process to stratify risk and guide early management strategies in patients with mild TBI (mTBI). Analysis of circulating exosomes allows the potential for rapid and specific identification of tissue injury. By applying acoustofluidic exosome separation-which uses a combination of microfluidics and acoustics to separate bioparticles based on differences in size and acoustic properties-we successfully isolated exosomes from plasma samples obtained from mice after TBI. Acoustofluidic isolation eliminated interference from other blood components, making it possible to detect exosomal biomarkers for TBI via flow cytometry. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that exosomal biomarkers for TBI increase in the first 24 h following head trauma, indicating the potential of using circulating exosomes for the rapid diagnosis of TBI. Elevated levels of TBI biomarkers were only detected in the samples separated via acoustofluidics; no changes were observed in the analysis of the raw plasma sample. This finding demonstrated the necessity of sample purification prior to exosomal biomarker analysis. Since acoustofluidic exosome separation can easily be integrated with downstream analysis methods, it shows great potential for improving early diagnosis and treatment decisions associated with TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Haichen Wang
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Ryan Becker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Joseph Rufo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Shujie Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Brian E. Mace
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
- Department of Geriatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Mengxi Wu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Jun Zou
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840 USA
| | | | - Tony Jun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
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11
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Sudeepthi A, Nath A, Yeo LY, Sen AK. Coalescence of Droplets in a Microwell Driven by Surface Acoustic Waves. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:1578-1587. [PMID: 33478219 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microwell arrays are amongst the most commonly used platforms for biochemical assays. However, the coalescence of droplets that constitute the dispersed phase of suspensions housed within microwells has not received much attention to date. Herein, we study the coalescence of droplets in a two-phase system in a microwell driven by surface acoustic waves (SAWs). The microwell structure, together with symmetric exposure to SAW irradiation, coupled from beneath the microwell via a piezoelectric substrate, gives rise to the formation of a pair of counter-rotating vortices that enable droplet transport, trapping, and coalescence. We elucidate the physics of the coalescence phenomenon using a scaling analysis of the relevant forces, namely, the acoustic streaming-induced drag force, the capillary and viscous forces associated with the drainage of the thin continuous phase film between the droplets and the van der Waals attraction force. We confirm that droplet-droplet interface contact is established through the formation of a liquid bridge, whose neck radius grows linearly in time in the preceding viscous regime and proportionally with the square root of time in the subsequent inertial regime. Further, we investigate the influence of the input SAW power and droplet size on the film drainage time and demarcate the coalescence and non-coalescence regimes to derive a criterion for the onset of coalescence. The distinct deformation patterns observed for a pair of contacting droplets in both the regimes are elucidated and the possibility for driving concurrent coalescence of multiple droplets is demonstrated. We expect the study will find relevance in the demulsification of immiscible phases and the mixing of samples/reagents within microwells for a variety of biochemical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sudeepthi
- Micro Nano Bio -Fluidics Unit, Fluid Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - A Nath
- Micro Nano Bio -Fluidics Unit, Fluid Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - L Y Yeo
- Micro/Nanophysics Research Laboratory, School of Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University), Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - A K Sen
- Micro Nano Bio -Fluidics Unit, Fluid Systems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
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12
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Berlanda SF, Breitfeld M, Dietsche CL, Dittrich PS. Recent Advances in Microfluidic Technology for Bioanalysis and Diagnostics. Anal Chem 2020; 93:311-331. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon F. Berlanda
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maximilian Breitfeld
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudius L. Dietsche
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Petra S. Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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