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Lan M, Ren Z, Cheng C, Li G, Yang F. Small extracellular vesicles detection using dielectrophoresis-based microfluidic chip for diagnosis of breast cancer. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 259:116382. [PMID: 38749284 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) reflect the genotype and phenotype of original cells and are biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of tumors. Yet, their small size and low density make them difficult to isolate and detect in body fluid samples. This study proposes a novel acDEP-Exo chip filled with transparent micro-beads, which formed a non-uniform electrical field, and finally achieved rapid, sensitive, and tunable sEVs capture and detection. The method requires only 20-50 μL of sample, achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 161 particles/μL, and can detect biomarkers within 13 min. We applied the chip to analyze the two markers of sEV's EpCAM and MUC1 in clinical plasma samples from breast cancer (BC) patients and healthy volunteers and found that the combined evaluation of sEV's biomarkers has extremely high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. The present study introduces an alternative approach to sEVs isolation and detection, has a great potential in real-time sEVs-based liquid biopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Lan
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Ze Ren
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Guiying Li
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China.
| | - Fang Yang
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China.
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2
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Li SS, Xue CD, Li YJ, Chen XM, Zhao Y, Qin KR. Microfluidic characterization of single-cell biophysical properties and the applications in cancer diagnosis. Electrophoresis 2024; 45:1212-1232. [PMID: 37909658 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202300177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell biophysical properties play a crucial role in regulating cellular physiological states and functions, demonstrating significant potential in the fields of life sciences and clinical diagnostics. Therefore, over the last few decades, researchers have developed various detection tools to explore the relationship between the biophysical changes of biological cells and human diseases. With the rapid advancement of modern microfabrication technology, microfluidic devices have quickly emerged as a promising platform for single-cell analysis offering advantages including high-throughput, exceptional precision, and ease of manipulation. Consequently, this paper provides an overview of the recent advances in microfluidic analysis and detection systems for single-cell biophysical properties and their applications in the field of cancer. The working principles and latest research progress of single-cell biophysical property detection are first analyzed, highlighting the significance of electrical and mechanical properties. The development of data acquisition and processing methods for real-time, high-throughput, and practical applications are then discussed. Furthermore, the differences in biophysical properties between tumor and normal cells are outlined, illustrating the potential for utilizing single-cell biophysical properties for tumor cell identification, classification, and drug response assessment. Lastly, we summarize the limitations of existing microfluidic analysis and detection systems in single-cell biophysical properties, while also pointing out the prospects and future directions of their applications in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Shan Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Chun-Dong Xue
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Yong-Jiang Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Ming Chen
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Stomach Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Kai-Rong Qin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
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3
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Zhu J, Pan S, Chai H, Zhao P, Feng Y, Cheng Z, Zhang S, Wang W. Microfluidic Impedance Cytometry Enabled One-Step Sample Preparation for Efficient Single-Cell Mass Spectrometry. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2310700. [PMID: 38483007 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202310700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Single-cell mass spectrometry (MS) is significant in biochemical analysis and holds great potential in biomedical applications. Efficient sample preparation like sorting (i.e., separating target cells from the mixed population) and desalting (i.e., moving the cells off non-volatile salt solution) is urgently required in single-cell MS. However, traditional sample preparation methods suffer from complicated operation with various apparatus, or insufficient performance. Herein, a one-step sample preparation strategy by leveraging label-free impedance flow cytometry (IFC) based microfluidics is proposed. Specifically, the IFC framework to characterize and sort single-cells is adopted. Simultaneously with sorting, the target cell is transferred from the local high-salinity buffer to the MS-compatible solution. In this way, one-step sorting and desalting are achieved and the collected cells can be directly fed for MS analysis. A high sorting efficiency (>99%), cancer cell purity (≈87%), and desalting efficiency (>99%), and the whole workflow of impedance-based separation and MS analysis of normal cells (MCF-10A) and cancer cells (MDA-MB-468) are verified. As a standalone sample preparation module, the microfluidic chip is compatible with a variety of MS analysis methods, and envisioned to provide a new paradigm in efficient MS sample preparation, and further in multi-modal (i.e., electrical and metabolic) characterization of single-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Siyuan Pan
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Huichao Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yongxiang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhen Cheng
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Sichun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wenhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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4
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Borenstein JT, Cummins G, Dutta A, Hamad E, Hughes MP, Jiang X, Lee HH, Lei KF, Tang XS, Zheng Y, Chen J. Bionanotechnology and bioMEMS (BNM): state-of-the-art applications, opportunities, and challenges. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:4928-4949. [PMID: 37916434 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00296a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The development of micro- and nanotechnology for biomedical applications has defined the cutting edge of medical technology for over three decades, as advancements in fabrication technology developed originally in the semiconductor industry have been applied to solving ever-more complex problems in medicine and biology. These technologies are ideally suited to interfacing with life sciences, since they are on the scale lengths as cells (microns) and biomacromolecules (nanometers). In this paper, we review the state of the art in bionanotechnology and bioMEMS (collectively BNM), including developments and challenges in the areas of BNM, such as microfluidic organ-on-chip devices, oral drug delivery, emerging technologies for managing infectious diseases, 3D printed microfluidic devices, AC electrokinetics, flexible MEMS devices, implantable microdevices, paper-based microfluidic platforms for cellular analysis, and wearable sensors for point-of-care testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gerard Cummins
- School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Abhishek Dutta
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, USA.
| | - Eyad Hamad
- Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Applied Medical Sciences, German Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan.
| | - Michael Pycraft Hughes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Xingyu Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, China.
| | - Hyowon Hugh Lee
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Implantable Devices, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Jie Chen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada.
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Tisi A, Palaniappan S, Maccarrone M. Advanced Omics Techniques for Understanding Cochlear Genome, Epigenome, and Transcriptome in Health and Disease. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1534. [PMID: 37892216 PMCID: PMC10605747 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics techniques are providing unprecedented insights into the understanding of the molecular underpinnings of the central nervous system, including the neuro-sensory cochlea of the inner ear. Here, we report for the first time a comprehensive and updated overview of the most advanced omics techniques for the study of nucleic acids and their applications in cochlear research. We describe the available in vitro and in vivo models for hearing research and the principles of genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics, alongside their most advanced technologies (like single-cell omics and spatial omics), which allow for the investigation of the molecular events that occur at a single-cell resolution while retaining the spatial information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Tisi
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Sakthimala Palaniappan
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
- Laboratory of Lipid Neurochemistry, European Center for Brain Research (CERC), Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00143 Rome, Italy
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6
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Tian Z, Yuan Z, Duarte PA, Shaheen M, Wang S, Haddon L, Chen J. Highly efficient cell-microbead encapsulation using dielectrophoresis-assisted dual-nanowell array. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad155. [PMID: 37252002 PMCID: PMC10210622 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad155] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Recent advancements in micro/nanofabrication techniques have led to the development of portable devices for high-throughput single-cell analysis through the isolation of individual target cells, which are then paired with functionalized microbeads. Compared with commercially available benchtop instruments, portable microfluidic devices can be more widely and cost-effectively adopted in single-cell transcriptome and proteome analysis. The sample utilization and cell pairing rate (∼33%) of current stochastic-based cell-bead pairing approaches are fundamentally limited by Poisson statistics. Despite versatile technologies having been proposed to reduce randomness during the cell-bead pairing process in order to statistically beat the Poisson limit, improvement of the overall pairing rate of a single cell to a single bead is typically based on increased operational complexity and extra instability. In this article, we present a dielectrophoresis (DEP)-assisted dual-nanowell array (ddNA) device, which employs an innovative microstructure design and operating process that decouples the bead- and cell-loading processes. Our ddNA design contains thousands of subnanoliter microwell pairs specifically tailored to fit both beads and cells. Interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) are placed below the microwell structure to introduce a DEP force on cells, yielding high single-cell capture and pairing rates. Experimental results with human embryonic kidney cells confirmed the suitability and reproducibility of our design. We achieved a single-bead capture rate of >97% and a cell-bead pairing rate of >75%. We anticipate that our device will enhance the application of single-cell analysis in practical clinical use and academic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuyuan Tian
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9107 116 Street NW, T6G 1H9 Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Zhipeng Yuan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9107 116 Street NW, T6G 1H9 Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Pedro A Duarte
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9107 116 Street NW, T6G 1H9 Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Mohamed Shaheen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9107 116 Street NW, T6G 1H9 Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Shaoxi Wang
- School of Microelectronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 Youyi St West, 710129 Xi’an, Shannxi, China
| | - Lacey Haddon
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, 9107 116 Street NW, T6G 1H9 Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jie Chen
- To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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Morales RTT, Ko J. Future of Digital Assays to Resolve Clinical Heterogeneity of Single Extracellular Vesicles. ACS NANO 2022; 16:11619-11645. [PMID: 35904433 PMCID: PMC10174080 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c04337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are complex lipid membrane vehicles with variable expressions of molecular cargo, composed of diverse subpopulations that participate in the intercellular signaling of biological responses in disease. EV-based liquid biopsies demonstrate invaluable clinical potential for overhauling current practices of disease management. Yet, EV heterogeneity is a major needle-in-a-haystack challenge to translate their use into clinical practice. In this review, existing digital assays will be discussed to analyze EVs at a single vesicle resolution, and future opportunities to optimize the throughput, multiplexing, and sensitivity of current digital EV assays will be highlighted. Furthermore, this review will outline the challenges and opportunities that impact the clinical translation of single EV technologies for disease diagnostics and treatment monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee-Tyler T Morales
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Jina Ko
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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8
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Field-Portable Leukocyte Classification Device Based on Lens-Free Shadow Imaging Technique. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12020047. [PMID: 35200308 PMCID: PMC8869521 DOI: 10.3390/bios12020047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The complete blood count (CBC) is one of the most important clinical steps in clinical diagnosis. The instruments used for CBC are usually expensive and bulky and require well-trained operators. Therefore, it is difficult for medical institutions below the tertiary level to provide these instruments, especially in underprivileged countries. Several reported on-chip blood cell tests are still in their infancy and do not deviate from conventional microscopic or impedance measurement methods. In this study, we (i) combined magnetically activated cell sorting and the differential density method to develop a method to selectively isolate three types of leukocytes from blood and obtain samples with high purity and concentration for portable leukocyte classification using the lens-free shadow imaging technique (LSIT), and (ii) established several shadow parameters to identify the type of leukocytes in a complete leukocyte shadow image by shadow image analysis. The purity of the separated leukocytes was confirmed by flow cytometry. Several shadow parameters such as the “order ratio” and “minimum ratio” were developed to classify the three types of leukocytes. A shadow image library corresponding to each type of leukocyte was created from the tested samples. Compared with clinical reference data, a correlation index of 0.98 was obtained with an average error of 6% and a confidence level of 95%. This technique offers great potential for biological, pharmaceutical, environmental, and clinical applications, especially where point-of-care detection of rare cells is required.
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Duarte P, Menze L, Shoute L, Zeng J, Savchenko O, Lyu J, Chen J. Highly Efficient Capture and Quantification of the Airborne Fungal Pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Employing a Nanoelectrode-Activated Microwell Array. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:459-468. [PMID: 35036715 PMCID: PMC8756577 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we present a microdevice for the capture and quantification of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum spores, pathogenic agents of one of the most harmful infectious diseases of crops, Sclerotinia stem rot. The early prognosis of an outbreak is critical to avoid severe economic losses and can be achieved by the detection of a small number of airborne spores. However, the current lack of simple and effective methods to quantify fungal airborne pathogens has hindered the development of an accurate early warning system. We developed a device that remedies these limitations based on a microfluidic design that contains a nanothick aluminum electrode structure integrated with a picoliter well array for dielectrophoresis-driven capture of spores and on-chip quantitative detection employing impedimetric sensing. Based on experimental results, we demonstrated a highly efficient spore trapping rate of more than 90% with an effective impedimetric sensing method that allowed the spore quantification of each column in the array and achieved a sensitivity of 2%/spore at 5 kHz and 1.6%/spore at 20 kHz, enabling single spore detection. We envision that our device will contribute to the development of a low-cost microfluidic platform that could be integrated into an infectious plant disease forecasting tool for crop protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro
A. Duarte
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Lukas Menze
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Lian Shoute
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Jie Zeng
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Oleksandra Savchenko
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Jingwei Lyu
- School
of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Northeast
Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, P. R. China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, University of
Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2V2, Canada
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