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Li SC, Chiang CC, Tsai YS, Chen CJ, Lee TH. Fabrication of a Three-Dimensional Microfluidic System from Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) Using an Intermiscibility Vacuum Bonding Technique. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:454. [PMID: 38675265 PMCID: PMC11052095 DOI: 10.3390/mi15040454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
In this study, the fabrication of microfluidic chips through the bonding of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) boards featuring designed patterns to create a three-dimensional sandwich structure with embedded microchannels was explored. A key focus was optimization of the interface quality of bonded PMMA pairs by adjusting the solvent, such as such as acetone, alcohol, and their mixture. Annealing was conducted below 50 °C to leverage the advantages of low-temperature bonding. Because of the differences in the chemical reactivity of PMMA toward acetone, alcohol, and their combinations, the resulting defect densities at the bonding interfaces differed significantly under low-temperature annealing conditions. To achieve the optimal sealing integrity, bonding pressures of 30 N, 40 N, and 50 N were evaluated. The interface was analyzed through microstructural examination via optical microscopy and stress measurements were determined using digital photoelasticity, while the bonding strength was assessed through tensile testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Tien-Hsi Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan; (S.-C.L.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-S.T.); (C.-J.C.)
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2
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Li Y, Xu F, Liu J, Zhang Q, Fan Y. Rapid-release reversible bonding of PMMA-based microfluidic devices with PBMA coating. Biomed Microdevices 2023; 26:6. [PMID: 38141082 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-023-00690-y] [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] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
PMMA-based microfluidics have been widely used in various applications in biological and chemical fields. In the fabrication process of PMMA-based microfluidics, the substrate and cover plate usually need to be bonded to enclose the microchannel. The bonding process could be permanent or reversible. In some application scenarios, reversible bonding is needed to retrieve the samples inside the channel or reuse the chip. Current reversible bonding methods for PMMA-based microfluidics usually have drawbacks on bonding strength and contaminations from the adhesives used in the bonding process. In this study, a new approach is proposed for the reversible bonding of PMMA-based microfluidics, a layer of PBMA (with a very similar structure to PMMA) was coated on the surface of PMMA and then use the thermal fusion method to achieve the bonding with a high bonding strength, a tensile bonding strength of around 0.8 MPa was achieved. For debond process, a rapid temperature drop will trigger the immediate release of the bonding within several seconds. Detailed bonding strength measurement and biocompatibility tests were also conducted in this study. The proposed bonding method could have wide application potential in the fabrication of PMMA-based microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Li
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Fan Xu
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqiang Fan
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China.
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3
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Kim TH, Kim NY, Lee HU, Choi JW, Kang T, Chung BG. Smartphone-based iontophoresis transdermal drug delivery system for cancer treatment. J Control Release 2023; 364:383-392. [PMID: 37914000 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.10.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a leading cause of the death worldwide. However, the conventional cancer therapy still suffers from several limitations, such as systemic side effects, poor efficacy, and patient compliance due to limited accessibility to the tumor site. To address these issues, the localized drug delivery system has emerged as a promising approach. In this study, we developed an iontophoresis-based transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) controlled by a smartphone application for cancer treatment. Iontophoresis, a low-intensity electric current-based TDDS, enhances drug permeation across the skin to provide potential for localized drug delivery and minimize systemic side effects. The fundamental mechanism of our system was modeled using finite element analysis and its performance was corroborated through the flow-through skin permeation tests using a plastic-based microfluidic chip. The results of in vitro cell experiments and skin deposition tests successfully demonstrated that our smartphone-controlled iontophoresis system significantly enhanced the drug permeation for cancer treatment. Therefore, this hand-held smartphone-based iontophoresis TDDS could be a powerful tool for self-administrated anticancer drug delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Hyeon Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Na Yeon Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Uk Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Wook Choi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taewook Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Integrated Biotechnology, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Geun Chung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Smart Biosensor, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Integrated Biotechnology, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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4
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Bag S, Pezzotti S, Das Mahanta D, Schulke S, Schwaab G, Havenith M. From Local Hydration Motifs in Aqueous Acetic Acid Solutions to Macroscopic Mixing Thermodynamics: A Quantitative Connection from THz-Calorimetry. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9204-9210. [PMID: 37843511 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
We report the results of THz measurements (30-440 cm-1) of aqueous acetic acid solutions over the full mixing range (XAcAc = 0-1). We recorded spectroscopic observables as a function of the acetic acid concentration in the frequency range of the intermolecular stretch at 150 cm-1 and of the librational modes at 350-440 cm-1. This allowed us to unravel changes in hydrophobic and hydrophilic hydration motifs, respectively. By means of a novel THz-calorimetry approach, we quantitatively correlated these changes in local hydration motifs to excess mixing entropy and enthalpy. We find that ΔHmix is determined by both hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvation contributions. In contrast, ΔSmix is governed by hydrophobic cavity formation. Our results further suggest that acetic acid-water mixtures are systems at the edge of phase separation due to endothermic contributions from both hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvation in a large portion of the miscibility range. Our work establishes a quantitative relationship between the balance of local hydrophobic and hydrophilic solvation motifs and the macroscopic mixing thermodynamic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampad Bag
- Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Simone Pezzotti
- Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Debasish Das Mahanta
- Department of Physics, Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), Bengaluru, Karnataka 561203, India
| | - Simon Schulke
- Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Gerhard Schwaab
- Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Martina Havenith
- Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
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5
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Trinh KTL, Thai DA, Yang DH, Lee NY. Chitosan: a green adhesive for surface functionalization and fabrication of thermoplastic biomedical microdevices. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:4245-4254. [PMID: 37655654 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00500c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Chitosan (CS) is a natural polymer that exhibits many biological properties and is used as a biomaterial for antibacterial coatings, tissue engineering, cell research, drug delivery, and negatively charged molecule capture. In our previous study, we used a CS-polydopamine mixture to realize UV-assisted bonding between poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrates to fabricate microdevices for self-assembled stem cell spheroid cultures. Herein, we attained reliable adhesive bonding between PMMAs using CS at room temperature assisted by oxygen plasma. The bond strength of adhesion was as high as 2.1 MPa, which could be stable for over two months according to the leak test. The adhesive bonding and surface functionalization of the microchannels were simultaneously completed such that the microdevices could be directly used for mesenchymal stem cell culture for spheroid generation and DNA purification for point-of-care testing (POCT) devices. Surface characterization was performed by contact angle measurements, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The POCT device allows sequential on-chip DNA purification, amplification, and colorimetric detection of pathogenic bacteria. This method provides a convenient and reliable strategy for the fabrication of PMMA microdevices that can be directly implemented in biological studies and POCT applications without involving prior surface modification steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieu The Loan Trinh
- BioNano Applications Research Center, Gachon University 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13120, Korea
| | - Duc Anh Thai
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13120, Korea.
| | - Da Hyun Yang
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13120, Korea.
| | - Nae Yoon Lee
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13120, Korea.
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Tong CY, Li HZ, Derek CJC. A microscale system for in situ investigation of immobilized microalgal cell resistance against liquid flow in the early inoculation stage. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:4052-4066. [PMID: 37609763 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00415e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
In attached microalgae cultivation systems, cell detachment due to fluid hydrodynamic flow is not a subject matter that is commonly looked into. However, this phenomenon is of great relevance to optimizing the operating parameters of algae cultivation and feasible reactor design. Hence, this current work miniaturizes traditional benchtop assays into a microfluidic platform to study the cell detachment of green microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris, from porous substrates during its early cultivation stage under precisely controlled conditions. As revealed by time lapse microscopy, an increase in bulk flow velocity facilitated nutrient transport but also triggered cell detachment events. At a flow rate of 1000 μL min-1 of growth medium for 120 min, the algal cell coverage was up to 5% lower than those at 5 μL min-1 and 50 μL min-1. In static seeding, the evolution of attached cell resistance toward liquid flows was dependent on hydrodynamic zones. The center zone of the microchannel was shown to be a "comfortable zone" of the attached cells to sequester nutrients effectively at lower medium flow rates but there was a profile transition where outlet zones favored cell attachment the most at higher flow rates (1.13 times higher than the center zone for 1000 μL min-1). Besides, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations illustrated that the focusing band varied between cross-sections and depths, while the streamline was the least concentrated along the side walls and bottom plane of the microfluidic devices. It was intriguing to learn that cell detachment was not primarily happening along the symmetry streamline. Insight gained from this study could be further applied in the optimization of operating conditions of attached cultivation systems whilst preserving laminar flow conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Y Tong
- School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia.
- Laboratory of Reactions and Process Engineering, University of Lorraine, CNRS, 1, rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy Cedex, France.
| | - Huai Z Li
- Laboratory of Reactions and Process Engineering, University of Lorraine, CNRS, 1, rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy Cedex, France.
| | - C J C Derek
- School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia.
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Vilela de Sousa I, Ferreira MJS, Bebiano LB, Simões S, Matos AF, Pereira RF, Granja PL. Skin models of cutaneous toxicity, transdermal transport and wound repair. BURNS & TRAUMA 2023; 11:tkad014. [PMID: 37520659 PMCID: PMC10382248 DOI: 10.1093/burnst/tkad014] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Skin is widely used as a drug delivery route due to its easy access and the possibility of using relatively painless methods for the administration of bioactive molecules. However, the barrier properties of the skin, along with its multilayer structure, impose severe restrictions on drug transport and bioavailability. Thus, bioengineered models aimed at emulating the skin have been developed not only for optimizing the transdermal transport of different drugs and testing the safety and toxicity of substances but also for understanding the biological processes behind skin wounds. Even though in vivo research is often preferred to study biological processes involving the skin, in vitro and ex vivo strategies have been gaining increasing relevance in recent years. Indeed, there is a noticeably increasing adoption of in vitro and ex vivo methods by internationally accepted guidelines. Furthermore, microfluidic organ-on-a-chip devices are nowadays emerging as valuable tools for functional and behavioural skin emulation. Challenges in miniaturization, automation and reliability still need to be addressed in order to create skin models that can predict skin behaviour in a robust, high-throughput manner, while being compliant with regulatory issues, standards and guidelines. In this review, skin models for transdermal transport, wound repair and cutaneous toxicity will be discussed with a focus on high-throughput strategies. Novel microfluidic strategies driven by advancements in microfabrication technologies will also be revised as a way to improve the efficiency of existing models, both in terms of complexity and throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luís B Bebiano
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Manuel Pereira da Silva, 4200-393 Porto, Portugal
- INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
- ISEP - Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Simões
- iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Filipa Matos
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rúben F Pereira
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Manuel Pereira da Silva, 4200-393 Porto, Portugal
- INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS – Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Trabelsi ABG, Mostafa AM, Alkallas FH, Elsharkawy WB, Al-Ahmadi AN, Ahmed HA, Nafee SS, Pashameah RA, Mwafy EA. Effect of CuO Nanoparticles on the Optical, Structural, and Electrical Properties in the PMMA/PVDF Nanocomposite. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1195. [PMID: 37374780 PMCID: PMC10304735 DOI: 10.3390/mi14061195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
A polymeric nanocomposite film, composed of PMMA/PVDF and different amounts of CuO NPs, was successfully prepared using the casting method to enhance its electrical conductivity. Various techniques were employed to investigate their physicochemical properties. The addition of CuO NPs causes a noticeable difference in the intensities and locations of vibrational peaks in all bands, confirming the incorporation of CuO NPs inside the PVDF/PMMA. In addition, the broadening of the peak at 2θ = 20.6° becomes more intense with increasing amounts of CuO NPs, confirming the increase in the amorphous characteristic of PMMA/PVDF incorporated with CuO NPs in comparison with PMMA/PVDF. Furthermore, the image of the polymeric structure exhibits a smoother shape and interconnection of pore structure associated with spherical particles that agglomerate and give rise to a web-like organization that becomes a matrix. Increasing surface roughness is responsible for an increasing surface area. Moreover, the addition of CuO NPs in the PMMA/PVDF leads to a decrease in the energy band gap, and further increasing the additional amounts of CuO NPs causes the generation of localized states between the valence and conduction bands. Furthermore, the dielectric investigation shows an increase in the dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and electric conductivity, which may be an indication of an increase in the degree of disorder that confines the movement of charge carriers and demonstrates the creation of an interconnected percolating chain, enhancing its conductivity values compared with that without the incorporation of a matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira Ben Gouider Trabelsi
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia; (A.B.G.T.); (F.H.A.)
| | - Ayman M. Mostafa
- Spectroscopy Department, Physics Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Qassim University, P.O. Box 6644, Buraydah Almolaydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatemah H. Alkallas
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia; (A.B.G.T.); (F.H.A.)
| | - W. B. Elsharkawy
- Physics Department, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 11942, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ameenah N. Al-Ahmadi
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24230, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Hoda A. Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt;
| | - Sherif S. Nafee
- Physics Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Rami Adel Pashameah
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah al-Mukarramah 24382, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Eman A. Mwafy
- Physical Chemistry Department, Advanced Materials Technology and Mineral Resources Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt;
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Peng K, Wang R, Zhou J. One-step fabrication of three-dimensional macropore copolymer-modified polycarbonate array by photo-crosslinking for protein immunoassay. RSC Adv 2023; 13:6936-6946. [PMID: 36865573 PMCID: PMC9973421 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra00696d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A photocross-linked copolymer was prepared, and could rapidly form a macropore structure in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) without the addition of porogen. The photo-crosslinking process contained the crosslinking of the copolymer itself and that with the polycarbonate substrate. The three-dimensional (3D) surface was achieved through one-step photo-crosslinking of the macropore structure. The macropore structure can be finely regulated by multiple dimensions, including monomer structure of the copolymer, PBS and copolymer concentration. Compared with the two-dimensional (2D) surface, the 3D surface has a controllable structure, a high loading capacity (59 μg cm-2) and immobilization efficiency (92%), and the effect of inhibiting the coffee ring for protein immobilization. Immunoassay results show that a 3D surface immobilized by IgG has high sensitivity (LOD value of 5 ng mL-1) and broader dynamic range (0.005-50 μg mL-1). This simple and structure-controllable method for preparing 3D surfaces modified by macropore polymer has great potential applications in the fields of biochips and biosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaimei Peng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities Duyun 558000 China.,Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments of Guangdong Province School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou 510275 China
| | - Runping Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qiannan Normal University for NationalitiesDuyun 558000China
| | - Jianhua Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments of Guangdong Province School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou 510275 China
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Seo H, Jeon L, Kwon J, Lee H. High-Precision Synthesis of RNA-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2203033. [PMID: 36737864 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202203033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The recent development of RNA-based therapeutics in delivering nucleic acids for gene editing and regulating protein translation has led to the effective treatment of various diseases including cancer, inflammatory and genetic disorder, as well as infectious diseases. Among these, lipid nanoparticles (LNP) have emerged as a promising platform for RNA delivery and have shed light by resolving the inherent instability issues of naked RNA and thereby enhancing the therapeutic potency. These LNP consisting of ionizable lipid, helper lipid, cholesterol, and poly(ethylene glycol)-anchored lipid can stably enclose RNA and help them release into the cells' cytosol. Herein, the significant progress made in LNP research starting from the LNP constituents, formulation, and their diverse applications is summarized first. Moreover, the microfluidic methodologies which allow precise assembly of these newly developed constituents to achieve LNP with controllable composition and size, high encapsulation efficiency as well as scalable production are highlighted. Furthermore, a short discussion on current challenges as well as an outlook will be given on emerging approaches to resolving these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanjin Seo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
| | - Leekang Jeon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
| | - Jaeyeong Kwon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
| | - Hyomin Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
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11
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Damiati LA, El-Yaagoubi M, Damiati SA, Kodzius R, Sefat F, Damiati S. Role of Polymers in Microfluidic Devices. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:5132. [PMID: 36501526 PMCID: PMC9738615 DOI: 10.3390/polym14235132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymers are sustainable and renewable materials that are in high demand due to their excellent properties. Natural and synthetic polymers with high flexibility, good biocompatibility, good degradation rate, and stiffness are widely used for various applications, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and microfluidic chip fabrication. Indeed, recent advances in microfluidic technology allow the fabrication of polymeric matrix to construct microfluidic scaffolds for tissue engineering and to set up a well-controlled microenvironment for manipulating fluids and particles. In this review, polymers as materials for the fabrication of microfluidic chips have been highlighted. Successful models exploiting polymers in microfluidic devices to generate uniform particles as drug vehicles or artificial cells have been also discussed. Additionally, using polymers as bioink for 3D printing or as a matrix to functionalize the sensing surface in microfluidic devices has also been mentioned. The rapid progress made in the combination of polymers and microfluidics presents a low-cost, reproducible, and scalable approach for a promising future in the manufacturing of biomimetic scaffolds for tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laila A. Damiati
- Department of Biology, Collage of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23890, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marwa El-Yaagoubi
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, UK
| | - Safa A. Damiati
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rimantas Kodzius
- Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), 80539 Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Farshid Sefat
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Polymer Science & Technology (Polymer IRC), University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
- Department of Biomedical and Electronics Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Samar Damiati
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
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Bae G, Park T, Song IH. Surface Modification of Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) by Ultraviolet (UV) Irradiation and IPA Rinsing. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1952. [PMID: 36422382 PMCID: PMC9695257 DOI: 10.3390/mi13111952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is commonly applied to microfluidic devices due to its excellent biocompatibility, high optical transparency, and suitability for mass production. Recently, various surface treatment methods have been reported to improve the wettability of polymers, which is directly related to adhesion. In this research, the effect of a UV irradiation technique and an IPA rinsing technique as surface treatments for PMMA is investigated regarding the water contact angle of the PMMA surface. PMMA sheets that were 1.62 mm thick and commercially available were exposed to UV light with four different exposure times. Significant decreases in the water contact angle were observed after exposure to UV light, and the lowered contact angles due to the UV irradiation increased over time. According to the measurement, the water contact angle is a function of UV exposure dose as well as storage time after UV exposure. We examined the effect of a IPA rinsing process after UV irradiation and observed an increase in the water contact angle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geundong Bae
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungnam University, Changwon 51767, Korea
| | - Taehyun Park
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungnam University, Changwon 51767, Korea
| | - In-Hyouk Song
- Department of Engineering Technology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
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Trinh KTL, Thai DA, Lee NY. Bonding Strategies for Thermoplastics Applicable for Bioanalysis and Diagnostics. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1503. [PMID: 36144126 PMCID: PMC9501821 DOI: 10.3390/mi13091503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics is a multidisciplinary science that includes physics, chemistry, engineering, and biotechnology. Such microscale systems are receiving growing interest in applications such as analysis, diagnostics, and biomedical research. Thermoplastic polymers have emerged as one of the most attractive materials for microfluidic device fabrication owing to advantages such as being optically transparent, biocompatible, cost-effective, and mass producible. However, thermoplastic bonding is a key challenge for sealing microfluidic devices. Given the wide range of bonding methods, the appropriate bonding approach should be carefully selected depending on the thermoplastic material and functional requirements. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of thermoplastic fabricating and bonding approaches, presenting their advantages and disadvantages, to assist in finding suitable microfluidic device bonding methods. In addition, we highlight current applications of thermoplastic microfluidics to analyses and diagnostics and introduce future perspectives on thermoplastic bonding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieu The Loan Trinh
- Department of Industrial Environmental Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea
| | - Duc Anh Thai
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea
| | - Nae Yoon Lee
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea
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Torezin Mendonça G, Cassaboni Stracke M, de Oliveira Coelho B, Bruna Soligo Sanchuki H, Klassen de Oliveira V, Klerynton Marchini F, Lucíola Zanette D, Nóbrega Aoki M, Ribeiro Viana E, Blanes L. A new RT-LAMP-on-a-Chip Instrument for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics. Microchem J 2022; 180:107600. [PMID: 35620142 PMCID: PMC9121651 DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2022.107600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
This work describes the development of a Point-of-Care (POC) Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) instrument for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 by Reverse-Transcription Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). The hardware is based on a Raspberry Pi computer ($35), a video camera, an Arduino Nano microcontroller, a printed circuit board as a heater and a 3D printed housing. The chips were manufactured in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) using a CO2 laser cutting machine and sealed with a PCR optic plastic film. The chip temperature is precisely controlled by a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm. During the RT-LAMP amplifications the chip was maintained at ∼ (65.0 ± 0.1) °C for 25 minutes and 5 minutes cooling down, totaling a 30 minutes of reaction .The software interpretation occurs in less than a second. The chip design has four 25 µL chambers, two for clinical samples and two for positive and negative control-samples. The RT-LAMP master mix solution added in the chip chambers contains the pH indicator Phenol Red, that is pink (for pH ∼ 8.0) before amplification and becomes yellow (pH ∼ 6.0) if the genetic material is amplified. The RT-LAMP SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic was made by color image recognition using the OpenCV machine vision software library. The software was programmed to automatically distinguish the HSV color parameter distribution in each one of the four chip chambers. The instrument was successfully tested for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, in 22 clinic samples, 11 positives and 11 negatives, achieving an assertiveness of 86% when compared to the results obtained by RT-LAMP standard reactions performed in conventional PCR equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geovani Torezin Mendonça
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Mateus Cassaboni Stracke
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil,Paraná Institute of Molecular Biology, Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Bruna de Oliveira Coelho
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Heloisa Bruna Soligo Sanchuki
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Fabricio Klerynton Marchini
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil,Paraná Institute of Molecular Biology, Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Dalila Lucíola Zanette
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Mateus Nóbrega Aoki
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Emilson Ribeiro Viana
- Research and Characterization of Nanomaterials and Nanodevices Laboratory (LPCA-NN), Physics Department, Federal University of Technology - Paraná, 7 de setembro 3165 Avenue, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Lucas Blanes
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil,Paraná Institute of Molecular Biology, Professor Algacyr Munhoz Mader 3775 St., Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil,Corresponding author
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15
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Tsao CW, Chang CY, Chien PY. Microwave-Assisted Solvent Bonding for Polymethyl Methacrylate Microfluidic Device. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13071131. [PMID: 35888948 PMCID: PMC9320591 DOI: 10.3390/mi13071131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper demonstrated a microwave-assisted solvent bonding method that uses organic solvent to seal the thermoplastic substrates with microwave assistance. This direct bonding is a simple and straightforward process that starts with solvent application followed by microwave irradiation without the need for expensive facilities or complex procedures. The organic solvent applied at the bonding interface is used in dissolving and dielectric heating of the thermoplastic surfaces to seal the thermoplastic substrates under microwave assistance. We evaluated acetone and ethanol to seal the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microfluidic device. The bonding performance, such as bonding coverage, geometry stability, and bonding strength (tensile) were observed and compared with the oven-heating and non-heating control experiments under the same force applications. Results showed that the microwave-assisted solvent bonding method presents a high bonding yield (maximum > 99%) and bonding strength (maximum ~2.77 MPa) without microchannel distortion, which can be used for various microfluidic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Wen Tsao
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-3-4267343; Fax: +886-3-4254501
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16
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Nahak BK, Mishra A, Preetam S, Tiwari A. Advances in Organ-on-a-Chip Materials and Devices. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2022; 5:3576-3607. [PMID: 35839513 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The organ-on-a-chip (OoC) paves a way for biomedical applications ranging from preclinical to clinical translational precision. The current trends in the in vitro modeling is to reduce the complexity of human organ anatomy to the fundamental cellular microanatomy as an alternative of recreating the entire cell milieu that allows systematic analysis of medicinal absorption of compounds, metabolism, and mechanistic investigation. The OoC devices accurately represent human physiology in vitro; however, it is vital to choose the correct chip materials. The potential chip materials include inorganic, elastomeric, thermoplastic, natural, and hybrid materials. Despite the fact that polydimethylsiloxane is the most commonly utilized polymer for OoC and microphysiological systems, substitute materials have been continuously developed for its advanced applications. The evaluation of human physiological status can help to demonstrate using noninvasive OoC materials in real-time procedures. Therefore, this Review examines the materials used for fabricating OoC devices, the application-oriented pros and cons, possessions for device fabrication and biocompatibility, as well as their potential for downstream biochemical surface alteration and commercialization. The convergence of emerging approaches, such as advanced materials, artificial intelligence, machine learning, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, and genomics, have the potential to perform OoC technology at next generation. Thus, OoC technologies provide easy and precise methodologies in cost-effective clinical monitoring and treatment using standardized protocols, at even personalized levels. Because of the inherent utilization of the integrated materials, employing the OoC with biomedical approaches will be a promising methodology in the healthcare industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bishal Kumar Nahak
- Institute of Advanced Materials, IAAM, Gammalkilsvägen 18, Ulrika 59053, Sweden
| | - Anshuman Mishra
- Institute of Advanced Materials, IAAM, Gammalkilsvägen 18, Ulrika 59053, Sweden
| | - Subham Preetam
- Institute of Advanced Materials, IAAM, Gammalkilsvägen 18, Ulrika 59053, Sweden
| | - Ashutosh Tiwari
- Institute of Advanced Materials, IAAM, Gammalkilsvägen 18, Ulrika 59053, Sweden
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CFD Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Continuous Synthesis of Magnetite Nanoparticles Using 2D and 3D Micromixers. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13060970. [PMID: 35744584 PMCID: PMC9230433 DOI: 10.3390/mi13060970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) have attracted basic and applied research due to their immense potential to enable applications in fields as varied as drug delivery and bioremediation. Conventional synthesis schemes led to wide particle size distributions and inhomogeneous morphologies and crystalline structures. This has been attributed to the inability to control nucleation and growth processes under the conventional conditions of bulk batch processes. Here, we attempted to address these issues by scaling down the synthesis process aided by microfluidic devices, as they provide highly controlled and stable mixing patterns. Accordingly, we proposed three micromixers with different channel configurations, namely, serpentine, triangular, and a 3D arrangement with abrupt changes in fluid direction. The micromixers were first studied in silico, aided by Comsol Multiphysics® to investigate the obtained mixing patterns, and consequently, their potential for controlled growth and the nucleation processes required to form MNPs of uniform size and crystalline structure. The devices were then manufactured using a low-cost approach based on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and laser cutting. Testing the micromixers in the synthesis of MNPs revealed homogeneous morphologies and particle size distributions, and the typical crystalline structure reported previously. A life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis for the devices was conducted in comparison with conventional batch co-precipitation synthesis to investigate the potential impacts on water and energy consumption. The obtained results revealed that such consumptions are higher than those of the conventional process. However, they can be reduced by conducting the synthesis with reused micromixers, as new PMMA is not needed for their assembly prior to operation. We are certain that the proposed approach represents an advantageous alternative to co-precipitation synthesis schemes, in terms of continuous production and more homogeneous physicochemical parameters of interest such as size, morphologies, and crystalline structure. Future work should be directed towards improving the sustainability indicators of the micromixers’ manufacturing process.
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Recent Advances in Thermoplastic Microfluidic Bonding. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:mi13030486. [PMID: 35334777 PMCID: PMC8949906 DOI: 10.3390/mi13030486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics is a multidisciplinary technology with applications in various fields, such as biomedical, energy, chemicals and environment. Thermoplastic is one of the most prominent materials for polymer microfluidics. Properties such as good mechanical rigidity, organic solvent resistivity, acid/base resistivity, and low water absorbance make thermoplastics suitable for various microfluidic applications. However, bonding of thermoplastics has always been challenging because of a wide range of bonding methods and requirements. This review paper summarizes the current bonding processes being practiced for the fabrication of thermoplastic microfluidic devices, and provides a comparison between the different bonding strategies to assist researchers in finding appropriate bonding methods for microfluidic device assembly.
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Trinh KTL, Chae WR, Lee NY. Pressure-Free Assembling of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Microdevices via Microwave-Assisted Solvent Bonding and Its Biomedical Applications. BIOSENSORS 2021; 11:bios11120526. [PMID: 34940283 PMCID: PMC8699324 DOI: 10.3390/bios11120526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has become an appealing material for manufacturing microfluidic chips, particularly for biomedical applications, because of its transparency and biocompatibility, making the development of an appropriate bonding strategy critical. In our research, we used acetic acid as a solvent to create a pressure-free assembly of PMMA microdevices. The acetic acid applied between the PMMA slabs was activated by microwave using a household microwave oven to tightly merge the substrates without external pressure such as clamps. The bonding performance was tested and a superior bond strength of 14.95 ± 0.77 MPa was achieved when 70% acetic acid was used. Over a long period, the assembled PMMA device with microchannels did not show any leakage. PMMA microdevices were also built as a serpentine 2D passive micromixer and cell culture platform to demonstrate their applicability. The results demonstrated that the bonding scheme allows for the easy assembly of PMMAs with a low risk of clogging and is highly biocompatible. This method provides for a simple but robust assembly of PMMA microdevices in a short time without requiring expensive instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieu The Loan Trinh
- Department of Industrial Environmental Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea;
| | - Woo Ri Chae
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea;
| | - Nae Yoon Lee
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea;
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20
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Tajeddin A, Mustafaoglu N. Design and Fabrication of Organ-on-Chips: Promises and Challenges. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:1443. [PMID: 34945293 PMCID: PMC8707724 DOI: 10.3390/mi12121443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The advent of the miniaturization approach has influenced the research trends in almost all disciplines. Bioengineering is one of the fields benefiting from the new possibilities of microfabrication techniques, especially in cell and tissue culture, disease modeling, and drug discovery. The limitations of existing 2D cell culture techniques, the high time and cost requirements, and the considerable failure rates have led to the idea of 3D cell culture environments capable of providing physiologically relevant tissue functions in vitro. Organ-on-chips are microfluidic devices used in this context as a potential alternative to in vivo animal testing to reduce the cost and time required for drug evaluation. This emerging technology contributes significantly to the development of various research areas, including, but not limited to, tissue engineering and drug discovery. However, it also brings many challenges. Further development of the technology requires interdisciplinary studies as some problems are associated with the materials and their manufacturing techniques. Therefore, in this paper, organ-on-chip technologies are presented, focusing on the design and fabrication requirements. Then, state-of-the-art materials and microfabrication techniques are described in detail to show their advantages and also their limitations. A comparison and identification of gaps for current use and further studies are therefore the subject of the final discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Tajeddin
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Tuzla 34596, Istanbul, Turkey;
| | - Nur Mustafaoglu
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Tuzla 34596, Istanbul, Turkey;
- Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Sabanci University, Tuzla 34596, Istanbul, Turkey
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21
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Mohan MD, Young EWK. TANDEM: biomicrofluidic systems with transverse and normal diffusional environments for multidirectional signaling. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:4081-4094. [PMID: 34604885 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00279a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Biomicrofluidic systems that can recapitulate complex biological processes with precisely controlled 3D geometries are a significant advancement from traditional 2D cultures. To this point, these systems have largely been limited to either laterally adjacent channels in a single plane or vertically stacked single-channel arrangements. As a result, lateral (or transverse) and vertical (or normal) diffusion have been isolated to their respective designs only, thus limiting potential access to nutrients and 3D communication that typifies in vivo microenvironments. Here we report a novel device architecture called "TANDEM", an acronym for "T̲ransverse A̲nd N̲ormal D̲iffusional E̲nvironments for M̲ultidirectional Signaling", which enables multiplanar arrangements of aligned channels where normal and transverse diffusion occur in tandem to facilitate multidirectional communication. We developed a computational transport model in COMSOL and tested diffusion and culture viability in one specific TANDEM configuration, and found that TANDEM systems demonstrated enhanced diffusion in comparison to single-plane counterparts. This resulted in improved viability of hydrogel-embedded cells, which typically suffer from a lack of sufficient nutrient access during long-term culture. Finally, we showed that TANDEM designs can be expanded to more complex alternative configurations depending on the needs of the end-user. Based on these findings, TANDEM designs can utilize multidirectional enhanced diffusion to improve long-term viability and ultimately facilitate more robust and more biomimetic microfluidic systems with increasingly more complex geometric layouts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Mohan
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Edmond W K Young
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G9, Canada
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Mehta V, Vilikkathala Sudhakaran S, Rath SN. Facile Route for 3D Printing of Transparent PETg-Based Hybrid Biomicrofluidic Devices Promoting Cell Adhesion. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:3947-3963. [PMID: 34282888 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
3D printing has emerged as a promising fabrication technique for microfluidic devices, overcoming some of the challenges associated with conventional soft lithography. Filament-based polymer extrusion (popularly known as fused deposition modeling (FDM)) is one of the most accessible 3D printing techniques available, offering a wide range of low-cost thermoplastic polymer materials for microfluidic device fabrication. However, low optical transparency is one of the significant limitations of extrusion-based microfluidic devices, rendering them unsuitable for cell culture-related biological applications. Moreover, previously reported extrusion-based devices were largely dependent on fluorescent dyes for cell imaging because of their poor transparency. First, we aim to improve the optical transparency of FDM-based microfluidic devices to enable bright-field microscopy of cells. This is achieved using (1) transparent polymer filament materials such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol (PETg), (2) optimized 3D printing process parameters, and (3) a hybrid approach by integrating 3D printed microfluidic devices with cast poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) blocks. We begin by optimizing four essential 3D printing process parameters (layer height, printing speed, cooling fan speed, and extrusion flow), affecting the overall transparency of 3D printed devices. Optimized parameters produce exceptional optical transparency close to 80% in 3D printed PETg devices. Next, we demonstrate the potential of FDM-based 3D printing to fabricate transparent micromixing devices with complex planar and nonplanar channel networks. Most importantly, cells cultured on native 3D printed PETg surfaces show excellent cell attachment, spreading, and proliferation during 3 days of culture without extracellular matrix coating or surface treatment. Next, we introduce L929 cells inside hybrid PETg-PDMS biomicrofluidic devices as a proof of concept. We demonstrate that 3D printed hybrid biomicrofluidic devices promote cell adhesion, allow bright-field microscopy, and maintain high cell viability for 3 days. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of the proposed fabrication approach for developing 3D printed microfluidic devices from other FDM-compatible transparent polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Viraj Mehta
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), Kandi, Sangareddy 502285, Telangana, India
| | - Sukanya Vilikkathala Sudhakaran
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), Kandi, Sangareddy 502285, Telangana, India
| | - Subha Narayan Rath
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), Kandi, Sangareddy 502285, Telangana, India
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Akther F, Yakob SB, Nguyen NT, Ta HT. Surface Modification Techniques for Endothelial Cell Seeding in PDMS Microfluidic Devices. BIOSENSORS 2020; 10:E182. [PMID: 33228050 PMCID: PMC7699314 DOI: 10.3390/bios10110182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip cell culture techniques have been gaining popularity by offering the possibility of reducing the amount of samples and reagents and greater control over cellular microenvironment. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is the commonly used polymer for microfluidic cell culture devices because of the cheap and easy fabrication techniques, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, high gas permeability, and optical transparency. However, the intrinsic hydrophobic nature of PDMS makes cell seeding challenging when applied on PDMS surface. The hydrophobicity of the PDMS surface also allows the non-specific absorption/adsorption of small molecules and biomolecules that might affect the cellular behaviour and functions. Hydrophilic modification of PDMS surface is indispensable for successful cell seeding. This review collates different techniques with their advantages and disadvantages that have been used to improve PDMS hydrophilicity to facilitate endothelial cells seeding in PDMS devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahima Akther
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
- Queensland Micro-and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia;
| | - Shazwani Binte Yakob
- School of Pharmacy, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia;
| | - Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Queensland Micro-and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia;
| | - Hang T. Ta
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
- Queensland Micro-and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia;
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
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