1
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Abedini-Nassab R, Adibi E, Ahmadiasl S. Characterization of AI-enhanced magnetophoretic transistors operating in a tri-axial magnetic field for on-chip bioparticle sorting. Sci Rep 2024; 14:23381. [PMID: 39379453 PMCID: PMC11461615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74761-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate two general classes of magnetophoretic transistors, called the "trap" and the "repel-and-collect" transistors, capable of switching single magnetically labeled cells and magnetic particles between different paths in a microfluidic chamber. Compared with prior work on magnetophoretic transistors operating in a two-dimensional in-plane rotating field, the use of a tri-axial magnetic field has the fundamental advantages of preventing particle cluster formation and better syncing of single particles with the general operating clock. We use finite element methods to investigate the energy distribution on the chip surface and to predict the particle behavior at various device geometries. We then fabricate the proposed transistors and compare the experimental results with the simulation predictions. We found that with gate electrical currents of ~ 40 mA for a transistor with proper geometry, complete switching of magnetic particles with diameters in the range of 8-15 μm is achieved. We show that the device is reliable and works well at different magnetic field strengths (50-100 Oe) and frequencies (0.05-0.5 Hz). We also employed an image processing code with a trained convolutional neural network to automate the proposed transistors for identifying and sorting particles with various sizes and magnetic susceptibilities with accuracies higher than 98%. The proposed transistors can be used in designing novel magnetophoretic circuits for important applications in biomedical microdevices and single-cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roozbeh Abedini-Nassab
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-111, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Elias Adibi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Iran
| | - Sina Ahmadiasl
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-111, Tehran, Iran
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2
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Guo K, Song Z, Zhou J, Shen B, Yan B, Gu Z, Wang H. An artificial intelligence-assisted digital microfluidic system for multistate droplet control. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2024; 10:138. [PMID: 39327465 PMCID: PMC11427450 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-024-00775-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF) is a versatile technique for parallel and field-programmable control of individual droplets. Given the high level of variability in droplet manipulation, it is essential to establish self-adaptive and intelligent control methods for DMF systems that are informed by the transient state of droplets and their interactions. However, most related studies focus on droplet localization and shape recognition. In this study, we develop the AI-assisted DMF framework μDropAI for multistate droplet control on the basis of droplet morphology. The semantic segmentation model is integrated into our custom-designed DMF system to recognize the droplet states and their interactions for feedback control with a state machine. The proposed model has strong flexibility and can recognize droplets of different colors and shapes with an error rate of less than 0.63%; it enables control of droplets without user intervention. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the volumes of split droplets can be limited to 2.74%, which is lower than the CV of traditional dispensed droplets, contributing to an improvement in the precision of volume control for droplet splitting. The proposed system inspires the development of semantic-driven DMF systems that can interface with multimodal large language models (MLLMs) for fully automatic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunlun Guo
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zerui Song
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiale Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Shen
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingyong Yan
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Gu
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
| | - Huifeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Smart Manufacturing in Energy Chemical Process Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Jia Z, Chang C, Hu S, Li J, Ge M, Dong W, Ma H. Artificial intelligence-enabled multipurpose smart detection in active-matrix electrowetting-on-dielectric digital microfluidics. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2024; 10:139. [PMID: 39327430 PMCID: PMC11427566 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-024-00765-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
An active-matrix electrowetting-on-dielectric (AM-EWOD) system integrates hundreds of thousands of active electrodes for sample droplet manipulation, which can enable simultaneous, automatic, and parallel on-chip biochemical reactions. A smart detection system is essential for ensuring a fully automatic workflow and online programming for the subsequent experimental steps. In this work, we demonstrated an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled multipurpose smart detection method in an AM-EWOD system for different tasks. We employed the U-Net model to quantitatively evaluate the uniformity of the applied droplet-splitting methods. We used the YOLOv8 model to monitor the droplet-splitting process online. A 97.76% splitting success rate was observed with 18 different AM-EWOD chips. A 99.982% model precision rate and a 99.980% model recall rate were manually verified. We employed an improved YOLOv8 model to detect single-cell samples in nanolitre droplets. Compared with manual verification, the model achieved 99.260% and 99.193% precision and recall rates, respectively. In addition, single-cell droplet sorting and routing experiments were demonstrated. With an AI-based smart detection system, AM-EWOD has shown great potential for use as a ubiquitous platform for implementing true lab-on-a-chip applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Jia
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130022, PR China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215163, PR China
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co. Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province, 528000, PR China
| | - Chunyu Chang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215163, PR China
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co. Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province, 528000, PR China
| | - Siyi Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215163, PR China
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co. Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province, 528000, PR China
| | - Jiahao Li
- ACX Instruments Ltd, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK
| | - Mingfeng Ge
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215163, PR China
| | - Wenfei Dong
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130022, PR China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215163, PR China.
| | - Hanbin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215163, PR China.
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co. Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province, 528000, PR China.
- ACX Instruments Ltd, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK.
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4
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Qiu W, Lin X, Nagl S. In Situ Live Monitoring of Extracellular Acidosis near Cancer Cells Using Digital Microfluidics with an Integrated Optical pH Sensor Film. Anal Chem 2024; 96:14456-14463. [PMID: 39171737 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c02319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
We demonstrate the live monitoring of extracellular acidification on digital microfluidics using a chip-integrated fluorescent pH sensor film. The metabolism of various types of live cells including cancer and healthy cells were investigated through recording the extracellular pH (pHe) change. An optical pH sensor array was integrated onto a digital microfluidic (DMF) interface with a diameter of 2 mm per pH-sensing spot. Miniaturized, label-free, and noninvasive monitoring of extracellular acidosis on DMF was realized within a pH range of 5.0-8.0 with good sensitivity and rapid response. The pH sensitive probe fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate was covalently bound to poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and immobilized on a circularly exposed indium tin oxide interface on the DMF top plate. The surface of the fabricated pH sensor spots was modified with polydopamine via self-polymerization. Direct cell attachment on the sensor surfaces enabled rapid pH detection near the cell membranes. Automatic medium exchange on cell-attached pH sensing sites was achieved though solution passive dispensing on DMF. The developed DMF platform was used to monitor the pHe decrease during MCF-7 and A549 cancer cell proliferation due to abnormal glycolysis metabolism. A rapid pH decrease at the pH sensing area in the presence of cancer cells could be detected within 2 min after fresh medium exchange, while no obvious pHe change was observed with HUVEC healthy cells. Real-time detection of cell acidification and cellular response to different metabolic conditions such as higher glucose levels or administered anticancer drugs was possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Xuyan Lin
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Stefan Nagl
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
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5
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Ge T, Hu W, Zhang Z, He X, Wang L, Han X, Dai Z. Open and closed microfluidics for biosensing. Mater Today Bio 2024; 26:101048. [PMID: 38633866 PMCID: PMC11022104 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Biosensing is vital for many areas like disease diagnosis, infectious disease prevention, and point-of-care monitoring. Microfluidics has been evidenced to be a powerful tool for biosensing via integrating biological detection processes into a palm-size chip. Based on the chip structure, microfluidics has two subdivision types: open microfluidics and closed microfluidics, whose operation methods would be diverse. In this review, we summarize fundamentals, liquid control methods, and applications of open and closed microfluidics separately, point out the bottlenecks, and propose potential directions of microfluidics-based biosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianxin Ge
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518107, PR China
| | - Wenxu Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518107, PR China
| | - Zilong Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518107, PR China
| | - Xuexue He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518107, PR China
| | - Liqiu Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 999077, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Xing Han
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518107, PR China
| | - Zong Dai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518107, PR China
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6
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Zhai J, Liu Y, Ji W, Huang X, Wang P, Li Y, Li H, Wong AHH, Zhou X, Chen P, Wang L, Yang N, Chen C, Chen H, Mak PI, Deng CX, Martins R, Yang M, Ho TY, Yi S, Yao H, Jia Y. Drug screening on digital microfluidics for cancer precision medicine. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4363. [PMID: 38778087 PMCID: PMC11111680 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48616-3] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug screening based on in-vitro primary tumor cell culture has demonstrated potential in personalized cancer diagnosis. However, the limited number of tumor cells, especially from patients with early stage cancer, has hindered the widespread application of this technique. Hence, we developed a digital microfluidic system for drug screening using primary tumor cells and established a working protocol for precision medicine. Smart control logic was developed to increase the throughput of the system and decrease its footprint to parallelly screen three drugs on a 4 × 4 cm2 chip in a device measuring 23 × 16 × 3.5 cm3. We validated this method in an MDA-MB-231 breast cancer xenograft mouse model and liver cancer specimens from patients, demonstrating tumor suppression in mice/patients treated with drugs that were screened to be effective on individual primary tumor cells. Mice treated with drugs screened on-chip as ineffective exhibited similar results to those in the control groups. The effective drug identified through on-chip screening demonstrated consistency with the absence of mutations in their related genes determined via exome sequencing of individual tumors, further validating this protocol. Therefore, this technique and system may promote advances in precision medicine for cancer treatment and, eventually, for any disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Weiqing Ji
- School of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Xinru Huang
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunyi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Haoran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Ada Hang-Heng Wong
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xiong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- College of electrical and information engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Cancer Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Lianhong Wang
- College of electrical and information engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Ning Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Department of Electronic Information Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Chi Chen
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haitian Chen
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pui-In Mak
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Chu-Xia Deng
- Cancer Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Rui Martins
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
- On leave from Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mengsu Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tsung-Yi Ho
- Department of Compute Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shuhong Yi
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Hailong Yao
- School of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China.
| | - Yanwei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
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7
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Zhang Y, Yan C, Li J, Li X, Wang Y, Liu X, Zhu X. Ordered sulfonated polystyrene particle chains organized through AC electroosmosis as reinforcing phases in Polyacrylamide hydrogels. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 662:1063-1074. [PMID: 38369419 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.02.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogels have garnered significant attention due to their unique swelling properties, biocompatibility, and stability, resulting in them being promising candidates for various applications, ranging from drug delivery to tissue engineering. However, traditional PAM hydrogels suffer from low strength and poor toughness, which limits their widespread use. In this study, based on the theory of filler-reinforced composites, we introduced ordered sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) particles into PAM hydrogels using electric field-assisted techniques. The effects of the geometric dimensions and filling concentration of SPS particles on thermal stability, swelling/deswelling behavior, and mechanical properties of composite hydrogels were investigated. When filled with ordered 100 nm SPS particles at a concentration of 2.0 g·L-1, the resulting SPS/PAM composite exhibited improved water retention capacity, as well as a fracture elongation of 316 % and a tensile strength of 23 kPa. These findings in the paper provide valuable insights into the understanding of PAM hydrogels and open up new avenues for the development of advanced hydrogel-based systems with enhanced performance and functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China.
| | - Chao Yan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
| | - Jiaojiao Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
| | - Xiangmeng Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710054, China
| | - Yu Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
| | - Xinlei Liu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
| | - Xijing Zhu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China; Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
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8
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Cai L, Lin L, Lin S, Wang X, Chen Y, Zhu H, Zhu Z, Yang L, Xu X, Yang C. Highly Multiplexing, Throughput and Efficient Single-Cell Protein Analysis with Digital Microfluidics. SMALL METHODS 2024:e2400375. [PMID: 38607945 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202400375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Proteins as crucial components of cells are responsible for the majority of cellular processes. Sensitive and efficient protein detection enables a more accurate and comprehensive investigation of cellular phenotypes and life activities. Here, a protein sequencing method with high multiplexing, high throughput, high cell utilization, and integration based on digital microfluidics (DMF-Protein-seq) is proposed, which transforms protein information into DNA sequencing readout via DNA-tagged antibodies and labels single cells with unique cell barcodes. In a 184-electrode DMF-Protein-seq system, ≈1800 cells are simultaneously detected per experimental run. The digital microfluidics device harnessing low-adsorbed hydrophobic surface and contaminants-isolated reaction space supports high cell utilization (>90%) and high mapping reads (>90%) with the input cells ranging from 140 to 2000. This system leverages split&pool strategy on the DMF chip for the first time to overcome DMF platform restriction in cell analysis throughput and replace the traditionally tedious bench-top combinatorial barcoding. With the benefits of high efficiency and sensitivity in protein analysis, the system offers great potential for cell classification and drug monitoring based on protein expression at the single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linfeng Cai
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Li Lin
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Shiyan Lin
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Xuanqun Wang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yingwen Chen
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Huanghuang Zhu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zhi Zhu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Liu Yang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Xing Xu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
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9
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Smith BN, Ballentine P, Doherty JL, Wence R, Hobbie HA, Williams NX, Franklin AD. Aerosol Jet Printing Conductive 3D Microstructures from Graphene Without Post-Processing. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2305170. [PMID: 37946691 PMCID: PMC10960713 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202305170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) graphene microstructures have the potential to boost performance in high-capacity batteries and ultrasensitive sensors. Numerous techniques have been developed to create such structures; however, the methods typically rely on structural supports, and/or lengthy post-print processing, increasing cost and complexity. Additive manufacturing techniques, such as printing, show promise in overcoming these challenges. This study employs aerosol jet printing for creating 3D graphene microstructures using water as the only solvent and without any post-print processing required. The graphene pillars exhibit conductivity immediately after printing, requiring no high-temperature annealing. Furthermore, these pillars are successfully printed in freestanding configurations at angles below 45° relative to the substrate, showcasing their adaptability for tailored applications. When graphene pillars are added to humidity sensors, the additional surface area does not yield a corresponding increase in sensor performance. However, graphene trusses, which add a parallel conduction path to the sensing surface, are found to improve sensitivity nearly 2×, highlighting the advantages of a topologically suspended circuit construction when adding 3D microstructures to sensing electrodes. Overall, incorporating 3D graphene microstructures to sensor electrodes can provide added sensitivity, and aerosol jet printing is a viable path to realizing these conductive microstructures without any post-print processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany N. Smith
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Peter Ballentine
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - James L. Doherty
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Ryan Wence
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Hansel Alex Hobbie
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Nicholas X. Williams
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Aaron D. Franklin
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Chemistry Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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10
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Louw CJ, de Haan P, Verpoorte E, Baker P. Efficient Electrochemiluminescence Sensing in Microfluidic Biosensors: A Review. Crit Rev Biomed Eng 2024; 52:41-62. [PMID: 38523440 DOI: 10.1615/critrevbiomedeng.2023049565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Microfluidic devices are capable of handling 10-9 L to 10-18 L of fluids by incorporating tiny channels with dimensions of ten to hundreds of micrometers, and they can be fabricated using a wide range of materials including glass, silicon, polymers, paper, and cloth for tailored sensing applications. Microfluidic biosensors integrated with detection methods such as electrochemiluminescence (ECL) can be used for the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. Coupled with ECL, these tandem devices are capable of sensing biomarkers at nanomolar to picomolar concentrations, reproducibly. Measurement at this low level of concentration makes microfluidic electrochemiluminescence (MF-ECL) devices ideal for biomarker detection in the context of early warning systems for diseases such as myocardial infarction, cancer, and others. However, the technology relies on the nature and inherent characteristics of an efficient luminophore. The luminophore typically undergoes a redox process to generate excited species which emit energy in the form of light upon relaxation to lower energy states. Therefore, in biosensor design the efficiency of the luminophore is critical. This review is focused on the integration of microfluidic devices with biosensors and using electrochemiluminescence as a detection method. We highlight the dual role of carbon quantum dots as a luminophore and co-reactant in electrochemiluminescence analysis, drawing on their unique properties that include large specific surface area, easy functionalization, and unique luminescent properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clementine Juliat Louw
- SensorLab, Chemistry Department, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; Pharmaceutical Analysis, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Pim de Haan
- Pharmaceutical Analysis, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth Verpoorte
- Pharmaceutical Analysis, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Priscilla Baker
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape Bellville, 7535, Republic of South Africa
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11
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Li T, Cheng N. Sensitive and Portable Signal Readout Strategies Boost Point-of-Care CRISPR/Cas12a Biosensors. ACS Sens 2023; 8:3988-4007. [PMID: 37870387 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c01338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Point-of-care (POC) detection is getting more and more attention in many fields due to its accuracy and on-site test property. The CRISPR/Cas12a system is endowed with excellent sensitivity, target identification specificity, and signal amplification ability in biosensing because of its unique trans-cleavage ability. As a result, a lot of research has been made to develop CRISPR/Cas12a-based biosensors. In this review, we focused on signal readout strategies and summarized recent sensitivity-improving strategies in fluorescence, colorimetric, and electrochemical signaling. Then we introduced novel portability-improving strategies based on lateral flow assays (LFAs), microfluidic chips, simplified instruments, and one-pot design. In the end, we also provide our outlook for the future development of CRISPR/Cas12a biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Li
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Nan Cheng
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
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12
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R G, Kar S, Nagai M, Mahapatra PS, Santra TS. Massively Parallel High-Throughput Single-Cell Patterning and Large Biomolecular Delivery in Mammalian Cells Using Light Pulses. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303053. [PMID: 37548122 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The recent advancements of single-cell analysis have significantly enhanced the ability to understand cellular physiology when compared to bulk cellular analysis. Here a massively parallel single-cell patterning and very large biomolecular delivery is reported. Micro-pillar polydimethyl siloxane stamp with different diameters (40-100 µm with 1 cm × 1 cm patterning area) is fabricated and then imprint distinct proteins and finally pattern single-cell to small clusters of cells depending on the micro-pillar diameters. The maximum patterning efficiency is achieved 99.7% for SiHa, 96.75% for L929, and 98.6% for MG63 cells, for the 100 µm micro-pillar stamp. For intracellular delivery of biomolecules into the patterned cells, a titanium micro-dish device is aligned on top of the cells and exposed by infrared light pulses. The platform successfully delivers small to very large biomolecules such as PI dyes (668 Da), dextran 3000 Da, siRNA (20-24 bp), and large size enzymes (464 KDa) in SiHa, L929 and MG63 cells. The delivery efficiency for PI dye, Dextran 3000, siRNA, and enzyme for patterned cells are ≈95 ± 3%, 97 ± 1%, 96 ± 1% and 94 ± 3%, with cell viability of 98 ± 1%. Thus, the platform is compact, robust, easy for printing, and potentially applicable for single-cell therapy and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayathri R
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
- Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
| | - Srabani Kar
- Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati, 517507, India
| | - Moeto Nagai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Aichi, 441-8580, Japan
| | - Pallab Sinha Mahapatra
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
| | - Tuhin Subhra Santra
- Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
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13
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Li H, Peng T, Zhong Y, Liu M, Mak PI, Martins RP, Wang P, Jia Y. pH Regulator on Digital Microfluidics with Pico-Dosing Technique. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:951. [PMID: 37998126 PMCID: PMC10669492 DOI: 10.3390/bios13110951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Real-time pH control on-chip is a crucial factor for cell-based experiments in microfluidics, yet difficult to realize. In this paper, we present a flexible pH regulator on a digital microfluidic (DMF) platform. The pico-dosing technology, which can generate and transfer satellite droplets, is presented to deliver alkali/acid into the sample solution to change the pH value of the sample. An image analysis method based on ImageJ is developed to calculate the delivered volume and an on-chip colorimetric method is proposed to determine the pH value of the sample solution containing the acid-base indicator. The calculated pH values show consistency with the measured ones. Our approach makes the real-time pH control of the on-chip biological experiment more easy to control and flexible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (H.L.); (M.L.); (P.-I.M.)
| | - Tao Peng
- Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute, Zhuhai 519085, China;
| | - Yunlong Zhong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Meiqing Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (H.L.); (M.L.); (P.-I.M.)
| | - Pui-In Mak
- The State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (H.L.); (M.L.); (P.-I.M.)
- Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute, Zhuhai 519085, China;
| | - Rui P. Martins
- The State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (H.L.); (M.L.); (P.-I.M.)
- Faculty of Science and Technology–ECE, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- Instituto Superior Técnico, Unversidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Yanwei Jia
- The State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China; (H.L.); (M.L.); (P.-I.M.)
- Faculty of Science and Technology–ECE, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
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14
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Han X, Xu X, Yang C, Liu G. Microfluidic design in single-cell sequencing and application to cancer precision medicine. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100591. [PMID: 37725985 PMCID: PMC10545941 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell sequencing (SCS) is a crucial tool to reveal the genetic and functional heterogeneity of tumors, providing unique insights into the clonal evolution, microenvironment, drug resistance, and metastatic progression of cancers. Microfluidics is a critical component of many SCS technologies and workflows, conferring advantages in throughput, economy, and automation. Here, we review the current landscape of microfluidic architectures and sequencing techniques for single-cell omics analysis and highlight how these have enabled recent applications in oncology research. We also discuss the challenges and the promise of microfluidics-based single-cell analysis in the future of precision oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Han
- CUHK(SZ)-Boyalife Joint Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Programme, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China; Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Xing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China; Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related 12 Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China
| | - Chaoyang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China; Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related 12 Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P.R. China.
| | - Guozhen Liu
- CUHK(SZ)-Boyalife Joint Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Programme, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China; Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China.
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15
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Januariyasa IK, Borbone F, Salvatore M, Oscurato SL. Wavelength-Dependent Shaping of Azopolymer Micropillars for Three-Dimensional Structure Control. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:43183-43192. [PMID: 37646775 PMCID: PMC10510105 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Surfaces endowed with three-dimensional (3D) mesostructures, showing features in the nanometer to micrometer range, are critical for applications in several fields of science and technology. Finding a fabrication method that is simultaneously inexpensive, simple, fast, versatile, highly scalable, and capable of producing complex 3D shapes is still a challenge. Herein, we characterize the photoreconfiguration of a micropillar array of an azobenzene-containing polymer at different light wavelengths and demonstrate the tailoring of the surface geometry and its related functionality only using light. By changing the irradiated light wavelength and its polarization, we demonstrate the fabrication of various complex isotropic and anisotropic 3D mesostructures from a single original pristine geometry. Quantitative morphological analyses revealed an interplay between the decay rate of absorbed light intensity, micropillar volume preservation, and the cohesive forces between the azopolymer chains as the origin of distinctive wavelength-dependent 3D structural remorphing. Finally, we show the potentialities of this method in surface engineering by photoreshaping a single original micropillar surface into two sets of different mesostructured surfaces exhibiting tunable hydrophobicity in a wide water contact angle range. Our study opens up a new paradigm for fabricating functional 3D mesostructures in a simple, low-cost, fast, and scalable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Komang Januariyasa
- Department
of Physics “Ettore Pancini”, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Fabio Borbone
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, Università
degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Marcella Salvatore
- Department
of Physics “Ettore Pancini”, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Centro
Servizi Metrologici e tecnologici Avanzati (CeSMA), Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Corso Nicolangelo Protopisani, 80146 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefano L. Oscurato
- Department
of Physics “Ettore Pancini”, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Centro
Servizi Metrologici e tecnologici Avanzati (CeSMA), Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Corso Nicolangelo Protopisani, 80146 Naples, Italy
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16
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Hu S, Ye J, Shi S, Yang C, Jin K, Hu C, Wang D, Ma H. Large-Area Electronics-Enabled High-Resolution Digital Microfluidics for Parallel Single-Cell Manipulation. Anal Chem 2023; 95:6905-6914. [PMID: 37071892 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Large-area electronics as switching elements are an ideal option for electrode-array-based digital microfluidics. With support of highly scalable thin-film semiconductor technology, high-resolution digital droplets (diameter around 100 μm) containing single-cell samples can be manipulated freely on a two-dimensional plane with programmable addressing logic. In addition, single-cell generation and manipulation as foundations for single-cell research demand ease of operation, multifunctionality, and accurate tools. In this work, we reported an active-matrix digital microfluidic platform for single-cell generation and manipulation. The active device contained 26,368 electrodes that could be independently addressed to perform parallel and simultaneous droplet generation and achieved single-cell manipulation. We demonstrate a high-resolution digital droplet generation with a droplet volume limit of 500 pL and show the continuous and stable movement of droplet-contained cells for over 1 h. Furthermore, the success rate of single droplet formation was higher than 98%, generating tens of single cells within 10 s. In addition, a pristine single-cell generation rate of 29% was achieved without further selection procedures, and the droplets containing single cells could then be tested for on-chip cell culturing. After 20 h of culturing, about 12.5% of the single cells showed cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyi Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Jingmin Ye
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
| | - Subao Shi
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
| | - Chao Yang
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
| | - Kai Jin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Chenxuan Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Dongping Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
| | - Hanbin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, P. R. China
- Guangdong ACXEL Micro & Nano Tech Co., Ltd, Foshan, Guangdong Province 528000, P. R. China
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17
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Xu X, Cai L, Liang S, Zhang Q, Lin S, Li M, Yang Q, Li C, Han Z, Yang C. Digital microfluidics for biological analysis and applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1169-1191. [PMID: 36644972 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00756h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Digital microfluidics (DMF) is an emerging liquid-handling technology based on arrays of microelectrodes for the precise manipulation of discrete droplets. DMF offers the benefits of automation, addressability, integration and dynamic configuration ability, and provides enclosed picoliter-to-microliter reaction space, making it suitable for lab-on-a-chip biological analysis and applications that require high integration and intricate processes. A review of DMF bioassays with a special emphasis on those actuated by electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) force is presented here. Firstly, a brief introduction is presented on both the theory of EWOD actuation and the types of droplet motion. Subsequently, a comprehensive overview of DMF-based biological analysis and applications, including nucleic acid, protein, immunoreaction and cell assays, is provided. Finally, a discussion on the strengths, challenges, and potential applications and perspectives in this field is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Xu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Linfeng Cai
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Shanshan Liang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Qiannan Zhang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Shiyan Lin
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Mingying Li
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Qizheng Yang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Chong Li
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Ziyan Han
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
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18
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Tong Z, Shen C, Li Q, Yin H, Mao H. Combining sensors and actuators with electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD): advanced digital microfluidic systems for biomedical applications. Analyst 2023; 148:1399-1421. [PMID: 36752059 DOI: 10.1039/d2an01707e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The concept of digital microfluidics (DMF) enables highly flexible and precise droplet manipulation at a picoliter scale, making DMF a promising approach to realize integrated, miniaturized "lab-on-a-chip" (LOC) systems for research and clinical purposes. Owing to its simplicity and effectiveness, electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) is one of the most commonly studied and applied effects to implement DMF. However, complex biomedical assays usually require more sophisticated sample handling and detection capabilities than basic EWOD manipulation. Alternatively, combined systems integrating EWOD actuators and other fluidic handling techniques are essential for bringing DMF into practical use. In this paper, we briefly review the main approaches for the integration/combination of EWOD with other microfluidic manipulation methods or additional external fields for specified biomedical applications. The form of integration ranges from independently operating sub-systems to fully coupled hybrid actuators. The corresponding biomedical applications of these works are also summarized to illustrate the significance of these innovative combination attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoduo Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China. .,Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chuanjie Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China. .,Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qiushi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
| | - Hao Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China. .,Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hongju Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China.
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19
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Wanigasekara J, Cullen PJ, Bourke P, Tiwari B, Curtin JF. Advances in 3D culture systems for therapeutic discovery and development in brain cancer. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103426. [PMID: 36332834 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.103426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on recent advances in 3D culture systems that promise more accurate therapeutic models of the glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor microenvironment (TME), such as the unique anatomical, cellular, and molecular features evident in human GBM. The key components of a GBM TME are outlined, including microbiomes, vasculature, extracellular matrix (ECM), infiltrating parenchymal and peripheral immune cells and molecules, and chemical gradients. 3D culture systems are evaluated against 2D culture systems and in vivo animal models. The main 3D culture techniques available are compared, with an emphasis on identifying key gaps in knowledge for the development of suitable platforms to accurately model the intricate components of the GBM TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janith Wanigasekara
- BioPlasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI), Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Food Biosciences, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland; FOCAS Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Patrick J Cullen
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paula Bourke
- School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brijesh Tiwari
- Department of Food Biosciences, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland
| | - James F Curtin
- BioPlasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Environmental Sustainability and Health Institute (ESHI), Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; FOCAS Research Institute, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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20
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Traditional vs. Microfluidic Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24031875. [PMID: 36768199 PMCID: PMC9916368 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24031875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics provides a precise synthesis of micro-/nanostructures for various applications, including bioengineering and medicine. In this review article, traditional and microfluidic synthesis methods of zinc oxide (ZnO) are compared concerning particle size distribution, morphology, applications, reaction parameters, used reagents, and microfluidic device materials. Challenges of traditional synthesis methods are reviewed in a manner where microfluidic approaches may overcome difficulties related to synthesis precision, bulk materials, and reproducibility.
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21
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Grigorev GV, Lebedev AV, Wang X, Qian X, Maksimov GV, Lin L. Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:117. [PMID: 36671952 PMCID: PMC9856164 DOI: 10.3390/bios13010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The utilizations of microfluidic chips for single RBC (red blood cell) studies have attracted great interests in recent years to filter, trap, analyze, and release single erythrocytes for various applications. Researchers in this field have highlighted the vast potential in developing micro devices for industrial and academia usages, including lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip systems. This article critically reviews the current state-of-the-art and recent advances of microfluidics for single RBC analyses, including integrated sensors and microfluidic platforms for microscopic/tomographic/spectroscopic single RBC analyses, trapping arrays (including bifurcating channels), dielectrophoretic and agglutination/aggregation studies, as well as clinical implications covering cancer, sepsis, prenatal, and Sickle Cell diseases. Microfluidics based RBC microarrays, sorting/counting and trapping techniques (including acoustic, dielectrophoretic, hydrodynamic, magnetic, and optical techniques) are also reviewed. Lastly, organs on chips, multi-organ chips, and drug discovery involving single RBC are described. The limitations and drawbacks of each technology are addressed and future prospects are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgii V. Grigorev
- Data Science and Information Technology Research Center, Tsinghua Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California in Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- School of Information Technology, Cherepovets State University, 162600 Cherepovets, Russia
| | - Alexander V. Lebedev
- Machine Building Department, Bauman Moscow State University, 105005 Moscow, Russia
| | - Xiaohao Wang
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiang Qian
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - George V. Maksimov
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Physical metallurgy Department, Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education National Research Technological University “MISiS”, 119049 Moscow, Russia
| | - Liwei Lin
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California in Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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22
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Song ZR, Zeng J, Zhou JL, Yan BY, Gu Z, Wang HF. Optimization of Electrode Patterns for an ITO-Based Digital Microfluidic through the Finite Element Simulation. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1563. [PMID: 36295916 PMCID: PMC9611684 DOI: 10.3390/mi13101563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Indium tin oxide (ITO)-based digital microfluidics (DMF) with unique optical and electrical properties are promising in the development of integrated, automatic and portable analytical systems. The fabrication technique using laser direct etching (LDE) on ITO glass has the advantages of being rapid, low cost and convenient. However, the fabrication resolution of LDE limits the minimum line width for patterns on ITO glasses, leading to a related wider lead wire for the actuating electrodes of DMF compared with photolithography. Therefore, the lead wire of electrodes could affect the droplet motion on the digital microfluidic chip due to the increased contact line with the droplet. Herein, we developed a finite element model of a DMF with improved efficiency to investigate the effect of the lead wire. An optimized electrode pattern was then designed based on a theoretical analysis and validated by a simulation, which significantly decreased the deformation of the droplets down to 0.012 mm. The performance of the optimized electrode was also verified in an experiment. The proposed simulation method could be further extended to other DMF systems or applications to provide an efficient approach for the design and optimization of DMF chips.
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23
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Kim H, Kang Y, Lim B, Kim K, Yoon J, Ali A, Torati SR, Kim C. Tailoring matter orbitals mediated using a nanoscale topographic interface for versatile colloidal current devices. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2022; 9:2353-2363. [PMID: 35792087 DOI: 10.1039/d2mh00523a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Conventional micro-particle manipulation technologies have been used for various biomedical applications using dynamics on a plane without vertical movement. In this case, irregular topographic structures on surfaces could be a factor that causes the failure of the intended control. Here, we demonstrated a novel colloidal particle manipulation mediated by the topographic effect generated by the "micro hill" and "surface gradient" around a micro-magnet. The magnetic landscape, matter orbital, created by periodically arranged circular micro-magnets, induces a symmetric orbit of magnetic particle flow under a rotating magnetic field. The topographic effect can break this symmetry of the energy distribution by controlling the distance between the source of the driving force and target particles by several nanometers on the surface morphology. The origin symmetric orbit of colloidal flow can be distorted by modifying the symmetry in the energy landscape at the switching point without changing the driving force. The enhancement of the magnetic effect of the micro-magnet array can lead to the recovery of the symmetry of the orbit. Also, this effect on the surfaces of on-chip-based devices configured by symmetry control was demonstrated for selective manipulation, trapping, recovery, and altering the direction using a time-dependent magnetic field. Hence, the developed technique could be used in various precise lab-on-a-chip applications, including where the topographic effect is required as an additional variable without affecting the existing control method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonseol Kim
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yumin Kang
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byeonghwa Lim
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Keonmok Kim
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jonghwan Yoon
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Abbas Ali
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sri Ramulu Torati
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - CheolGi Kim
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
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24
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Schianti JN, Abe IY, Alayo MI, Carvalho DO. Real Time Water-In-Oil Emulsion Size Measurement in Optofluidic Channels. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22134999. [PMID: 35808495 PMCID: PMC9269678 DOI: 10.3390/s22134999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we investigated a platform for real-time emulsion droplet detection and size measurement in optofluidic platforms. An 8.2 µm core diameter input optical fiber and a multi-mode Gradient Refractive Index (GRIN) output fiber were integrated into an acrylic microfluidic channel platform consisting of three layers. Water-in-oil emulsions were investigated, since relevant applications have emerged in the recent past for these types of emulsions, such as drug encapsulation as well as droplet-based Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA, among others. The main contribution of this work is in understanding the main physical phenomena (i.e., total internal reflection, refraction, and interference) behind the complex transmittance pattern obtained for these droplets. For this purpose, a frequency domain electromagnetic wave propagation modelling of the structure using the Finite Element Method (FEM) was used along with experimental measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana N. Schianti
- Electrical Engineering Department (ENE), University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil;
| | - Igor Y. Abe
- Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil; (I.Y.A.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Marco I. Alayo
- Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil; (I.Y.A.); (M.I.A.)
| | - Daniel O. Carvalho
- Electrical Engineering Department (ENE), University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil;
- Correspondence:
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25
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Das A, Weise C, Polack M, Urban RD, Krafft B, Hasan S, Westphal H, Warias R, Schmidt S, Gulder T, Belder D. On-the-Fly Mass Spectrometry in Digital Microfluidics Enabled by a Microspray Hole: Toward Multidimensional Reaction Monitoring in Automated Synthesis Platforms. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:10353-10360. [PMID: 35640072 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c01651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We report an approach for the online coupling of digital microfluidics (DMF) with mass spectrometry (MS) using a chip-integrated microspray hole (μSH). The technique uses an adapted electrostatic spray ionization (ESTASI) method to spray a portion of a sample droplet through a microhole in the cover plate, allowing its chemical content to be analyzed by MS. This eliminates the need for chip disassembly or the introduction of capillary emitters for MS analysis, as required by state-of-the-art. For the first time, this allows the essential advantage of a DMF device─free droplet movement─to be retained during MS analysis. The broad applicability of the developed seamless coupling of DMF and mass spectrometry was successfully applied to the study of various on-chip organic syntheses as well as protein and peptide analysis. In the case of a Hantzsch synthesis, we were able to show that the method is very well suited for monitoring even rapid chemical reactions that are completed in a few seconds. In addition, the strength of the low resource consumption in such on-chip microsyntheses was demonstrated by the example of enzymatic brominations, for which only a minute amount of a special haloperoxidase is required in the droplet. The unique selling point of this approach is that the analyzed droplet remains completely movable after the MS measurement and is available for subsequent on-DMF chip processes. This is illustrated here for the example of MS analysis of the starting materials in the corresponding droplets before they are combined to investigate the reaction progress by DMF-MS further. This technology enables the ongoing and almost unlimited tracking of multistep chemical processes in a DMF chip and offers exciting prospects for transforming digital microfluidics into automated synthesis platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish Das
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Chris Weise
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Polack
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Raphael D Urban
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Benjamin Krafft
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sadat Hasan
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hannes Westphal
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rico Warias
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simon Schmidt
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tanja Gulder
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Detlev Belder
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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26
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Narahari T, Dahmer J, Sklavounos A, Kim T, Satkauskas M, Clotea I, Ho M, Lamanna J, Dixon C, Rackus DG, Silva SJRD, Pena L, Pardee K, Wheeler AR. Portable sample processing for molecular assays: application to Zika virus diagnostics. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1748-1763. [PMID: 35357372 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01068a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper introduces a digital microfluidic (DMF) platform for portable, automated, and integrated Zika viral RNA extraction and amplification. The platform features reconfigurable DMF cartridges offering a closed, humidified environment for sample processing at elevated temperatures, as well as programmable control instrumentation with a novel thermal cycling unit regulated using a proportional integral derivative (PID) feedback loop. The system operates on 12 V DC power, which can be supplied by rechargeable battery packs for remote testing. The DMF system was optimized for an RNA processing pipeline consisting of the following steps: 1) magnetic-bead based RNA extraction from lysed plasma samples, 2) RNA clean-up, and 3) integrated, isothermal amplification of Zika RNA. The DMF pipeline was coupled to a paper-based, colorimetric cell-free protein expression assay for amplified Zika RNA mediated by toehold switch-based sensors. Blinded laboratory evaluation of Zika RNA spiked in human plasma yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 75% respectively. The platform was then transported to Recife, Brazil for evaluation with infectious Zika viruses, which were detected at the 100 PFU mL-1 level from a 5 μL sample (equivalent to an RT-qPCR cycle threshold value of 32.0), demonstrating its potential as a sample processing platform for miniaturized diagnostic testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Narahari
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Joshua Dahmer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
| | - Alexandros Sklavounos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Taehyeong Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Monika Satkauskas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
| | - Ioana Clotea
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
| | - Man Ho
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Julian Lamanna
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Christopher Dixon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
| | - Darius G Rackus
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Severino Jefferson Ribeiro da Silva
- Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (FIOCRUZ Pernambuco), Av. Professor Moraes Rego, s/n - Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, CEP 50.740-465, Brazil
| | - Lindomar Pena
- Department of Virology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute (IAM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (FIOCRUZ Pernambuco), Av. Professor Moraes Rego, s/n - Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, CEP 50.740-465, Brazil
| | - Keith Pardee
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3M2, Canada
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8 Canada
| | - Aaron R Wheeler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E1, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
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27
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Quach ABV, Little SR, Shih SCC. Viral Generation, Packaging, and Transduction on a Digital Microfluidic Platform. Anal Chem 2022; 94:4039-4047. [PMID: 35192339 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c05227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Viral-based systems are a popular delivery method for introducing exogenous genetic material into mammalian cells. Unfortunately, the preparation of lentiviruses containing the machinery to edit the cells is labor-intensive, with steps requiring optimization and sensitive handling. To mitigate these challenges, we introduce the first microfluidic method that integrates lentiviral generation, packaging, and transduction. The new method allows the production of viral titers between 106 and 107 (similar to macroscale production) and high transduction efficiency for hard-to-transfect cell lines. We extend the technique for gene editing applications and show how this technique can be used to knock out and knock down estrogen receptor gene─a gene prominently responsible for 70% of breast cancer cases. This new technique is automated with multiplexing capabilities, which have the potential to standardize the methods for viral-based genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela B V Quach
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Samuel R Little
- Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
| | - Steve C C Shih
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Centre for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montréal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
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28
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Bettahar H, Harischandra PD, Zhou Q. Robotic Threading from a Gel-like Substance Based on Impedance Control With Force Tracking. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2021.3116697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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29
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Zhai J, Li C, Li H, Yi S, Yang N, Miao K, Deng C, Jia Y, Mak PI, Martins RP. Cancer drug screening with an on-chip multi-drug dispenser in digital microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:4749-4759. [PMID: 34761772 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00895a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics has been the most promising platform for drug screening with a limited number of cells. However, convenient on-chip preparation of a wide range of drug concentrations remains a large challenge and has restricted wide acceptance of microfluidics in precision medicine. In this paper, we report a digital microfluidic system with an innovative control structure and chip design for on-chip drug dispensing to generate concentrations that span three to four orders of magnitude, enabling single drug or combinatorial multi-drug screening with simple electronic control. Specifically, we utilize droplet ejection from a drug drop sitting on a special electrode, named a drug dispenser, under high-voltage pulse actuation to deliver the desired amount of drugs to be picked up by a cell suspension drop driven by low-voltage sine wave actuation. Our proof-of-principle validation for this technique as a convenient single and multi-drug screening involved testing of the drug toxicity of two chemotherapeutics, cisplatin (Cis) and epirubicin (EP), towards MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and MCF-10A normal breast cells. The results are consistent with those screened based on traditional 96-well plates. These findings demonstrate the reliability of the drug screening system with an on-chip drug dispenser. This system with fewer cancer cells, less drug consumption, a small footprint, and high scalability with regard to concentration could pave the way for drug screening on biopsied primary tumor cells for precision medicine or any concentration-related research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau, China.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences/Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Caiwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology - DECE, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Haoran Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology - DECE, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Shuhong Yi
- Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Department of Electronic Information Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Kai Miao
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Chuxia Deng
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Yanwei Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology - DECE, University of Macau, Macau, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
- MoE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Pui-In Mak
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology - DECE, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Rui P Martins
- State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Institute of Microelectronics, University of Macau, Macau, China.
- Faculty of Science and Technology - DECE, University of Macau, Macau, China
- On leave from Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
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30
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Colorimetric Sensing with Gold Nanoparticles on Electrowetting-Based Digital Microfluidics. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12111423. [PMID: 34832834 PMCID: PMC8621347 DOI: 10.3390/mi12111423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Digital microfluidic (DMF) has been a unique tool for manipulating micro-droplets with high flexibility and accuracy. To extend the application of DMF for automatic and in-site detection, it is promising to introduce colorimetric sensing based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which have advantages including high sensitivity, label-free, biocompatibility, and easy surface modification. However, there is still a lack of studies for investigating the movement and stability of AuNPs for in-site detection on the electrowetting-based digital microfluidics. Herein, to demonstrate the ability of DMF for colorimetric sensing with AuNPs, we investigated the electrowetting property of the AuNPs droplets on the hydrophobic interface of the DMF chip and examined the stability of the AuNPs on DMF as well as the influence of evaporation to the colorimetric sensing. As a result, we found that the electrowetting of AuNPs fits to a modified Young–Lippmann equation, which suggests that a higher voltage is required to actuate AuNPs droplets compared with actuating water droplets. Moreover, the stability of AuNPs was maintained during the processing of electrowetting. We also proved that the evaporation of droplets has a limited influence on the detections that last several minutes. Finally, a model experiment for the detection of Hg2+ was carried out with similar results to the detections in bulk solution. The proposed method can be further extended to a wide range of AuNPs-based detection for label-free, automatic, and low-cost detection of small molecules, biomarkers, and metal ions.
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31
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Zhang G, Zeng H, Liu J, Nagashima K, Takahashi T, Hosomi T, Tanaka W, Yanagida T. Nanowire-based sensor electronics for chemical and biological applications. Analyst 2021; 146:6684-6725. [PMID: 34667998 DOI: 10.1039/d1an01096d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Detection and recognition of chemical and biological species via sensor electronics are important not only for various sensing applications but also for fundamental scientific understanding. In the past two decades, sensor devices using one-dimensional (1D) nanowires have emerged as promising and powerful platforms for electrical detection of chemical species and biologically relevant molecules due to their superior sensing performance, long-term stability, and ultra-low power consumption. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the recent progress and achievements in 1D nanowire synthesis, working principles of nanowire-based sensors, and the applications of nanowire-based sensor electronics in chemical and biological analytes detection and recognition. In addition, some critical issues that hinder the practical applications of 1D nanowire-based sensor electronics, including device reproducibility and selectivity, stability, and power consumption, will be highlighted. Finally, challenges, perspectives, and opportunities for developing advanced and innovative nanowire-based sensor electronics in chemical and biological applications are featured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozhu Zhang
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan.
| | - Hao Zeng
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan.
| | - Jiangyang Liu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan.
| | - Kazuki Nagashima
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan. .,JST-PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Tsunaki Takahashi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan. .,JST-PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Takuro Hosomi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan. .,JST-PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Wataru Tanaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Yanagida
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan. .,Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka, 816-8580, Japan
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32
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Wu Y, Zhao L, Chang Y, Zhao L, Guo G, Wang X. Ultra-thin temperature controllable microwell array chip for continuous real-time high-resolution imaging of living single cells. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2021.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Sklavounos AA, Nemr CR, Kelley SO, Wheeler AR. Bacterial classification and antibiotic susceptibility testing on an integrated microfluidic platform. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:4208-4222. [PMID: 34549763 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00609f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
With the prevalence of bacterial infections and increasing levels of antibiotic resistance comes the need for rapid and accurate methods for bacterial classification (BC) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST). Here we demonstrate the use of the fluid handling technique digital microfluidics (DMF) for automated and simultaneous BC and AST using growth metabolic markers. Custom instrumentation was developed for this application including an integrated heating module and a machine-learning-enabled low-cost colour camera for real-time absorbance and fluorescent sample monitoring on multipurpose devices. Antibiotic dilutions along with sample handling, mixing and incubation at 37 °C were all pre-programmed and processed automatically. By monitoring the metabolism of resazurin, resorufin beta-D-glucuronide and resorufin beta-D-galactopyranoside to resorufin, BC and AST were achieved in under 18 h. AST was validated in two uropathogenic E. coli strains with antibiotics ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin. BC was performed independently and simultaneously with ciprofloxacin AST for E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis and S. aureus. Finally, a proof-of-concept multiplexed system for breakpoint testing of two antibiotics, as well as E. coli and coliform classification was investigated with a multidrug-resistant E. coli strain. All bacteria were correctly identified, while AST and breakpoint test results were in essential and category agreement with reference methods. These results show the versatility and accuracy of this all-in-one microfluidic system for analysis of bacterial growth and phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros A Sklavounos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Carine R Nemr
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Shana O Kelley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Canada.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E5, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Aaron R Wheeler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Canada.
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
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Kim S, Song H, Ahn H, Kim T, Jung J, Cho SK, Shin DM, Choi JR, Hwang YH, Kim K. A Review of Advanced Impedance Biosensors with Microfluidic Chips for Single-Cell Analysis. BIOSENSORS 2021; 11:412. [PMID: 34821628 PMCID: PMC8615569 DOI: 10.3390/bios11110412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Electrical impedance biosensors combined with microfluidic devices can be used to analyze fundamental biological processes for high-throughput analysis at the single-cell scale. These specialized analytical tools can determine the effectiveness and toxicity of drugs with high sensitivity and demonstrate biological functions on a single-cell scale. Because the various parameters of the cells can be measured depending on methods of single-cell trapping, technological development ultimately determine the efficiency and performance of the sensors. Identifying the latest trends in single-cell trapping technologies afford opportunities such as new structural design and combination with other technologies. This will lead to more advanced applications towards improving measurement sensitivity to the desired target. In this review, we examined the basic principles of impedance sensors and their applications in various biological fields. In the next step, we introduced the latest trend of microfluidic chip technology for trapping single cells and summarized the important findings on the characteristics of single cells in impedance biosensor systems that successfully trapped single cells. This is expected to be used as a leading technology in cell biology, pathology, and pharmacological fields, promoting the further understanding of complex functions and mechanisms within individual cells with numerous data sampling and accurate analysis capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soojung Kim
- Departments of Congo-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.K.); (H.S.); (H.A.); (T.K.); (J.J.)
| | - Hyerin Song
- Departments of Congo-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.K.); (H.S.); (H.A.); (T.K.); (J.J.)
| | - Heesang Ahn
- Departments of Congo-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.K.); (H.S.); (H.A.); (T.K.); (J.J.)
| | - Taeyeon Kim
- Departments of Congo-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.K.); (H.S.); (H.A.); (T.K.); (J.J.)
| | - Jihyun Jung
- Departments of Congo-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.K.); (H.S.); (H.A.); (T.K.); (J.J.)
| | - Soo Kyung Cho
- Division of Nano Convergence Technology, Pusan National University (PNU), Miryang 50463, Korea;
| | - Dong-Myeong Shin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Jong-ryul Choi
- Medical Device Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu 41061, Korea;
| | - Yoon-Hwae Hwang
- Department of Nano Energy Engineering, Pusan National University (PNU), Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Kyujung Kim
- Departments of Congo-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.K.); (H.S.); (H.A.); (T.K.); (J.J.)
- Department of Optics and Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
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Grant N, Geiss B, Field S, Demann A, Chen TW. Design of a Hand-Held and Battery-Operated Digital Microfluidic Device Using EWOD for Lab-on-a-Chip Applications. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:1065. [PMID: 34577709 PMCID: PMC8466106 DOI: 10.3390/mi12091065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidics offer many advantages to Point of Care (POC) devices through lower reagent use and smaller size. Additionally, POC devices offer the unique potential to conduct tests outside of the laboratory. In particular, Electro-wetting on Dielectric (EWOD) microfluidics has been shown to be an effective way to move and mix liquids enabling many PoC devices. However, much of the research surrounding these microfluidic systems are focused on a single aspect of the system capability, such as droplet control or a specific new application at the device level using the EWOD technology. Often in these experiments the supporting systems required for operation are bench top equipment such as function generators, power supplies, and personal computers. Although various aspects of how an EWOD device is capable of moving and mixing droplets have been demonstrated at various levels, a complete self-contained and portable lab-on-a-chip system based on the EWOD technology has not been well demonstrated. For instance, EWOD systems tend to use high voltage alternating current (AC) signals to actuate electrodes, but little consideration is given to circuitry size or power consumption of such components to make the entire system portable. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of integrating all supporting hardware and software to correctly operate an EWOD device in a completely self-contained and battery-powered handheld unit. We present results that demonstrate a complete sample preparation flow for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction and isolation. The device was designed to be a field deployable, hand-held platform capable of performing many other sample preparation tasks automatically. Liquids are transported using EWOD and controlled via a programmable microprocessor. The programmable nature of the device allows it to be configured for a variety of tests for different applications. Many considerations were given towards power consumption, size, and system complexity which make it ideal for use in a mobile environment. The results presented in this paper show a promising step forward to the portable capability of microfluidic devices based on the EWOD technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Grant
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Brian Geiss
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Stuart Field
- Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (S.F.); (A.D.)
| | - August Demann
- Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (S.F.); (A.D.)
| | - Thomas W. Chen
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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Qin N, Zhao P, Ho EA, Xin G, Ren CL. Microfluidic Technology for Antibacterial Resistance Study and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing: Review and Perspective. ACS Sens 2021; 6:3-21. [PMID: 33337870 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c02175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A review on microfluidic technology for antibacterial resistance study and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) is presented here. Antibiotic resistance has become a global health crisis in recent decades, severely threatening public health, patient care, economic growth, and even national security. It is extremely urgent that antibiotic resistance be well looked into and aggressively combated in order for us to survive this crisis. AST has been routinely utilized in determining bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and identifying potential resistance. Yet conventional methods for AST are increasingly incompetent due to unsatisfactory test speed, high cost, and deficient reliability. Microfluidics has emerged as a powerful and very promising platform technology that has proven capable of addressing the limitation of conventional methods and advancing AST to a new level. Besides, potential technical challenges that are likely to hinder the development of microfluidic technology aimed at AST are observed and discussed. To conclude, it is noted that (1) the translation of microfluidic innovations from laboratories to be ready AST platforms remains a lengthy journey and (2) ensuring all relevant parties engaged in a collaborative and unified mode is foundational to the successful incubation of commercial microfluidic platforms for AST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Qin
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Pei Zhao
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Emmanuel A. Ho
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 1C5, Canada
| | - Gongming Xin
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, China
| | - Carolyn L. Ren
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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Kang SM, Kim D, Lee JH, Takayama S, Park JY. Engineered Microsystems for Spheroid and Organoid Studies. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2001284. [PMID: 33185040 PMCID: PMC7855453 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202001284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
3D in vitro model systems such as spheroids and organoids provide an opportunity to extend the physiological understanding using recapitulated tissues that mimic physiological characteristics of in vivo microenvironments. Unlike 2D systems, 3D in vitro systems can bridge the gap between inadequate 2D cultures and the in vivo environments, providing novel insights on complex physiological mechanisms at various scales of organization, ranging from the cellular, tissue-, to organ-levels. To satisfy the ever-increasing need for highly complex and sophisticated systems, many 3D in vitro models with advanced microengineering techniques have been developed to answer diverse physiological questions. This review summarizes recent advances in engineered microsystems for the development of 3D in vitro model systems. The relationship between the underlying physics behind the microengineering techniques, and their ability to recapitulate distinct 3D cellular structures and functions of diverse types of tissues and organs are highlighted and discussed in detail. A number of 3D in vitro models and their engineering principles are also introduced. Finally, current limitations are summarized, and perspectives for future directions in guiding the development of 3D in vitro model systems using microengineering techniques are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Min Kang
- Department of Green Chemical Engineering, Sangmyung University, Cheonan, Chungnam, 31066, Republic of Korea
| | - Daehan Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hoon Lee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Shuichi Takayama
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Joong Yull Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
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Thomas B, Ohde D, Matthes S, Engelmann C, Bubenheim P, Terasaka K, Schlüter M, Liese A. Comparative investigation of fine bubble and macrobubble aeration on gas utility and biotransformation productivity. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 118:130-141. [PMID: 32886350 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The sufficient provision of oxygen is mandatory for enzymatic oxidations in aqueous solution, however, in process optimization this still is a bottleneck that cannot be overcome with the established methods of macrobubble aeration. Providing higher mass transfer performance through microbubble aerators, inefficient aeration can be overcome or improved. Investigating the mass transport performance in a model protein solution, the microbubble aeration results in higher kL a values related to the applied airstream in comparison with macrobubble aeration. Comparing the aerators at identical kL a of 160 and 60 1/h, the microbubble aeration is resulting in 25 and 44 times enhanced gas utility compared with aeration with macrobubbles. To prove the feasibility of microbubbles in biocatalysis, the productivity of a glucose oxidase catalyzed biotransformation is compared with macrobubble aeration as well as the gas-saving potential. In contrast to the expectation that the same productivities are achieved at identically applied kL a, microbubble aeration increased the gluconic acid productivity by 32% and resulted in 41.6 times higher oxygen utilization. The observed advantages of microbubble aeration are based on the large volume-specific interfacial area combined with a prolonged residence time, which results in a high mass transfer performance, less enzyme deactivation by foam formation, and reduced gas consumption. This makes microbubble aerators favorable for application in biocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Thomas
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Technical Biocatalysis, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Ohde
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Technical Biocatalysis, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simon Matthes
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Multiphase Flows, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Engelmann
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Technical Biocatalysis, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul Bubenheim
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Technical Biocatalysis, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Koichi Terasaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Michael Schlüter
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Multiphase Flows, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Liese
- Hamburg University of Technology, Institute of Technical Biocatalysis, Hamburg, Germany
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40
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Abdul Hamid ISL, Khi Khim B, Sal Hamid S, Abd Rahman MF, Abd Manaf A. Implementation of a Single Emulsion Mask for Three-Dimensional (3D) Microstructure Fabrication of Micromixers Using the Grayscale Photolithography Technique. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:E548. [PMID: 32485795 PMCID: PMC7345853 DOI: 10.3390/mi11060548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) microstructures have been exploited in various applications of microfluidic devices. Multilevel structures in micromixers are among the essential structures in microfluidic devices that exploit 3D microstructures for different tasks. The efficiency of the micromixing process is thus crucial, as it affects the overall performance of a microfluidic device. Microstructures are currently fabricated by less effective techniques due to a slow point-to-point and layer-by-layer pattern exposure by using sophisticated and expensive equipment. In this work, a grayscale photolithography technique is proposed with the capability of simultaneous control on lateral and vertical dimensions of microstructures in a single mask implementation. Negative photoresist SU8 is used for mould realisation with structural height ranging from 163.8 to 1108.7 µm at grayscale concentration between 60% to 98%, depending on the UV exposure time. This technique is exploited in passive micromixers fabrication with multilevel structures to study the mixing performance. Based on optical absorbance analysis, it is observed that 3D serpentine structure gives the best mixing performance among other types of micromixers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Intan Sue Liana Abdul Hamid
- Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Sains@USM, Pulau Pinang 11900, Malaysia; (I.S.L.A.H.); (B.K.K.); (S.S.H.); (M.F.A.R.)
- Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Johor 86400, Malaysia
| | - Beh Khi Khim
- Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Sains@USM, Pulau Pinang 11900, Malaysia; (I.S.L.A.H.); (B.K.K.); (S.S.H.); (M.F.A.R.)
| | - Sofiyah Sal Hamid
- Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Sains@USM, Pulau Pinang 11900, Malaysia; (I.S.L.A.H.); (B.K.K.); (S.S.H.); (M.F.A.R.)
| | - Mohamad Faizal Abd Rahman
- Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Sains@USM, Pulau Pinang 11900, Malaysia; (I.S.L.A.H.); (B.K.K.); (S.S.H.); (M.F.A.R.)
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang, Pulau Pinang 14000, Malaysia
| | - Asrulnizam Abd Manaf
- Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Center (CEDEC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Sains@USM, Pulau Pinang 11900, Malaysia; (I.S.L.A.H.); (B.K.K.); (S.S.H.); (M.F.A.R.)
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Gu Z, Wu ML, Yan BY, Wang HF, Kong C. Integrated Digital Microfluidic Platform for Colorimetric Sensing of Nitrite. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:11196-11201. [PMID: 32455243 PMCID: PMC7241042 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, a palm-size digital microfluidic (DMF) platform integrated with colorimetric analysis was developed for quantifying the concentration of nitrite. To realize the on-chip repeatable colorimetric analysis, a novel printed circuit board (PCB)-based DMF chip was designed with an embedded aperture on the actuator electrode, forming a vertical light path for online measurement of the droplets. The capabilities of the DMF platform enable automatic manipulation of microliter-level droplets to implement Griess assay without the use of external systems such as syringe, pump, or valve, which provides the benefits including high flexibility, portability, miniature size, and low cost. Results indicated the characteristics of good linearity (R 2 = 0.9974), the ignorable crosstalk for reusability, and the limit of detection (LOD) of nitrite as low as 5 μg/L. Furthermore, the presented platform was successfully applied to determine nitrite levels in food products with reliable results and satisfactory recoveries. This integrated DMF platform can be a promising new tool for a wide range of applications involving step-by-step solution mixing and optical detection in environmental monitoring, food safety analysis, and point-of-care testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Gu
- Key
Laboratory of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Processes
Ministry of Education, East China University
of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Ming-Lei Wu
- Key
Laboratory of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Processes
Ministry of Education, East China University
of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Bing-Yong Yan
- Key
Laboratory of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Processes
Ministry of Education, East China University
of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Hui-Feng Wang
- Key
Laboratory of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Processes
Ministry of Education, East China University
of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Cong Kong
- Shanghai
Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine (Academy of Forensic Science), Shanghai 200063, P. R. China
- Key
Laboratory of East China Sea Fishery Resources Exploitation, Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, East China
Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai 200090, P. R. China
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Sokolowska P, Zukowski K, Lasocka I, Szulc-Dabrowska L, Jastrzebska E. Human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) differentiation towards cardiac cells using a new microbioanalytical method. Analyst 2020; 145:3017-3028. [PMID: 32133460 DOI: 10.1039/c9an02366f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells (SCs) are more and more often applied in tissue engineering and cell therapies, e.g. in regenerative medicine. Standard methods of SC differentiation are time consuming and ineffective. Therefore, new bioanalytical methods (i.e. Lab-on-a-Chip systems) are develop to improve such type of studies. Although, microtechnology is a rapidly growing research area, there are so far not too many works which present SC differentiation into cardiomyocytes in the microsystems. Therefore, we present new microbioanalytical method of SC differentiation towards cardiac cells using a newly developed digitally controlled microdispenser integrated with a Heart-on-a-chip system. Seven-day culture of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and their differentiation using biochemical factors such as 5-AZA (2 μM, 24 h) and VEGF (20 ng ml-1, 72 h) were investigated in the microsystem which was automatically operated using smartphone software. hMSC differentiation into the cardiac cells was confirmed using immunostaining of cardiac markers (α-actinin and troponin T). The usage of the microsystem allowed shortening the time of hMSC differentiation in comparison to macroscale method. We showed that the microsystem, in which the in vivo microenvironment is mimicked and dynamic conditions are provided by a microdispenser, favorably affect hMSC differentiation towards cardiac cells. Based on the presented research we can conclude that the developed digitally controlled microsystem could be successfully utilized as a new microbioanalytical method for stem cells differentiation and analysis of their function under dynamic conditions. In the future, this could be a helpful tool for scientists working on regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja Sokolowska
- Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland.
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