1
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Yang W, Chen MA, Lee SH, Kang PK. Fluid inertia controls mineral precipitation and clogging in pore to network-scale flows. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401318121. [PMID: 38968103 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401318121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Mineral precipitation caused by fluid mixing presents complex control and predictability challenges in a variety of natural and engineering processes, including carbon mineralization, geothermal energy, and microfluidics. Precipitation dynamics, particularly under the influence of fluid flow, remain poorly understood. Combining microfluidic experiments and three-dimensional reactive transport simulations, we demonstrate that fluid inertia controls mineral precipitation and clogging at flow intersections, even in laminar flows. We observe distinct precipitation regimes as a function of Reynolds number (Re). At low Reynolds numbers (Re < 10), precipitates form a thin, dense layer along the mixing interface, which shuts precipitation off, while at high Reynolds numbers (Re > 50), strong three-dimensional flows significantly enhance precipitation over the entire intersection, resulting in rapid clogging. When injection rates from two inlets are uneven, flow symmetry-breaking leads to unexpected flow bifurcation phenomena, which result in enhanced concurrent precipitation in both downstream channels. Finally, we extend our findings to rough channel networks and demonstrate that the identified inertial effects on precipitation at the intersection scale are also present and even more dramatic at the network scale. This study sheds light on the fundamental mechanisms underlying mixing-induced mineral precipitation and provides a framework for designing and optimizing processes involving mineral precipitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weipeng Yang
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Michael A Chen
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Sang Hyun Lee
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Peter K Kang
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414
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2
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Coral D, Attard M, Pedrol E, Solé RM, Díaz F, Aguiló M, Mateos X. Computational and experimental microfluidics: Total analysis system for mixing, sorting, and concentrating particles and cells. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:026101. [PMID: 38633837 PMCID: PMC11023705 DOI: 10.1063/5.0158648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Body fluids can potentially indicate the presence of non-small cancer cells. Studying these fluids is an emerging field that could be crucial for cancer detection and monitoring treatment effectiveness. Meanwhile, the examination of fluids on a microscopic level is part of the field of microfluidics. This study focuses on the development of a total analysis system that consists of various interconnected structures that are designed to mix, classify, concentrate, and isolate particles in fluids that mimic the behavior of cancer and normal cells. Using the COMSOL Multiphysics software, the device's performance was optimized to use a pressure input of 35 kPa for water or serum and 29.4 kPa for a mixture of liquid and serum samples, which are the optimal pressure inputs. The numerical models were validated by experiments using two types of polystyrene particles, with diameters of 5 and 20 μm. Moreover, the developed system was applied to monitor the behavior of red blood cells. The microfluidic chip is capable of addressing several challenges through visual detections, including mixing tests of two fluids with similar densities, proper particle size classification using Dean flow fractionation, and single-step recovery of large, labeled particles. Finally, the collected particles were examined using an environmental scanning electron microscope to determine their size, and the results demonstrated that successful size separation was achieved, with particles around 20 μm completely separated from the smaller ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Coral
- University Rovira i Virgili (URV), Physics and Crystallography of Materials (FiCMA), Marcel⋅lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Matthew Attard
- University Rovira i Virgili (URV), Physics and Crystallography of Materials (FiCMA), Marcel⋅lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Eric Pedrol
- SRCiT - Service for Scientific and Technical Resources Campus Sescelades, N2 building, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Països Catalans 26, Av. 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Rosa Maria Solé
- University Rovira i Virgili (URV), Physics and Crystallography of Materials (FiCMA), Marcel⋅lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Francesc Díaz
- University Rovira i Virgili (URV), Physics and Crystallography of Materials (FiCMA), Marcel⋅lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Magdalena Aguiló
- University Rovira i Virgili (URV), Physics and Crystallography of Materials (FiCMA), Marcel⋅lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Xavier Mateos
- University Rovira i Virgili (URV), Physics and Crystallography of Materials (FiCMA), Marcel⋅lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
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3
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Lu S, Ma D, Mi X. A High-Throughput Circular Tumor Cell Sorting Chip with Trapezoidal Cross Section. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:3552. [PMID: 38894343 PMCID: PMC11175239 DOI: 10.3390/s24113552] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells are typically found in the peripheral blood of patients, offering a crucial pathway for the early diagnosis and prediction of cancer. Traditional methods for early cancer diagnosis are inefficient and inaccurate, making it difficult to isolate tumor cells from a large number of cells. In this paper, a new spiral microfluidic chip with asymmetric cross-section is proposed for rapid, high-throughput, label-free enrichment of CTCs in peripheral blood. A mold of the desired flow channel structure was prepared and inverted to make a trapezoidal cross-section using a micro-nanotechnology process of 3D printing. After a systematic study of how flow rate, channel width, and particle concentration affect the performance of the device, we utilized the device to simulate cell sorting of 6 μm, 15 μm, and 25 μm PS (Polystyrene) particles, and the separation efficiency and separation purity of 25 μm PS particles reached 98.3% and 96.4%. On this basis, we realize the enrichment of a large number of CTCs in diluted whole blood (5 mL). The results show that the separation efficiency of A549 was 88.9% and the separation purity was 96.4% at a high throughput of 1400 μL/min. In conclusion, we believe that the developed method is relevant for efficient recovery from whole blood and beneficial for future automated clinical analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Lu
- School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, 20 Chengzhong Road, Shanghai 201899, China;
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 865 Changning Road, Shanghai 200050, China;
| | - Ding Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 865 Changning Road, Shanghai 200050, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xianqiang Mi
- School of Microelectronics, Shanghai University, 20 Chengzhong Road, Shanghai 201899, China;
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 865 Changning Road, Shanghai 200050, China;
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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4
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Mane S, Behera A, Hemadri V, Bhand S, Tripathi S. Micropump integrated white blood cell separation platform for detection of chronic granulomatous disease. Mikrochim Acta 2024; 191:295. [PMID: 38700804 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-024-06372-7] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
White blood cells (WBCs) are robust defenders during antigenic challenges and prime immune cell functioning indicators. High-purity WBC separation is vital for various clinical assays and disease diagnosis. Red blood cells (RBCs) are a major hindrance in WBC separation, constituting 1000 times the WBC population. The study showcases a low-cost micropump integrated microfluidic platform to provide highly purified WBCs for point-of-care testing. An integrated user-friendly microfluidic platform was designed to separate WBCs from finger-prick blood (⁓5 μL), employing an inertial focusing technique. We achieved an efficient WBC separation with 86% WBC purity and 99.99% RBC removal rate in less than 1 min. In addition, the microdevice allows lab-on-chip colorimetric evaluation of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), a rare genetic disorder affecting globally. The assay duration, straight from separation to disease detection, requires only 20 min. Hence, the proposed microfluidic platform can further be implemented to streamline various clinical procedures involving WBCs in healthcare industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Mane
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, BITS-Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Sankval, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Abhishek Behera
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, BITS-Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Sankval, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Vadiraj Hemadri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, BITS-Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Sankval, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Sunil Bhand
- Department of Chemistry, BITS-Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Sankval, Goa, 403726, India
| | - Siddhartha Tripathi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, BITS-Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Sankval, Goa, 403726, India.
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5
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Ma H, Ramanujam AA, Linnes JC, Kinzer-Ursem TL. Biomolecular Interaction Analysis Quantification with a Low-Volume Microfluidic Chip and Particle Diffusometry. Anal Chem 2024; 96:5815-5823. [PMID: 38575144 PMCID: PMC11025547 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Microfluidic techniques are widely applied in biomolecular analysis and disease diagnostic assays. While the volume of the sample that is directly used in such assays is often only femto-to microliters, the "dead volume" of solutions supplied in syringes and tubing can be much larger, even up to milliliters, increasing overall reagent use and making analysis significantly more expensive. To reduce the difficulty and cost, we designed a new chip using a low volume solution for analysis and applied it to obtain real-time data for protein-protein interaction measurements. The chip takes advantage of air/aqueous two-phase droplet flow, on-chip rapid mixing within milliseconds, and a droplet capture method, that ultimately requires only 2 μL of reagent solution. The interaction is analyzed by particle diffusometry, a nonintrusive and precise optical detection method to analyze the properties of microparticle diffusion in solution. Herein, we demonstrate on-chip characterization of human immunodeficiency virus p24 antibody-antigen protein binding kinetics imaged via fluorescence microscopy and analyzed by PD. The measured kon and koff are 1 × 106 M-1 s-1 and 3.3 × 10-4 s-1, respectively, and agree with independent measurement via biolayer interferometry and previously calculated p24-antibody binding kinetics. This new microfluidic chip and the protein-protein interaction analysis method can also be applied in other fields that require low-volume solutions to perform accurate measurement, analysis, and detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Ma
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Aiswarya A. Ramanujam
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Jacqueline C. Linnes
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Tamara L. Kinzer-Ursem
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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6
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Wong YC, Yang S, Wen W. Prednisolone Nanoprecipitation with Dean Instability Microfluidics Mixer. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:652. [PMID: 38668146 PMCID: PMC11054107 DOI: 10.3390/nano14080652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Dean flow and Dean instability play an important role in inertial microfluidics, with a wide application in mixing and sorting. However, most studies are limited to Dean flow in the microscale. This work first reports the application of Dean instability on organic nanoparticles synthesis at De up to 198. The channel geometry (the tortuous channel) is optimized by simulation, in which the mixing efficiency is considered. With the optimized design, prednisolone nanoparticles are synthesized, and the size of the most abundant prednisolone nanoparticles is down to 100 nm with an increase in the Re and De and smallest size down to 46 nm. This work serves as an ice-breaker to the real application of Dean instability by demonstrating its ability in mixing and nanomaterials like nanoparticle synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ching Wong
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China; (Y.C.W.); (S.Y.)
| | - Siyu Yang
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China; (Y.C.W.); (S.Y.)
| | - Weijia Wen
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong 999077, China; (Y.C.W.); (S.Y.)
- Thrust of Advanced Materials, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 510630, China
- HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Collaborative Innovation Research Institute, Futian, Shenzhen 518000, China
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7
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Sevenler D, Toner M. High throughput intracellular delivery by viscoelastic mechanoporation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:115. [PMID: 38167490 PMCID: PMC10762167 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44447-w] [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: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Brief pulses of electric field (electroporation) and/or tensile stress (mechanoporation) have been used to reversibly permeabilize the plasma membrane of mammalian cells and deliver materials to the cytosol. However, electroporation can be harmful to cells, while efficient mechanoporation strategies have not been scalable due to the use of narrow constrictions or needles which are susceptible to clogging. Here we report a high throughput approach to mechanoporation in which the plasma membrane is stretched and reversibly permeabilized by viscoelastic fluid forces within a microfluidic chip without surface contact. Biomolecules are delivered directly to the cytosol within seconds at a throughput exceeding 250 million cells per minute. Viscoelastic mechanoporation is compatible with a variety of biomolecules including proteins, RNA, and CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes, as well as a range of cell types including HEK293T cells and primary T cells. Altogether, viscoelastic mechanoporation appears feasible for contact-free permeabilization and delivery of biomolecules to mammalian cells ex vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derin Sevenler
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Mehmet Toner
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Shriners Children's, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
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8
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Saffar Y, Kashanj S, Nobes DS, Sabbagh R. The Physics and Manipulation of Dean Vortices in Single- and Two-Phase Flow in Curved Microchannels: A Review. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:2202. [PMID: 38138371 PMCID: PMC10745399 DOI: 10.3390/mi14122202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Microchannels with curved geometries have been employed for many applications in microfluidic devices in the past decades. The Dean vortices generated in such geometries have been manipulated using different methods to enhance the performance of devices in applications such as mixing, droplet sorting, and particle/cell separation. Understanding the effect of the manipulation method on the Dean vortices in different geometries can provide crucial information to be employed in designing high-efficiency microfluidic devices. In this review, the physics of Dean vortices and the affecting parameters are summarized. Various Dean number calculation methods are collected and represented to minimize the misinterpretation of published information due to the lack of a unified defining formula for the Dean dimensionless number. Consequently, all Dean number values reported in the references are recalculated to the most common method to facilitate comprehension of the phenomena. Based on the converted information gathered from previous numerical and experimental studies, it is concluded that the length of the channel and the channel pathline, e.g., spiral, serpentine, or helix, also affect the flow state. This review also provides a detailed summery on the effect of other geometric parameters, such as cross-section shape, aspect ratio, and radius of curvature, on the Dean vortices' number and arrangement. Finally, considering the importance of droplet microfluidics, the effect of curved geometry on the shape, trajectory, and internal flow organization of the droplets passing through a curved channel has been reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Reza Sabbagh
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (Y.S.); (S.K.); (D.S.N.)
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9
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Wong YC, Dai C, Xian Q, Yan Z, Zhang Z, Wen W. Flow study of Dean's instability in high aspect ratio microchannels. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17896. [PMID: 37857780 PMCID: PMC10587195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44969-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Dean's flow and Dean's instability have always been important concepts in the inertial microfluidics. Curved channels are widely used for applications like mixing and sorting but are limited to Dean's flow only. This work first reports the Dean's instability flow in high aspect ratio channels on the deka-microns level for [Formula: see text]. A new channel geometry (the tortuous channel), which creates a rolled-up velocity profile, is presented and studied experimentally and numerically along with other three typical channel geometries at Dean's flow condition and Dean's instability condition. The tortuous channel generates a higher De environment at the same Re compared to the other channels and allows easier Dean's instability creation. We further demonstrate the use of multiple vortexes for mixing. The mixing efficiency is considered among different channel patterns and the tortuous channel outperforms the others. This work offers more understanding of the creation of Dean's instability at high aspect ratio channels and the effect of channel geometry on it. Ultimately, it demonstrates the potential for applications like mixing and cell sorting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ching Wong
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Cheng Dai
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Qingyue Xian
- Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Zhaoxu Yan
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Ziyi Zhang
- Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Weijia Wen
- Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong.
- Thrust of Advanced Materials, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.
- HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Collaborative Innovation Research Institute, Futian, Shenzhen, China.
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10
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Sen-Dogan B, Demir MA, Sahin B, Yildirim E, Karayalcin G, Sahin S, Mutlu E, Toral TB, Ozgur E, Zorlu O, Kulah H. Analytical Validation of a Spiral Microfluidic Chip with Hydrofoil-Shaped Pillars for the Enrichment of Circulating Tumor Cells. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:938. [PMID: 37887131 PMCID: PMC10605072 DOI: 10.3390/bios13100938] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood with high efficiency remains a challenge hindering the utilization of CTC enrichment methods in clinical practice. Here, we propose a microfluidic channel design for the size-based hydrodynamic enrichment of CTCs from blood in an epitope-independent and high-throughput manner. The microfluidic channel comprises a spiral-shaped part followed by a widening part, incorporating successive streamlined pillars, that improves the enrichment efficiency. The design was tested against two benchmark designs, a spiral microfluidic channel and a spiral microfluidic channel followed by a widening channel without the hydrofoils, by processing 5 mL of healthy blood samples spiked with 100 MCF-7 cells. The results proved that the design with hydrofoil-shaped pillars perform significantly better in terms of recovery (recovery rate of 67.9% compared to 23.6% in spiral and 56.7% in spiral with widening section), at a cost of slightly lower white blood cell (WBC) depletion (depletion rate of 94.2% compared to 98.6% in spiral and 94.2% in spiral with widening section), at 1500 µL/min flow rate. For analytical validation, the design was further tested with A549, SKOV-3, and BT-474 cell lines, yielding recovery rates of 62.3 ± 8.4%, 71.0 ± 6.5%, and 82.9 ± 9.9%, respectively. The results are consistent with the size and deformability variation in the respective cell lines, where the increasing size and decreasing deformability affect the recovery rate in a positive manner. The analysis before and after the microfluidic chip process showed that the process does not affect cell viability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Buket Sahin
- Mikro Biyosistemler A.S., 06530 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ender Yildirim
- Mikro Biyosistemler A.S., 06530 Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
- METU MEMS Center, 06530 Ankara, Turkey
| | | | | | - Ege Mutlu
- Mikro Biyosistemler A.S., 06530 Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Ebru Ozgur
- Mikro Biyosistemler A.S., 06530 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozge Zorlu
- Mikro Biyosistemler A.S., 06530 Ankara, Turkey
| | - Haluk Kulah
- Mikro Biyosistemler A.S., 06530 Ankara, Turkey
- METU MEMS Center, 06530 Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
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11
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Jia N, Torres de Oliveira L, Bégin-Drolet A, Greener J. A spectIR-fluidic reactor for monitoring fast chemical reaction kinetics with on-chip attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 15:5129-5138. [PMID: 37609867 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay00842h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics has emerged as a powerful technology with diverse applications in microbiology, medicine, chemistry, and physics. While its potential for controlling and studying chemical reactions is well recognized, the extraction and analysis of useful chemical information generated within microfluidic devices remain challenging. This is mainly due to the limited tools available for in situ measurements of chemical reactions. In this study, we present a proof-of-concept spectIR-fluidic reactor design that combines microfluidics with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for in situ kinetic studies of fast reactions. By integrating a multi-ridge silicon attenuated total reflection (ATR) wafer into the microfluidic device, we enable multi-point measurements for precise reaction time monitoring. As such, this work establishes a validated foundation for studying fast chemical reactions using on-chip ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in a microfluidic reactor environment, which enables simultaneous monitoring of reagents, intermediates, and products using a phosphate proton transfer reaction. The spectIR-fluidic reactor platform offers customizable designs, allowing for the investigation of reactions with various time scales, and has the potential to significantly advance studies exploring reaction mechanisms and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Jia
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Leon Torres de Oliveira
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - André Bégin-Drolet
- Département de Génie Mécanique, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Jesse Greener
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
- CHU de Québec, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, G1L 3L5, Canada
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12
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Adel M, Allam A, Sayour AE, Ragai HF, Umezu S, Fath El-Bab AMR. Fabrication of Spiral Low-Cost Microchannel with Trapezoidal Cross Section for Cell Separation Using a Grayscale Approach. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1340. [PMID: 37512651 PMCID: PMC10384897 DOI: 10.3390/mi14071340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Trapezoidal cross-sectional spiral microfluidic channels showed high resolution and throughput in cell separation in bio-applications. The main challenges are the complexity and high cost of the fabrication process of trapezoidal cross-sectional channels on the micro-scale. In this work, we present the application of grayscale in microfluidic channel design to overcome the complexity of the fabrication process. We also use direct engraving with a CO2 laser beam on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material to drastically reduce the microfluidic chip's cost (to <30 cents) and fabrication time (to 20 min). The capability of the present fabrication methodology for cell sorting applications is demonstrated through experimental tests for the separation of white blood cells (WBCs) from whole blood at different dilution factors. The experimental results indicated that an 800 µL/min flow rate provided the optimal separation efficiency using the fabricated chip. A 90.14% separation efficiency at 1% hematocrit diluted blood sample was reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Adel
- Department of Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21934, Egypt
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Helwan University, Cairo 11792, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Allam
- Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21934, Egypt
| | - Ashraf E Sayour
- Molecular Biomimetics Research Group, Animal Health Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12618, Egypt
| | - Hani F Ragai
- Electronics and Communications Department, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11517, Egypt
| | - Shinjiro Umezu
- Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Ahmed M R Fath El-Bab
- Department of Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21934, Egypt
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13
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Gao H, Zhou J, Naderi MM, Peng Z, Papautsky I. Evolution of focused streams for viscoelastic flow in spiral microchannels. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:73. [PMID: 37288322 PMCID: PMC10241945 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00520-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Particle migration dynamics in viscoelastic fluids in spiral channels have attracted interest in recent years due to potential applications in the 3D focusing and label-free sorting of particles and cells. Despite a number of recent studies, the underlying mechanism of Dean-coupled elasto-inertial migration in spiral microchannels is not fully understood. In this work, for the first time, we experimentally demonstrate the evolution of particle focusing behavior along a channel downstream length at a high blockage ratio. We found that flow rate, device curvature, and medium viscosity play important roles in particle lateral migration. Our results illustrate the full focusing pattern along the downstream channel length, with side-view imaging yielding observations on the vertical migration of focused streams. Ultimately, we anticipate that these results will offer a useful guide for elasto-inertial microfluidics device design to improve the efficiency of 3D focusing in cell sorting and cytometry applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Mohammad Moein Naderi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Zhangli Peng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Ian Papautsky
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
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14
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Yao Y, Yu S, Battiato I. Understanding flow dynamics in membrane distillation: Effects of reactor design on polarization. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2023.123664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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15
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Kim M, Borhan A. Critical conditions for development of a second pair of Dean vortices in curved microfluidic channels. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:055103. [PMID: 37329080 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.055103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The centrifugal force in flow through a curved channel initiates a hydrodynamic instability that results in the development of Dean vortices, a pair of counter-rotating roll cells across the channel that deflect the high velocity fluid in the center toward the outer (concave) wall. When this secondary flow toward the concave (outer) wall is too strong to be dissipated by viscous effects, an additional pair of vortices emerges near the outer wall. Combining numerical simulation and dimensional analysis, we find that the critical condition for the onset of the second vortex pair depends on γ^{1/2}Dn (γ: channel aspect ratio; Dn: Dean number). We also investigate the development length for the additional vortex pair in channels with different aspect ratios and curvatures. The larger centrifugal force at higher Dean numbers produces the additional vortices further upstream, with the required development length being inversely proportional to the Reynolds number and increasing linearly with the radius of curvature of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minyoung Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Ali Borhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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16
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Downs BM, Hoang TM, Cope L. Increasing the Capture Rate of Circulating Tumor DNA in Unaltered Plasma Using Passive Microfluidic Mixer Flow Cells. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:3225-3234. [PMID: 36811956 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A limiting factor in using blood-based liquid biopsies for cancer detection is the volume of extracted blood required to capture a measurable number of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). To overcome this limitation, we developed a technology named the dCas9 capture system to capture ctDNA from unaltered flowing plasma, removing the need to extract the plasma from the body. This technology has provided the first opportunity to investigate whether microfluidic flow cell design can affect the capture of ctDNA in unaltered plasma. With inspiration from microfluidic mixer flow cells designed to capture circulating tumor cells and exosomes, we constructed four microfluidic mixer flow cells. Next, we investigated the effects of these flow cell designs and the flow rate on the rate of captured spiked-in BRAF T1799A (BRAFMut) ctDNA in unaltered flowing plasma using surface-immobilized dCas9. Once the optimal mass transfer rate of ctDNA, identified by the optimal ctDNA capture rate, was determined, we investigated whether the design of the microfluidic device, flow rate, flow time, and the number of spiked-in mutant DNA copies affected the rate of capture by the dCas9 capture system. We found that size modifications to the flow channel had no effect on the flow rate required to achieve the optimal capture rate of ctDNA. However, decreasing the size of the capture chamber decreased the flow rate required to achieve the optimal capture rate. Finally, we showed that, at the optimal capture rate, different microfluidic designs using different flow rates could capture DNA copies at a similar rate over time. In this study, the optimal capture rate of ctDNA in unaltered plasma was identified by adjusting the flow rate in each of the passive microfluidic mixer flow cells. However, further validation and optimization of the dCas9 capture system are required before it is ready to be used clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley M Downs
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
| | - Tra-My Hoang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Leslie Cope
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, United States
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17
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Yin B, Yue W, Sohan ASMMF, Wan X, Zhou T, Shi L, Qian C, Lin X. Construction of a desirable hyperbolic microfluidic chip for ultrasensitive determination of PCT based on chemiluminescence. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:1978-1986. [PMID: 36752153 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb02338e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Since procalcitonin (PCT) is a specific inflammation indicator of severe bacterial inflammation and fungal infection, it is of great significance to construct a sensitive and rapid microfluidic chip to detect PCT in clinical application. The design of micromixers using a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device is the premise to realizing the adequate mixing of analytical samples and reagents and is an important measure to improve the accuracy and efficiency of determination. In this research study, we investigate the mixing characteristics of hyperbolic micromixers and explore the effects of different hyperbolic curvatures, different Reynolds numbers (Re) and different channel widths on the mixing performance of the micromixers. Then, an optimal micromixer was integrated into a microfluidic chip to fabricate a desirable hyperbolic microfluidic chip (DHMC) for the sensitive determination of inflammation marker PCT with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.17 ng mL-1via a chemiluminescence signal, which can be used as a promising real-time platform for early clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binfeng Yin
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China.
| | - Wenkai Yue
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China.
| | | | - Xinhua Wan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China.
| | - Teng Zhou
- Mechanical and Electrical Engineering College, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Liuyong Shi
- Mechanical and Electrical Engineering College, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Changcheng Qian
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China.
| | - Xiaodong Lin
- University of Macau Zhuhai UM Science and Technology Research Institute, Zhuhai 519080, China.
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18
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García-López I, Águeda VI, Garrido-Escudero A. Hydrodynamic behavior of a novel 3D-printed nature-inspired microreactor with a high length-to-surface ratio. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL ADVANCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2022.100438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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19
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Akbarnataj K, Maleki S, Rezaeian M, Haki M, Shamloo A. Novel size-based design of spiral microfluidic devices with elliptic configurations and trapezoidal cross-section for ultra-fast isolation of circulating tumor cells. Talanta 2023; 254:124125. [PMID: 36462283 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.124125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Investigation and analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been valuable resources for detecting and diagnosing cancer in its early stages. Recently, enumeration and separation of CTCs via microfluidic devices have attracted significant attention due to their low cost and easy setup. In this study, novel microfluidic devices based on size-dependent cell-sorting with a trapezoidal cross-section and elliptic spiral configurations were proposed to reach label-free, ultra-fast CTCs enrichment. Firstly, the possibility and quality of separation in the devices were evaluated via a numerical simulation. Subsequently, these devices were fabricated to investigate the effects of the altering curvature and the trapezoidal cross-section on the isolation of CTCs from the peripheral blood sample at varying flow rates ranging from 0.5 mL/min to 3.5 mL/min. The experimental results indicated that the flow rate of 2.5 mL/min provided the optimal separation efficiency in the proposed devices, which was in fine agreement with the numerical analysis results. In this experiment, the purity values of CTCs between 88% and 90% were achieved, which is an indicator of the high capability of the proposed devices for the isolation and enrichment of CTCs. This strategy is hoped to overcome the limitations of classical affinity-based CTC separation approaches in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazem Akbarnataj
- Nano-Bioengineering Lab, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran
| | - Sasan Maleki
- Nano-Bioengineering Lab, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran; Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11155-9161, Iran
| | - Masoud Rezaeian
- Nano-Bioengineering Lab, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran; Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11155-9161, Iran
| | - Mohammad Haki
- Nano-Bioengineering Lab, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran; Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11155-9161, Iran
| | - Amir Shamloo
- Nano-Bioengineering Lab, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11365-11155, Iran; Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 11155-9161, Iran.
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20
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Mahapatra B, Bandopadhyay A. Experimental Investigations on Geometry Modulated Solute Mixing in Viscoelastic Media. Ind Eng Chem Res 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c03663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bimalendu Mahapatra
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India
| | - Aditya Bandopadhyay
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India
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21
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Seo H, Jeon L, Kwon J, Lee H. High-Precision Synthesis of RNA-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2203033. [PMID: 36737864 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202203033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The recent development of RNA-based therapeutics in delivering nucleic acids for gene editing and regulating protein translation has led to the effective treatment of various diseases including cancer, inflammatory and genetic disorder, as well as infectious diseases. Among these, lipid nanoparticles (LNP) have emerged as a promising platform for RNA delivery and have shed light by resolving the inherent instability issues of naked RNA and thereby enhancing the therapeutic potency. These LNP consisting of ionizable lipid, helper lipid, cholesterol, and poly(ethylene glycol)-anchored lipid can stably enclose RNA and help them release into the cells' cytosol. Herein, the significant progress made in LNP research starting from the LNP constituents, formulation, and their diverse applications is summarized first. Moreover, the microfluidic methodologies which allow precise assembly of these newly developed constituents to achieve LNP with controllable composition and size, high encapsulation efficiency as well as scalable production are highlighted. Furthermore, a short discussion on current challenges as well as an outlook will be given on emerging approaches to resolving these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanjin Seo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
| | - Leekang Jeon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
| | - Jaeyeong Kwon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
| | - Hyomin Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Korea
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22
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Abstract
Soft lithography has permitted rapid prototyping of precise microfluidic features by patterning a deformable elastomer such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a photolithographically patterned mold. In microfluidics applications where the flexibility of PDMS is a drawback, a variety of more rigid materials have been proposed. Compared to alternatives, devices fabricated from epoxy and glass have superior mechanical performance, feature resolution, and solvent compatibility. Here we provide a detailed step-by-step method for fabricating rigid microfluidic devices from soft lithography patterned epoxy and glass. The bonding protocol was optimized yielding devices that withstand pressures exceeding 500 psi. Using this method, we demonstrate the use of rigid high aspect ratio spiral microchannels for high throughput cell focusing.
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23
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Bányai A, Farkas E, Jankovics H, Székács I, Tóth EL, Vonderviszt F, Horváth R, Varga M, Fürjes P. Dean-Flow Affected Lateral Focusing and Separation of Particles and Cells in Periodically Inhomogeneous Microfluidic Channels. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:800. [PMID: 36679593 PMCID: PMC9865988 DOI: 10.3390/s23020800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the recent work is to give a better explanation of how Dean vortices affect lateral focusing, and to understand how cell morphology can alter the focusing position compared to spherical particles. The position and extent of the focused region were investigated using polystyrene fluorescent beads with different bead diameters (Ø = 0.5, 1.1, 1.97, 2.9, 4.8, 5.4, 6.08, 10.2, 15.8, 16.5 µm) at different flow rates (0.5, 1, 2 µL/s). Size-dependent focusing generated a precise map of the equilibrium positions of the spherical beads at the end of the periodically altering channels, which gave a good benchmark for focusing multi-dimensional particles and cells. The biological samples used for experiments were rod-shaped Escherichia coli (E. coli), discoid biconcave-shaped red blood cells (RBC), round or ovoid-shaped yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and soft-irregular-shaped HeLa cancer-cell-line cells to understand how the shape of the cells affects the focusing position at the end of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Bányai
- Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary
- 77 Elektronika Ltd., Fehérvári Str. 98, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
- Doctoral School on Materials Sciences and Technologies, Óbuda University, Bécsi Str. 96/B, H-1034 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Farkas
- Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Hajnalka Jankovics
- Research Institute of Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering, University of Pannonia, Egyetem Str. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Inna Székács
- Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Leelőssyné Tóth
- Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Vonderviszt
- Research Institute of Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering, University of Pannonia, Egyetem Str. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Róbert Horváth
- Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Varga
- 77 Elektronika Ltd., Fehérvári Str. 98, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Fürjes
- Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary
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24
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An efficient microreactor with continuous serially connected micromixers for the synthesis of superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles. Chin J Chem Eng 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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25
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Xiang N, Ni Z. Inertial microfluidics: current status, challenges, and future opportunities. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:4792-4804. [PMID: 36263793 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00722c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Inertial microfluidics uses the hydrodynamic effects induced at finite Reynolds numbers to achieve passive manipulation of particles, cells, or fluids and offers the advantages of high-throughput processing, simple channel geometry, and label-free and external field-free operation. Since its proposal in 2007, inertial microfluidics has attracted increasing interest and is currently widely employed as an important sample preparation protocol for single-cell detection and analysis. Although great success has been achieved in the inertial microfluidics field, its performance and outcome can be further improved. From this perspective, herein, we reviewed the current status, challenges, and opportunities of inertial microfluidics concerning the underlying physical mechanisms, available simulation tools, channel innovation, multistage, multiplexing, or multifunction integration, rapid prototyping, and commercial instrument development. With an improved understanding of the physical mechanisms and the development of novel channels, integration strategies, and commercial instruments, improved inertial microfluidic platforms may represent a new foundation for advancing biomedical research and disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
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26
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Numerical and experimental analysis of effective passive mixing via a 3D serpentine channel. Chem Eng Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2022.117972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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27
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Ripoll M, Martin E, Enot M, Robbe O, Rapisarda C, Nicolai MC, Deliot A, Tabeling P, Authelin JR, Nakach M, Wils P. Optimal self-assembly of lipid nanoparticles (LNP) in a ring micromixer. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9483. [PMID: 35676394 PMCID: PMC9177731 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13112-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for RNA and DNA delivery have attracted considerable attention for their ability to treat a broad range of diseases and to vectorize mRNA for COVID vaccines. LNPs are produced by mixing biomolecules and lipids, which self-assemble to form the desired structure. In this domain, microfluidics shows clear advantages: high mixing quality, low-stress conditions, and fast preparation. Studies of LNPs produced in micromixers have revealed, in certain ranges of flow rates, a degradation in performance in terms of size, monodispersity and encapsulation efficiency. In this study, we focus on the ring micromixer, which is well adapted to high throughput. We reveal three regimes, side-by-side, transitional and highly mixed, that control the mixing performance of the device. Furthermore, using cryo-TEM and biochemical analysis, we show that the mixing performances are strongly correlated to the characteristics of the LNPs we produce. We emphasize the importance of the flow-rate ratio and propose a physical criterion based on the onset of temporal instabilities for producing LNPs with optimal characteristics in terms of geometry, monodispersity and encapsulation yield. These criteria are generally applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Ripoll
- BioDPD Department, SANOFI, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94400, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Elian Martin
- Microfluidics, MEMS, Nanostructures Laboratory, CNRS Chimie Biologie Innovation (CBI), UMR 8231, Institut Pierre Gilles de Gennes (IPGG), ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 6 rue Jean Calvin, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Mathilde Enot
- BioDPD Department, SANOFI, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94400, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Oscar Robbe
- BioDPD Department, SANOFI, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94400, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Chiara Rapisarda
- BioDPD Department, SANOFI, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94400, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Marie-Claire Nicolai
- REI Department, SANOFI Pasteur, 1541 Av. Marcel Mérieux, 69280, Marcy-L'Étoile, France
| | - Aurélie Deliot
- REI Department, SANOFI Pasteur, 1541 Av. Marcel Mérieux, 69280, Marcy-L'Étoile, France
| | - Patrick Tabeling
- Microfluidics, MEMS, Nanostructures Laboratory, CNRS Chimie Biologie Innovation (CBI), UMR 8231, Institut Pierre Gilles de Gennes (IPGG), ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 6 rue Jean Calvin, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Jean-René Authelin
- BioDPD Department, SANOFI, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94400, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Mostafa Nakach
- BioDPD Department, SANOFI, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94400, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Pierre Wils
- BioDPD Department, SANOFI, 13 Quai Jules Guesde, 94400, Vitry-sur-Seine, France
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28
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Ding L, Razavi Bazaz S, Asadniaye Fardjahromi M, McKinnirey F, Saputro B, Banerjee B, Vesey G, Ebrahimi Warkiani M. A modular 3D printed microfluidic system: a potential solution for continuous cell harvesting in large-scale bioprocessing. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2022; 9:64. [PMID: 38647880 PMCID: PMC10991575 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-022-00550-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidic devices have shown promising applications in the bioprocessing industry. However, the lack of modularity and high cost of testing and error limit their implementation in the industry. Advances in 3D printing technologies have facilitated the conversion of microfluidic devices from research output to applicable industrial systems. Here, for the first time, we presented a 3D printed modular microfluidic system consisting of two micromixers, one spiral microfluidic separator, and one microfluidic concentrator. We showed that this system can detach and separate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from microcarriers (MCs) in a short time while maintaining the cell's viability and functionality. The system can be multiplexed and scaled up to process large volumes of the industry. Importantly, this system is a closed system with no human intervention and is promising for current good manufacturing practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ding
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Sajad Razavi Bazaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Mahsa Asadniaye Fardjahromi
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | | | - Brian Saputro
- Regeneus Ltd, Paddington, Sydney, NSW, 2021, Australia
| | | | - Graham Vesey
- Regeneus Ltd, Paddington, Sydney, NSW, 2021, Australia
| | - Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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29
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Bányai A, Tóth EL, Varga M, Fürjes P. Geometry-Dependent Efficiency of Dean-Flow Affected Lateral Particle Focusing and Separation in Periodically Inhomogeneous Microfluidic Channels. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:3474. [PMID: 35591164 PMCID: PMC9101020 DOI: 10.3390/s22093474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this study, inertial focusing phenomenon was investigated, which can be used as a passive method for sample preparation and target manipulation in case of particulate suspensions. Asymmetric channel geometry was designed to apply additional inertial forces besides lift forces to promote laterally ordered particles to achieve sheathless focusing or size-dependent sorting. The evolving hydrodynamic forces were tailored with altered channel parameters (width and height), and different flow rates, to get a better understanding of smaller beads' lateral migration. Fluorescent beads (with the diameter of 4.8 µm and 15.8 µm) were used to distinguish the focusing position in continuous flow, and experimental results were compared to in silico models for particle movement prediction, made in COMSOL Multiphysics. The focusing behaviour of the applied microfluidic system was mainly characterised for particle size in the range close to blood cells and bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Bányai
- Microsystems Laboratory, Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, ELKH, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary; (E.L.T.); (P.F.)
- 77 Elektronika Ltd., Fehérvári Str. 98, XI., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary;
- Doctoral School on Materials Sciences and Technologies, Óbuda University, Bécsi Str. 96/B, H-1034 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Leelőssyné Tóth
- Microsystems Laboratory, Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, ELKH, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary; (E.L.T.); (P.F.)
| | - Máté Varga
- 77 Elektronika Ltd., Fehérvári Str. 98, XI., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Péter Fürjes
- Microsystems Laboratory, Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, ELKH, Konkoly Thege Miklós Str. 29-33, H-1121 Budapest, Hungary; (E.L.T.); (P.F.)
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30
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Taylor DP, Mathur P, Renaud P, Kaigala GV. Microscale hydrodynamic confinements: shaping liquids across length scales as a toolbox in life sciences. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1415-1437. [PMID: 35348555 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01101d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hydrodynamic phenomena can be leveraged to confine a range of biological and chemical species without needing physical walls. In this review, we list methods for the generation and manipulation of microfluidic hydrodynamic confinements in free-flowing liquids and near surfaces, and elucidate the associated underlying theory and discuss their utility in the emerging area of open space microfluidics applied to life-sciences. Microscale hydrodynamic confinements are already starting to transform approaches in fundamental and applied life-sciences research from precise separation and sorting of individual cells, allowing localized bio-printing to multiplexing for clinical diagnosis. Through the choice of specific flow regimes and geometrical boundary conditions, hydrodynamic confinements can confine species across different length scales from small molecules to large cells, and thus be applied to a wide range of functionalities. We here provide practical examples and implementations for the formation of these confinements in different boundary conditions - within closed channels, in between parallel plates and in an open liquid volume. Further, to enable non-microfluidics researchers to apply hydrodynamic flow confinements in their work, we provide simplified instructions pertaining to their design and modelling, as well as to the formation of hydrodynamic flow confinements in the form of step-by-step tutorials and analytical toolbox software. This review is written with the idea to lower the barrier towards the use of hydrodynamic flow confinements in life sciences research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Taylor
- IBM Research - Europe, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
- Microsystems Laboratory 4, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Prerit Mathur
- IBM Research - Europe, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
- Dept. of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Renaud
- Microsystems Laboratory 4, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Govind V Kaigala
- IBM Research - Europe, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
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31
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Sevim S, Sorrenti A, Vale JP, El-Hachemi Z, Pané S, Flouris AD, Mayor TS, Puigmartí-Luis J. Chirality transfer from a 3D macro shape to the molecular level by controlling asymmetric secondary flows. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1766. [PMID: 35365637 PMCID: PMC8976054 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29425-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Homochirality is a fundamental feature of living systems, and its origin is still an unsolved mystery. Previous investigations showed that external physical forces can bias a spontaneous symmetry breaking process towards deterministic enantioselection. But can the macroscopic shape of a reactor play a role in chiral symmetry breaking processes? Here we show an example of chirality transfer from the chiral shape of a 3D helical channel to the chirality of supramolecular aggregates, with the handedness of the helical channel dictating the direction of enantioselection in the assembly of an achiral molecule. By combining numerical simulations of fluid flow and mass transport with experimental data, we demonstrated that the chiral information is transferred top-down thanks to the interplay between the hydrodynamics of asymmetric secondary flows and the precise spatiotemporal control of reagent concentration fronts. This result shows the possibility of controlling enantioselectively molecular processes at the nanometer scale by modulating the geometry and the operating conditions of fluidic reactors. External physical forces can bias a spontaneous symmetry breaking process but whether the shape of a reactor plays a role in chiral symmetry breaking processes is an open question. Here, the authors demonstrate chirality transfer from the chiral shape of a 3D helical channel to chiral supramolecular aggregates whereby the handedness of the helical channel dictates the direction of enantioselection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semih Sevim
- Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.,Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich, Tannenstrasse 3, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Sorrenti
- Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica (Secció de Química Orgànica), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - João Pedro Vale
- Transport Phenomena Research Centre (CEFT), Engineering Faculty of Porto University, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALICE), Engineering Faculty of Porto University, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal
| | - Zoubir El-Hachemi
- Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica (Secció de Química Orgànica), University of Barcelona (UB), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Pané
- Multi-Scale Robotics Lab, ETH Zurich, Tannenstrasse 3, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas D Flouris
- FAME Laboratory, Department of Exercise Science, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| | - Tiago Sotto Mayor
- Transport Phenomena Research Centre (CEFT), Engineering Faculty of Porto University, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal. .,Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering (ALICE), Engineering Faculty of Porto University, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Josep Puigmartí-Luis
- Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028, Barcelona, Spain. .,Departament de Ciència dels Materials i Química Física, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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32
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Inertial separation of microparticles suspended in shear-thinning fluids. CHEMICAL PAPERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11696-022-02184-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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33
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34
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Zhang J, Liu S, Dong F, Zhang D, Wang X. Biofilm streamer growth dynamics in various microfluidic channels. Can J Microbiol 2022; 68:367-375. [PMID: 35100043 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2021-0346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms are microbial colonies that are encapsulated in the extracellular polymer secreted by cells through their proliferation and differentiation. Biofilm exists on solid surfaces, liquid surfaces or in liquid media, where the growth of bacterial biofilm is closely related to the velocity of secondary flow, the main flow and the geometry of the channel; which are hard to measure in the natural fluid environment, making the study of the biofilm streamer growth process is difficult. In this paper, we use microfluidic channels made of polydimethylsiloxane to study the growth dynamics of Bacillus subtilis biofilm streamer in flow. We observed that the biofilm streamer growth undergoes three stages with different growth characteristics: firstly, we find that the initial growth of the streamer locates at the position with the maximum value of P= Secondary flow velocity×main flow velocity. Secondly, the biofilm undergoes the floating growth around the micro column obstacle. Finally, after the transition stage, the last growth stage includes two types due to different attaching strength and mechanical properties of the biofilm. Our research provides new insights into the formation and shedding of biofilm streamer in natural and industrial environments, and helps us better understand the biofilm growth in fluid flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- JinChang Zhang
- University of Science and Technology Beijing, 12507, Beijing, China, 100083;
| | - Song Liu
- University of Science and Technology Beijing, 12507, Beijing, China;
| | - Fulin Dong
- University of Science and Technology Beijing, 12507, Beijing, China;
| | - Duohuai Zhang
- University of Science and Technology Beijing, 12507, Beijing, China;
| | - Xiaoling Wang
- University of Science and Technology Beijing, 12507, Beijing, China.,Harvard University John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 124077, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States;
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35
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Three-Dimensional Hydrostatic Curved Channel Flow Simulations Using Non-Staggered Triangular Grids. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Non-staggered triangular grids have many advantages in performing river or ocean modeling with the finite-volume method. However, horizontal divergence errors may occur, especially in large-scale hydrostatic calculations with centrifugal acceleration. This paper proposes an unstructured finite-volume method with a filtered scheme to mitigate the divergence noise and avoid further influencing the velocities and water elevation. In hydrostatic pressure calculations, we apply the proposed method to three-dimensional curved channel flows. Approximations reduce the numerical errors after filtering the horizontal divergence operator, and the approximation is second-order accurate. Numerical results for the channel flow accurately calculate the velocity profile and surface elevation at different Froude numbers. Moreover, secondary flow features such as the vortex pattern and its movement along the channel sections are also well captured.
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36
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Elsemary MT, Maritz MF, Smith LE, Warkiani M, Bandara V, Napoli S, Barry SC, Coombs JT, Thierry B. Inertial Microfluidic Purification of CAR-T-Cell Products. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2021; 6:e2101018. [PMID: 34881810 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202101018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy is rapidly becoming a frontline cancer therapy. However, the manufacturing process is time-, labor- and cost-intensive, and it suffers from significant bottlenecks. Many CAR-T products fail to reach the viability release criteria set by regulators for commercial cell therapy products. This results in non-recoupable costs for the manufacturer and is detrimental to patients who may not receive their scheduled treatment or receive out-of-specification suboptimal formulation. It is demonstrated here that inertial microfluidics can, within minutes, efficiently deplete nonviable cells from low-viability CAR-T cell products. The percentage of viable cells increases from 40% (SD ± 0.12) to 71% (SD ± 0.09) for untransduced T cells and from 51% (SD ± 0.12) to 71% (SD ± 0.09) for CAR-T cells, which meets the clinical trials' release parameters. In addition, the processing of CAR-T cells formulated in CryStor yields a 91% reduction in the amount of the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide. Inertial microfluidic processing has no detrimental effects on the proliferation and cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells. Interestingly, ≈50% of T-regulatory and T-suppressor cells are depleted, suggesting the potential for inertial microfluidic processing to tune the phenotypical composition of T-cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona T Elsemary
- Future Industries Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Michelle F Maritz
- Future Industries Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Louise E Smith
- Future Industries Institute, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Majid Warkiani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | | | - Silvana Napoli
- Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5006, Australia
| | - Simon C Barry
- Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5006, Australia
| | | | - Benjamin Thierry
- Future Industries Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095, Australia
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37
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Zardi P, Carofiglio T, Maggini M. Mild Microfluidic Approaches to Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesis. Chemistry 2021; 28:e202103132. [PMID: 34841599 PMCID: PMC9300203 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202103132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Oxide nanoparticles (oxide NPs) are advanced materials with a wide variety of applications in different fields. The use of continuous flow methods is particularly appealing for their synthesis due to the high control achieved over the reaction conditions and the easy process scalability. The present review focuses on the preparation of oxide NPs using microfluidic setups at low temperature (≤80 °C), since the employment of mild reaction conditions is crucial for developing sustainable and cost-effective processes. A particular emphasis will be put on the improvement over the final product features (e. g., size, shape, and size distribution) given by flow methods with respect to conventional batch procedures. The main issues that arise by treating NPs suspensions in microfluidic systems are product deposition or channel clogging; mitigation strategies to overcome these drawbacks will also be presented and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Zardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Francesco Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Tommaso Carofiglio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Francesco Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Michele Maggini
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Francesco Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
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38
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Li BW, Wei K, Liu QQ, Sun XG, Su N, Li WM, Shang MY, Li JM, Liao D, Li J, Lu WP, Deng SL, Huang Q. Enhanced Separation Efficiency and Purity of Circulating Tumor Cells Based on the Combined Effects of Double Sheath Fluids and Inertial Focusing. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:750444. [PMID: 34778227 PMCID: PMC8578950 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.750444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a crucial role in solid tumor metastasis, but obtaining high purity and viability CTCs is a challenging task due to their rarity. Although various works using spiral microchannels to isolate CTCs have been reported, the sorting purity of CTCs has not been significantly improved. Herein, we developed a novel double spiral microchannel for efficient separation and enrichment of intact and high-purity CTCs based on the combined effects of two-stage inertial focusing and particle deflection. Particle deflection relies on the second sheath to produce a deflection of the focused sample flow segment at the end of the first-stage microchannel, allowing larger particles to remain focused and entered the second-stage microchannel while smaller particles moved into the first waste channel. The deflection of the focused sample flow segment was visualized. Testing by a binary mixture of 10.4 and 16.5 μm fluorescent microspheres, it showed 16.5 μm with separation efficiency of 98% and purity of 90% under the second sheath flow rate of 700 μl min−1. In biological experiments, the average purity of spiked CTCs was 74% at a high throughput of 1.5 × 108 cells min−1, and the recovery was more than 91%. Compared to the control group, the viability of separated cells was 99%. Finally, we validated the performance of the double spiral microchannel using clinical cancer blood samples. CTCs with a concentration of 2–28 counts ml−1 were separated from all 12 patients’ peripheral blood. Thus, our device could be a robust and label-free liquid biopsy platform in inertial microfluidics for successful application in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Wen Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kun Wei
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qi-Qi Liu
- Department of Nursing, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xian-Ge Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ning Su
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wen-Man Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mei-Yun Shang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-Mi Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dan Liao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei-Ping Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shao-Li Deng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qing Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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39
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Lin YT, Huang CS, Tseng SC. How to Control the Microfluidic Flow and Separate the Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Particles in the Runner of a Disc. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12111335. [PMID: 34832747 PMCID: PMC8625270 DOI: 10.3390/mi12111335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biochips play an important role in both medical and food industry safety testing. Moreover, magnetic activated cell sorting is a well-established technology for biochip development. However, biochips need to be manufactured by precision instruments, resulting in the high cost of biochips. Therefore, this study used magnetic-activation and mechanics theories to create a novel disc that could manipulate the microfluidic flow, mixing, reaction, and separation on the runner of the disc. The goal of the research was to apply in the field of biomedical detection systems to reduce the cost of biochips and simplify the operation process. The simulation and experimental investigation showed that the pattern of the reaction chamber was stomach-shaped and the reservoir chamber was rectangular-shaped on the disc. The microfluid could be controlled to flow to the reaction chamber from the buffer and sample chamber when the disc spun at 175~200 rpm within three minutes. This was defined as the first setting mode. The microfluid could then be controlled to flow to the reservoir chamber from the reaction chamber when the disc spun at 225 rpm within five to ten minutes. This was defined as the second setting mode. This verified that the pattern design of the disc was optimized for control of the microfluid flow, mixing, reaction, and separation in the runner of the disc by different setting modes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Tsung Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology, Zhongli District, Taoyuan 320312, Taiwan;
| | - Chien-Sheng Huang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
| | - Shi-Chang Tseng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan;
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40
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Dubay R, Urban JN, Darling EM. Single-Cell Microgels for Diagnostics and Therapeutics. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2021; 31:2009946. [PMID: 36329867 PMCID: PMC9629779 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202009946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Cell encapsulation within hydrogel droplets is transforming what is feasible in multiple fields of biomedical science such as tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, in vitro modeling, and cell-based therapies. Recent advances have allowed researchers to miniaturize material encapsulation complexes down to single-cell scales, where each complex, termed a single-cell microgel, contains only one cell surrounded by a hydrogel matrix while remaining <100 μm in size. With this achievement, studies requiring single-cell resolution are now possible, similar to those done using liquid droplet encapsulation. Of particular note, applications involving long-term in vitro cultures, modular bioinks, high-throughput screenings, and formation of 3D cellular microenvironments can be tuned independently to suit the needs of individual cells and experimental goals. In this progress report, an overview of established materials and techniques used to fabricate single-cell microgels, as well as insight into potential alternatives is provided. This focused review is concluded by discussing applications that have already benefited from single-cell microgel technologies, as well as prospective applications on the cusp of achieving important new capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Dubay
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Brown University, 175 Meeting St., Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Draper, 555 Technology Sq., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Joseph N Urban
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Brown University, 175 Meeting St., Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Eric M Darling
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Department of Orthopaedics, Brown University, 175 Meeting St., Providence, RI 02912, USA
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41
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Harrington J, Esteban LB, Butement J, Vallejo AF, Lane SIR, Sheth B, Jongen MSA, Parker R, Stumpf PS, Smith RCG, MacArthur BD, Rose-Zerilli MJJ, Polak ME, Underwood T, West J. Dual dean entrainment with volume ratio modulation for efficient droplet co-encapsulation: extreme single-cell indexing. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3378-3386. [PMID: 34240097 PMCID: PMC8383763 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00292a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The future of single cell diversity screens involves ever-larger sample sizes, dictating the need for higher throughput methods with low analytical noise to accurately describe the nature of the cellular system. Current approaches are limited by the Poisson statistic, requiring dilute cell suspensions and associated losses in throughput. In this contribution, we apply Dean entrainment to both cell and bead inputs, defining different volume packets to effect efficient co-encapsulation. Volume ratio scaling was explored to identify optimal conditions. This enabled the co-encapsulation of single cells with reporter beads at rates of ∼1 million cells per hour, while increasing assay signal-to-noise with cell multiplet rates of ∼2.5% and capturing ∼70% of cells. The method, called Pirouette coupling, extends our capacity to investigate biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Harrington
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
| | - Luis Blay Esteban
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Jonathan Butement
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
| | - Andres F Vallejo
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Simon I R Lane
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Bhavwanti Sheth
- School for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Maaike S A Jongen
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
| | - Rachel Parker
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
| | - Patrick S Stumpf
- Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Rosanna C G Smith
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
| | - Ben D MacArthur
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
- Mathematical Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Matthew J J Rose-Zerilli
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Marta E Polak
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Sir Henry Wellcome Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Tim Underwood
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
| | - Jonathan West
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK.
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK
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42
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Venugopal D, Kasani N, Manjunath Y, Li G, Kaifi JT, Kwon JW. Clog-free high-throughput microfluidic cell isolation with multifunctional microposts. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16685. [PMID: 34404819 PMCID: PMC8370995 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94123-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics have been applied to filtration of rare tumor cells from the blood as liquid biopsies. Processing is highly limited by low flow rates and device clogging due to a single function of fluidic paths. A novel method using multifunctional hybrid functional microposts was developed. A swift by-passing route for non-tumor cells was integrated to prevent very common clogging problems. Performance was characterized using microbeads (10 µm) and human cancer cells that were spiked in human blood. Design-I showed a capture efficiency of 96% for microbeads and 87% for cancer cells at 1 ml/min flow rate. An improved Design-II presented a higher capture efficiency of 100% for microbeads and 96% for cancer cells. Our method of utilizing various microfluidic functions of separation, bypass and capture has successfully guaranteed highly efficient separation of rare cells from biological fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilip Venugopal
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Nanda Kasani
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Yariswamy Manjunath
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Guangfu Li
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Jussuf T Kaifi
- Department of Surgery, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65212, USA
| | - Jae W Kwon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
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43
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Dean migration of unfocused micron sized particles in low aspect ratio spiral microchannels. Biomed Microdevices 2021; 23:40. [PMID: 34309731 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-021-00575-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
We present an analysis of the microfluidic Dean migration of 2.5 µm particles, which do not meet focus criterion, in tall and low aspect ratio microchannels. We demonstrate the use of such low aspect ratio and tall spirals (h > 50 µm) for isolating high concentration (> 106 particles or cells/mL) micron sized particles without an initial off-chip dilution step. We specifically show the need for a sheath fluid for isolation and systematically analyze the particle stream profile (i.e. thickness and distance from the channel wall) as a function of downstream channel length and curvature ratio, with changes in the fluid velocity and the flow rate ratio of particles to sheath fluid (FRR). We also show that the width of the particle stream can control the particle migration and that a threshold stream width and Dean drag is necessary to initiate the particle stream migration from the channel wall. We then propose a design guide based on the selection of optimum curvatures, flow velocities and the FRRs required for achieving a narrow particle stream through a particular outlet. Finally, we use the design guide to demonstrate the isolation of bacteria from bladder epithelial cells.
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Tabatabaei SA, Zabetian Targhi M. Design and experimental investigation of a novel spiral microfluidic chip to separate wide size range of micro-particles aimed at cell separation. Proc Inst Mech Eng H 2021; 235:1315-1328. [PMID: 34218740 DOI: 10.1177/09544119211029753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Isolation of microparticles and biological cells on microfluidic chips has received considerable attention due to their applications in numerous areas such as medical and engineering fields. Microparticles separation is of great importance in bioassays due to the need for smaller sample and device size and lower manufacturing costs. In this study, we first explain the concepts of separation and microfluidic science along with their applications in the medical sciences, and then, a conceptual design of a novel inertial microfluidic system is proposed and analyzed. The PDMS spiral microfluidic device was fabricated, and its effects on the separation of particles with sizes similar to biological particles were experimentally analyzed. This separation technique can be used to separate cancer cells from the normal ones in the blood samples. These components required for testing were selected, assembled, and finally, a very affordable microfluidic kit was provided. Different experiments were designed, and the results were analyzed using appropriate software and methods. Separator system tests with polydisperse hollow glass particles (diameter 2-20 µm), and monodisperse Polystyrene particles (diameter 5 & 15 µm), and the results exhibit an acceptable chip performance with 86% of efficiency for both monodisperse particles and polydisperse particles. The microchannel collects particles with an average diameter of 15.8, 9.4, and 5.9 μm at the proposed reservoirs. This chip can be integrated into a more extensive point-of-care diagnostic system to test blood samples.
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Wang Y, Nunna BB, Talukder N, Etienne EE, Lee ES. Blood Plasma Self-Separation Technologies during the Self-Driven Flow in Microfluidic Platforms. Bioengineering (Basel) 2021; 8:94. [PMID: 34356201 PMCID: PMC8301051 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering8070094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood plasma is the most commonly used biofluid in disease diagnostic and biomedical analysis due to it contains various biomarkers. The majority of the blood plasma separation is still handled with centrifugation, which is off-chip and time-consuming. Therefore, in the Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) field, an effective microfluidic blood plasma separation platform attracts researchers' attention globally. Blood plasma self-separation technologies are usually divided into two categories: active self-separation and passive self-separation. Passive self-separation technologies, in contrast with active self-separation, only rely on microchannel geometry, microfluidic phenomena and hydrodynamic forces. Passive self-separation devices are driven by the capillary flow, which is generated due to the characteristics of the surface of the channel and its interaction with the fluid. Comparing to the active plasma separation techniques, passive plasma separation methods are more considered in the microfluidic platform, owing to their ease of fabrication, portable, user-friendly features. We propose an extensive review of mechanisms of passive self-separation technologies and enumerate some experimental details and devices to exploit these effects. The performances, limitations and challenges of these technologies and devices are also compared and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudong Wang
- Advanced Energy Systems and Microdevices Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (Y.W.); (B.B.N.); (N.T.); (E.E.E.)
| | - Bharath Babu Nunna
- Advanced Energy Systems and Microdevices Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (Y.W.); (B.B.N.); (N.T.); (E.E.E.)
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Niladri Talukder
- Advanced Energy Systems and Microdevices Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (Y.W.); (B.B.N.); (N.T.); (E.E.E.)
| | - Ernst Emmanuel Etienne
- Advanced Energy Systems and Microdevices Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (Y.W.); (B.B.N.); (N.T.); (E.E.E.)
| | - Eon Soo Lee
- Advanced Energy Systems and Microdevices Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (Y.W.); (B.B.N.); (N.T.); (E.E.E.)
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Lu X, Chow JJM, Koo SH, Jiang B, Tan TY, Yang D, Ai Y. Sheathless and high-throughput elasto-inertial bacterial sorting for enhancing molecular diagnosis of bloodstream infection. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2163-2177. [PMID: 33899072 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00085c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purification of bacteria from human blood samples is essential for rapid identification of pathogens by molecular methods, enabling faster and more accurate diagnosis of bloodstream infection than conventional gold standard blood culture methods. The inertial microfluidic method has been broadly studied to isolate biological cells of interest in various biomedical applications due to its label-free and high-throughput advantages. However, because of the bacteria's tininess, which ranges from 0.5 μm to 3 μm, they are challenging to be effectively focused and sorted out in existing inertial microfluidic devices that work well with biological cells larger than 10 μm. Efforts have been made to sort bacterial cells by utilizing extremely small channel dimensions or employing a sheath flow, which thus results in limitations on the throughput and ease of operation. To overcome this challenge, we develop a method that integrates a non-Newtonian fluid with a novel channel design to allow bacteria to be successfully sorted from larger blood cells in a channel dimension of 120 μm × 20 μm without the use of sheath flows. The throughput of this device with four parallel channels is above 400 μL per minute. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis indicates that our inertial sorting approach has a nearly 3-fold improvement in pathogen recovery compared with the commonly used lysis-centrifugation method at pathogen abundances as low as 102 cfu mL-1. With the rapid and simple purification and enrichment of bacterial pathogens, the present inertial sorting method exhibits an ability to enhance the fast and accurate molecular diagnosis of bloodstream bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoguang Lu
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
| | - Joycelyn Jia Ming Chow
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
| | - Seok Hwee Koo
- Clinical Trials & Research Unit, Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
| | - Boran Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
| | - Thean Yen Tan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
| | - Dahou Yang
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
| | - Ye Ai
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
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Desai D, Guerrero YA, Balachandran V, Morton A, Lyon L, Larkin B, Solomon DE. Towards a microfluidics platform for the continuous manufacture of organic and inorganic nanoparticles. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2021; 35:102402. [PMID: 33932590 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2021.102402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, microfluidics has opened new avenues for the synthesis of nanomaterials. However, the adoption of this production technique has been limited to a few high-value, low-production-volume organic nanoparticles. While there are several technical factors that can be attributed to this slow adoption, an important aspect to consider is the lack of a unified platform capable of producing a wide range of nanomaterials. In this work, we highlight a micro-mixing platform that can manufacture both organic and in-organic nanoparticles over a wide size range (nm-μm). We show that the platform can predictably and reproducibly create size and shape-controlled formulations with high homogeneity through input flow parameters. We further explore parallelization of this platform and discuss key technical constraints for high-volume production. We believe that the platform presented in this work can accelerate the adoption of nanomaterials relevant to a range of industries that encompass pharmaceutics, diagnostics, and cosmeceuticals.
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Qamareen A, Ansari MA, Alam SS, Alazzam A. Modulation of secondary flows in curved serpentine micromixers. CHEM ENG COMMUN 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00986445.2021.1887153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Arees Qamareen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Mubashshir A. Ansari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Shah S. Alam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Anas Alazzam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Gordeev EG, Ananikov VP. Widely accessible 3D printing technologies in chemistry, biochemistry and pharmaceutics: applications, materials and prospects. RUSSIAN CHEMICAL REVIEWS 2020. [DOI: 10.1070/rcr4980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Guglielmi R, Lai Z, Raba K, van Dalum G, Wu J, Behrens B, Bhagat AAS, Knoefel WT, Neves RPL, Stoecklein NH. Technical validation of a new microfluidic device for enrichment of CTCs from large volumes of blood by using buffy coats to mimic diagnostic leukapheresis products. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20312. [PMID: 33219265 PMCID: PMC7680114 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77227-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Diagnostic leukapheresis (DLA) enables to sample larger blood volumes and increases the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTC) significantly. Nevertheless, the high excess of white blood cells (WBC) of DLA products remains a major challenge for further downstream CTC enrichment and detection. To address this problem, we tested the performance of two label-free CTC technologies for processing DLA products. For the testing purposes, we established ficollized buffy coats (BC) with a WBC composition similar to patient-derived DLA products. The mimicking-DLA samples (with up to 400 × 106 WBCs) were spiked with three different tumor cell lines and processed with two versions of a spiral microfluidic chip for label-free CTC enrichment: the commercially available ClearCell FR1 biochip and a customized DLA biochip based on a similar enrichment principle, but designed for higher throughput of cells. While the samples processed with FR1 chip displayed with increasing cell load significantly higher WBC backgrounds and decreasing cell recovery, the recovery rates of the customized DLA chip were stable, even if challenged with up to 400 × 106 WBCs (corresponding to around 120 mL peripheral blood or 10% of a DLA product). These results indicate that the further up-scalable DLA biochip has potential to process complete DLA products from 2.5 L of peripheral blood in an affordable way to enable high-volume CTC-based liquid biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Guglielmi
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Bldg. 12.46, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Z Lai
- Biolidics Limited, Singapore, Singapore
| | - K Raba
- Institute for Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - G van Dalum
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Bldg. 12.46, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - J Wu
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Bldg. 12.46, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - B Behrens
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Bldg. 12.46, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - A A S Bhagat
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - W T Knoefel
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Bldg. 12.46, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - R P L Neves
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Bldg. 12.46, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - N H Stoecklein
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, Bldg. 12.46, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
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