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Liu Y, Yu L, Chen L, Chen K, Xu H, Chen M, Yi K, Li Y, Chen T, Wang F, Wang F, Zhu J, Wang F, Xiao X, Yang Y. Gradient Hydrogels Spatially Trapped Optical Cell Profiling for Quantitative Blood Cellular Osmotic Analysis. ACS Sens 2024; 9:1592-1601. [PMID: 38477713 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.4c00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The quantitative exploration of cellular osmotic responses and a thorough analysis of osmotic pressure-responsive cellular behaviors are poised to offer novel clinical insights into current research. This underscores a paradigm shift in the long-standing approach of colorimetric measurements triggered by red cell lysis. In this study, we engineered a purpose-driven optofluidic platform to facilitate the goal. Specifically, creating photocurable hydrogel traps surmounts a persistent challenge─optical signal interference from fluid disturbances. This achievement ensures a stable spatial phase of cells and the acquisition of optical signals for accurate osmotic response analysis at the single-cell level. Leveraging a multigradient microfluidic system, we constructed gradient osmotic hydrogel traps and developed an imaging recognition algorithm, empowering comprehensive analysis of cellular behaviors. Notably, this system has successfully and precisely analyzed individual and clustered cellular responses within the osmotic dimension. Prospective clinical testing has further substantiated its feasibility and performance in that it demonstrates an accuracy of 92% in discriminating complete hemolysis values (n = 25) and 100% in identifying initial hemolysis values (n = 25). Foreseeably, this strategy should promise to advance osmotic pressure-related cellular response analysis, benefiting further investigation and diagnosis of related blood diseases, blood quality, drug development, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yantong Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Le Yu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Longfei Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Keyu Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Hongshan Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Kezhen Yi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Faxi Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Jiaomeng Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Fubing Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xuan Xiao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
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Disease diagnostics using hydrodynamic flow focusing in microfluidic devices: Beyond flow cytometry. Biomed Eng Lett 2020; 10:241-257. [PMID: 32431954 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-019-00144-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The multi-disciplinary field of microfluidics has the potential to provide solutions to a diverse set of problems. It offers the advantages of high-throughput, continuous, rapid and expeditious analysis requiring minute quantities of sample. However, even as this field has yielded many mass-manufacturable and cost-efficient point-of-care devices, its direct and practical applications into the field of disease diagnostics still remain limited and largely overlooked by the industry. This review focuses on the phenomenon of hydrodynamic focusing and its potential to materialize solutions for appropriate diagnosis and prognosis. The study aims to look beyond its intended cytometric applications and focus on unambiguous disease detection, monitoring, drug delivery, studies conducted on DNA and highlight the instances in the scientific literature that have proposed such approach.
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Wu J, Dong M, Rigatto C, Liu Y, Lin F. Lab-on-chip technology for chronic disease diagnosis. NPJ Digit Med 2018; 1:7. [PMID: 31304292 PMCID: PMC6550168 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-017-0014-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Various types of chronic diseases (CD) are the leading causes of disability and death worldwide. While those diseases are chronic in nature, accurate and timely clinical decision making is critically required. Current diagnosis procedures are often lengthy and costly, which present a major bottleneck for effective CD healthcare. Rapid, reliable and low-cost diagnostic tools at point-of-care (PoC) are therefore on high demand. Owing to miniaturization, lab-on-chip (LoC) technology has high potential to enable improved biomedical applications in terms of low-cost, high-throughput, ease-of-operation and analysis. In this direction, research toward developing new LoC-based PoC systems for CD diagnosis is fast growing into an emerging area. Some studies in this area began to incorporate digital and mobile technologies. Here we review the recent developments of this area with the focus on chronic respiratory diseases (CRD), diabetes, and chronic kidney diseases (CKD). We conclude by discussing the challenges, opportunities and future perspectives of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiandong Wu
- 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Meili Dong
- 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada.,2Institute of Applied Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui China
| | | | - Yong Liu
- 2Institute of Applied Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui China
| | - Francis Lin
- 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
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Abstract
Traditionally, cell analysis has focused on using molecular biomarkers for basic research, cell preparation, and clinical diagnostics; however, new microtechnologies are enabling evaluation of the mechanical properties of cells at throughputs that make them amenable to widespread use. We review the current understanding of how the mechanical characteristics of cells relate to underlying molecular and architectural changes, describe how these changes evolve with cell-state and disease processes, and propose promising biomedical applications that will be facilitated by the increased throughput of mechanical testing: from diagnosing cancer and monitoring immune states to preparing cells for regenerative medicine. We provide background about techniques that laid the groundwork for the quantitative understanding of cell mechanics and discuss current efforts to develop robust techniques for rapid analysis that aim to implement mechanophenotyping as a routine tool in biomedicine. Looking forward, we describe additional milestones that will facilitate broad adoption, as well as new directions not only in mechanically assessing cells but also in perturbing them to passively engineer cell state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Darling
- Center for Biomedical Engineering.,Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology.,Department of Orthopaedics, and.,School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912;
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering.,California NanoSystems Institute, and.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095;
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Kumar PT, Vriens K, Cornaglia M, Gijs M, Kokalj T, Thevissen K, Geeraerd A, Cammue BPA, Puers R, Lammertyn J. Digital microfluidics for time-resolved cytotoxicity studies on single non-adherent yeast cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2015; 15:1852-1860. [PMID: 25710603 DOI: 10.1039/c4lc01469c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Single cell analysis (SCA) has gained increased popularity for elucidating cellular heterogeneity at genomic, proteomic and cellular levels. Flow cytometry is considered as one of the most widely used techniques to characterize single cell responses; however, its inability to analyse cells with spatio-temporal resolution poses a major drawback. Here, we introduce a digital microfluidic (DMF) platform as a useful tool for conducting studies on isolated yeast cells in a high-throughput fashion. The reported system exhibits (i) a microwell array for trapping single non-adherent cells by shuttling a cell-containing droplet over the array, and allows (ii) implementation of high-throughput cytotoxicity assays with enhanced spatio-temporal resolution. The system was tested for five different concentrations of the antifungal drug Amphotericin B, and the cell responses were monitored over time by time lapse fluorescence microscopy. The DMF platform was validated by bulk experiments, which mimicked the DMF experimental design. A correlation analysis revealed that the results obtained on the DMF platform are not significantly different from those obtained in bulk; hence, the DMF platform can be used as a tool to perform SCA on non-adherent cells, with spatio-temporal resolution. In addition, no external forces, other than the physical forces generated by moving the droplet, were used to capture single cells, thereby avoiding cell damage. As such, the information on cellular behaviour during treatment could be obtained for every single cell over time making this platform noteworthy in the field of SCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- P T Kumar
- BIOSYST-MEBIOS, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, Heverlee, Belgium.
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Nawaz AA, Zhang X, Mao X, Rufo J, Lin SCS, Guo F, Zhao Y, Lapsley M, Li P, McCoy JP, Levine SJ, Huang TJ. Sub-micrometer-precision, three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing via "microfluidic drifting". LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:415-23. [PMID: 24287742 PMCID: PMC3989543 DOI: 10.1039/c3lc50810b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we demonstrate single-layered, "microfluidic drifting" based three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing devices with particle/cell focal positioning approaching submicron precision along both lateral and vertical directions. By systematically optimizing channel geometries and sample/sheath flow rates, a series of "microfluidic drifting" based 3D hydrodynamic focusing devices with different curvature angles are designed and fabricated. Their performances are then evaluated using confocal microscopy, fast camera imaging, and side-view imaging techniques. Using a device with a curvature angle of 180°, we have achieved a standard deviation of ±0.45 μm in particle focal position and a coefficient of variation (CV) of 2.37% in flow cytometric measurements. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best CV that has been achieved using a microfluidic flow cytometry device. Moreover, the device showed the capability to distinguish 8 peaks when subjected to a stringent 8-peak rainbow calibration test, signifying the ability to perform sensitive, accurate tests similar to commercial flow cytometers. We have further tested and validated our device by detection of HEK-293 cells. With its advantages in simple fabrication (i.e., single-layered device), precise 3D hydrodynamic focusing (i.e., submicrometer precision along both lateral and vertical directions), and high detection resolution (i.e., low CV), our method could serve as an important basis for high-performance, mass-producible microfluidic flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Ahsan Nawaz
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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Zheng Y, Nguyen J, Wang C, Sun Y. Electrical measurement of red blood cell deformability on a microfluidic device. LAB ON A CHIP 2013; 13:3275-3283. [PMID: 23798004 DOI: 10.1039/c3lc50427a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes a microfluidic system and a technique for electrically measuring the deformability of red blood cells (RBCs). RBCs are deformed when they flow through a small capillary (microfluidic channel). The microfluidic device consists of two stages of microchannels as two measurement units for measuring cell size/volume and cell deformability. A low frequency voltage signal is established across the microfluidic channel, and electrical current signal is sampled continuously when RBCs pass through the measurement areas. Mechanical opacity is defined to mitigate the coupled effect of cell size/volume and deformability. The system performed tests on controlled, glutaraldehyde-treated, and heated RBCs using a number of driving pressures. The experimental results proved the capability of the system for distinguishing different RBC populations based on their deformability with a throughput of ~10 cells s(-1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zheng
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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