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Khan AH, Ganguli A, Edirisinghe M, Dalvi SV. Experimental and Computational Investigation of Microbubble Formation in a Single Capillary Embedded T-junction Microfluidic Device. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:18971-18982. [PMID: 38087401 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the interest toward microfluidic devices for microbubble synthesis. The upsurge can be primarily attributed to the exceptional control these devices offer in terms of both the size and the size distribution of microbubbles. Among various microfluidic devices available, capillary-embedded T-junction microfluidic (CETM) devices have been extensively used for the synthesis of microbubbles. One distinguishing feature of CETM devices from conventional T-junction devices is the existence of a wall at the right-most end, which causes a backflow of the continuous phase at the mixing zone during microbubble formation. The back flow at the mixing zone can have several implications during microbubble formation. It can possibly affect the local velocity and shearing force at the mixing zone, which in turn can affect the size and production rate of the microbubbles. Therefore, in this work, we experimentally and computationally understand the process of microbubble formation in CETM devices. The process is modeled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with the volume-of-fluid approach, which solves the Navier-Stokes equations for both the gas and liquid phases. Three scenarios with a constant liquid velocity of 0.053 m/s with varying gas velocity and three with a constant gas velocity of 0.049 m/s at different liquid velocities were explored. Increase in the liquid and gas velocity during microbubble formation was found to enhance production rates in both experiments and simulations. Additionally, the change in microbubble size with the change in liquid velocity was found to agree closely with the findings of the simulation with a coefficient of variation of 10%. When plotted against the time required for microbubble generation, the fluctuations in the pressure showed recurrent crests and troughs throughout the microbubble formation process. The understanding of microbubble formation in CETM devices in the presence of backflow will allow improvement in size reduction of microbubbles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaqib H Khan
- Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
| | - Arijit Ganguli
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009, India
| | - Mohan Edirisinghe
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 7JE, U.K
| | - Sameer V Dalvi
- Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382355, India
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2
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Zalloum IO, Jafari Sojahrood A, Paknahad AA, Kolios MC, Tsai SSH, Karshafian R. Controlled Tempering of Lipid Concentration and Microbubble Shrinkage as a Possible Mechanism for Fine-Tuning Microbubble Size and Shell Properties. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:17622-17631. [PMID: 38016673 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The acoustic response of microbubbles (MBs) depends on their resonance frequency, which is dependent on the MB size and shell properties. Monodisperse MBs with tunable shell properties are thus desirable for optimizing and controlling the MB behavior in acoustics applications. By utilizing a novel microfluidic method that uses lipid concentration to control MB shrinkage, we generated monodisperse MBs of four different initial diameters at three lipid concentrations (5.6, 10.0, and 16.0 mg/mL) in the aqueous phase. Following shrinkage, we measured the MB resonance frequency and determined its shell stiffness and viscosity. The study demonstrates that we can generate monodisperse MBs of specific sizes and tunable shell properties by controlling the MB initial diameter and aqueous phase lipid concentration. Our results indicate that the resonance frequency increases by 180-210% with increasing lipid concentration (from 5.6 to 16.0 mg/mL), while the bubble diameter is kept constant. Additionally, we find that the resonance frequency decreases by 260-300% with an increasing MB final diameter (from 5 to 12 μm), while the lipid concentration is held constant. For example, our results depict that the resonance frequency increases by ∼195% with increasing lipid concentration from 5.6 to 16.0 mg/mL, for ∼11 μm final diameter MBs. Additionally, we find that the resonance frequency decreases by ∼275% with increasing MB final diameter from 5 to 12 μm when we use a lipid concentration of 5.6 mg/mL. We also determine that MB shell viscosity and stiffness increase with increasing lipid concentration and MB final diameter, and the level of change depends on the degree of shrinkage experienced by the MB. Specifically, we find that by increasing the concentration of lipids from 5.6 to 16.0 mg/mL, the shell stiffness and viscosity of ∼11 μm final diameter MBs increase by ∼400 and ∼200%, respectively. This study demonstrates the feasibility of fine-tuning the MB acoustic response to ultrasound by tailoring the MB initial diameter and lipid concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Intesar O Zalloum
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1T8, Ontario, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amin Jafari Sojahrood
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1T8, Ontario, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ali A Paknahad
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 2K3, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1T8, Ontario, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael C Kolios
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1T8, Ontario, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Scott S H Tsai
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 2K3, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1T8, Ontario, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 2K3, Ontario, Canada
| | - Raffi Karshafian
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto M5B 2K3, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1T8, Ontario, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto M5B 1W8, Ontario, Canada
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3
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van Elburg B, Deprez J, van den Broek M, De Smedt SC, Versluis M, Lajoinie G, Lentacker I, Segers T. Dependence of sonoporation efficiency on microbubble size: An in vitro monodisperse microbubble study. J Control Release 2023; 363:747-755. [PMID: 37778466 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.09.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Sonoporation is the process where intracellular drug delivery is facilitated by ultrasound-driven microbubble oscillations. Several mechanisms have been proposed to relate microbubble dynamics to sonoporation including shear and normal stress. The present work aims to gain insight into the role of microbubble size on sonoporation and thereby into the relevant mechanism(s) of sonoporation. To this end, we measured the sonoporation efficiency while varying microbubble size using monodisperse microbubble suspensions. Sonoporation experiments were performed in vitro on cell monolayers using a single ultrasound pulse with a fixed frequency of 1 MHz while the acoustic pressure amplitude and pulse length were varied at 250, 500, and 750 kPa, and 10, 100, and 1000 cycles, respectively. Sonoporation efficiency was quantified using flow cytometry by measuring the FITC-dextran (4 kDa and 2 MDa) fluorescence intensity in 10,000 cells per experiment to average out inherent variations in the bioresponse. Using ultra-high-speed imaging at 10 million frames per second, we demonstrate that the bubble oscillation amplitude is nearly independent of the equilibrium bubble radius at acoustic pressure amplitudes that induce sonoporation (≥ 500 kPa). However, we show that sonoporation efficiency is strongly dependent on the equilibrium bubble size and that under all explored driving conditions most efficiently induced by bubbles with a radius of 4.7 μm. Polydisperse microbubbles with a typical ultrasound contrast agent size distribution perform almost an order of magnitude lower in terms of sonoporation efficiency than the 4.7-μm bubbles. We elucidate that for our system shear stress is highly unlikely the mechanism of action. By contrast, we show that sonoporation efficiency correlates well with an estimate of the bubble-induced normal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin van Elburg
- Physics of Fluids Group and Technical Medical (TechMed) Center, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Joke Deprez
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Martin van den Broek
- BIOS / Lab on a Chip Group, Max-Planck Center Twente for Complex Fluid Dynamics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group and Technical Medical (TechMed) Center, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Lajoinie
- Physics of Fluids Group and Technical Medical (TechMed) Center, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tim Segers
- BIOS / Lab on a Chip Group, Max-Planck Center Twente for Complex Fluid Dynamics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands.
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Zalloum IO, Paknahad AA, Kolios MC, Karshafian R, Tsai SSH. Controlled Shrinkage of Microfluidically Generated Microbubbles by Tuning Lipid Concentration. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:13021-13029. [PMID: 36260341 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Monodisperse microbubbles with diameters less than 10 μm are desirable in several ultrasound imaging and therapeutic delivery applications. However, conventional approaches to synthesize microbubbles, which are usually agitation-based, produce polydisperse bubbles that are less desirable because of their heterogeneous response when exposed to an ultrasound field. Microfluidics technology has the unique advantage of generating size-controlled monodisperse microbubbles, and it is now well established that the diameter of microfluidically made microbubbles can be tuned by varying the liquid flow rate, gas pressure, and dimensions of the microfluidic channel. It is also observed that once the microbubbles form, the bubbles shrink and eventually stabilize to a quasi-equilibrium diameter, and that the rate of stabilization is related to the lipid solution. However, how the lipid solution concentration affects the degree of bubble shrinkage, and the stable size of microbubbles, has not been thoroughly examined. Here, we investigate whether and how the lipid concentration affects the degree of microbubble shrinkage. Namely, we utilize a flow-focusing microfluidic geometry to generate monodisperse bubbles, and observe the effect of gas composition (2.5, 1.42, and 0.17 wt % octafluoropropane in nitrogen) and lipid concentration (1-16 mg/mL) on the degree of microbubble shrinkage. For the lipid system and gas utilized in these experiments, we observe a monotonic increase in the degree of microbubble shrinkage with decreasing lipid concentration, and no dependency on the gas composition. We hypothesize that the degree of shrinkage is related to lipid concentration by the self-assembly of lipids on the gas-liquid interface during bubble generation and subsequent lipid packing on the interface during shrinkage, which is arrested when a maximum packing density is achieved. We anticipate that this approach for creating and tuning the size of monodisperse microbubbles will find utility in biomedical applications, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging and ultrasound-triggered gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Intesar O Zalloum
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership Between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Ali A Paknahad
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership Between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Michael C Kolios
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership Between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Raffi Karshafian
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership Between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Scott S H Tsai
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), A Partnership Between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health Toronto, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
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5
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Kotopoulis S, Lam C, Haugse R, Snipstad S, Murvold E, Jouleh T, Berg S, Hansen R, Popa M, Mc Cormack E, Gilja OH, Poortinga A. Formulation and characterisation of drug-loaded antibubbles for image-guided and ultrasound-triggered drug delivery. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2022; 85:105986. [PMID: 35358937 PMCID: PMC8967728 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2022.105986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop high load-capacity antibubbles that can be visualized using diagnostic ultrasound and the encapsulated drug can be released and delivered using clinically translatable ultrasound. The antibubbles were developed by optimising a silica nanoparticle stabilised double emulsion template. We produced an emulsion with a mean size diameter of 4.23 ± 1.63 µm where 38.9 ± 3.1% of the droplets contained a one or more cores. Following conversion to antibubbles, the mean size decreased to 2.96 ± 1.94 µm where 99% of antibubbles were <10 µm. The antibubbles had a peak attenuation of 4.8 dB/cm at 3.0 MHz at a concentration of 200 × 103 particles/mL and showed distinct attenuation spikes at frequencies between 5.5 and 13.5 MHz. No increase in subharmonic response was observed for the antibubbles in contrast to SonoVue®. High-speed imaging revealed that antibubbles can release their cores at MIs of 0.6. In vivo imaging indicated that the antibubbles have a long half-life of 68.49 s vs. 40.02 s for SonoVue®. The antibubbles could be visualised using diagnostic ultrasound and could be disrupted at MIs of ≥0.6. The in vitro drug delivery results showed that antibubbles can significantly improve drug delivery (p < 0.0001) and deliver the drug within the antibubbles. In conclusion antibubbles are a viable concept for ultrasound guided drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spiros Kotopoulis
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Neoety AS, Kløfta, Norway.
| | - Christina Lam
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ragnhild Haugse
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Quality and Development, Hospital Pharmacies Enterprise in Western Norway, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sofie Snipstad
- Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, SINTEF Industry, Trondheim, Norway; Cancer Clinic, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Elisa Murvold
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; KinN Therapeutics, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tæraneh Jouleh
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sigrid Berg
- Department of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, SINTEF Industry, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rune Hansen
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Health Research, SINTEF Digital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mihaela Popa
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; CCBIO, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Emmet Mc Cormack
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; KinN Therapeutics, Bergen, Norway
| | - Odd Helge Gilja
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Albert Poortinga
- Polymer Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
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6
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Ingram N, McVeigh LE, Abou-Saleh RH, Batchelor DVB, Loadman PM, McLaughlan JR, Markham AF, Evans SD, Coletta PL. A Single Short 'Tone Burst' Results in Optimal Drug Delivery to Tumours Using Ultrasound-Triggered Therapeutic Microbubbles. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030622. [PMID: 35335995 PMCID: PMC8953493 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Advanced drug delivery systems, such as ultrasound-mediated drug delivery, show great promise for increasing the therapeutic index. Improvements in delivery by altering the ultrasound parameters have been studied heavily in vitro but relatively little in vivo. Here, the same therapeutic microbubble and tumour type are used to determine whether altering ultrasound parameters can improve drug delivery. Liposomes were loaded with SN38 and attached via avidin: biotin linkages to microbubbles. The whole structure was targeted to the tumour vasculature by the addition of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibodies. Tumour drug delivery and metabolism were quantified in SW480 xenografts after application of an ultrasound trigger to the tumour region. Increasing the trigger duration from 5 s to 2 min or increasing the number of 5 s triggers did not improve drug delivery, nor did changing to a chirp trigger designed to stimulate a greater proportion of the microbubble population, although this did show that the short tone trigger resulted in greater release of free SN38. Examination of ultrasound triggers in vivo to improve drug delivery is justified as there are multiple mechanisms at play that may not allow direct translation from in vitro findings. In this setting, a short tone burst gives the best ultrasound parameters for tumoural drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Ingram
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, St James’s University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (L.E.M.); (J.R.M.); (A.F.M.)
- Correspondence: (N.I.); (P.L.C.)
| | - Laura E. McVeigh
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, St James’s University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (L.E.M.); (J.R.M.); (A.F.M.)
| | - Radwa H. Abou-Saleh
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (R.H.A.-S.); (D.V.B.B.); (S.D.E.)
- Nanoscience and Technology Group, Faculty of Science, Galala University, Galala 43711, Egypt
- Department of Physics, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Damien V. B. Batchelor
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (R.H.A.-S.); (D.V.B.B.); (S.D.E.)
| | - Paul M. Loadman
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK;
| | - James R. McLaughlan
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, St James’s University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (L.E.M.); (J.R.M.); (A.F.M.)
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Alexander F. Markham
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, St James’s University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (L.E.M.); (J.R.M.); (A.F.M.)
| | - Stephen D. Evans
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (R.H.A.-S.); (D.V.B.B.); (S.D.E.)
| | - P. Louise Coletta
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, St James’s University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; (L.E.M.); (J.R.M.); (A.F.M.)
- Correspondence: (N.I.); (P.L.C.)
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7
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Zhang J, Ling SD, Chen A, Chen Z, Ma W, Xu J. The liquid‐liquid flow dynamics and droplet formation in a modified step T‐junction Microchannel. AIChE J 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.17611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China
| | - Si Da Ling
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China
| | - An Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China
| | - Wenjun Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China
| | - Jianhong Xu
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China
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8
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Kanashima J, Sugita N, Shinshi T. Number concentration dependence of ultrasonic disruption ratio of diameter-sorted microcapsules. Proc Inst Mech Eng H 2022; 236:9544119211070343. [PMID: 35012407 DOI: 10.1177/09544119211070343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The use of ultrasound to destroy microcapsules in microbubble-assisted drug delivery systems (DDS) is of great interest. In the present study, the disruption ratios of capsule clusters were measured by observing and experimentally analyzing microcapsules with polymer shells undergoing disruption by ultrasound. The microcapsules were dispersed in a planar microchamber filled with a gelatin gel and sonicated using 1 MHz focused ultrasound. Different capsule populations were obtained using a filtration technique to modify and control the capsule sizes. The disruption ratio as a function of the concentration of capsules was obtained through image processing of the recorded photomicrographs. We found that the disruption ratio for each population exponentially decreases as the particle number concentration (PNC) increases. The maximum disruption ratio of the diameter-sorted capsules was larger than that of polydispersed capsules. Particularly, for resonant capsule populations, the ratio was more than twice that of polydispersed capsules. Furthermore, the maximum disruption ratio occurred at higher concentrations as the mean particle diameter of the capsule cluster decreased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junsyou Kanashima
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Naohiro Sugita
- Laboratory for Future Interdisciplinary Research of Science and Technology, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tadahiko Shinshi
- Laboratory for Future Interdisciplinary Research of Science and Technology, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
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9
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Kitazaki R, Nemoto H, Kanai T. Generation of Monodisperse Microbubbles with a Controlled Size of Less Than 10 µm at a Generation Rate on the Order of 10 5 Bubbles/s in Glass Capillary Microfluidic Devices. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING OF JAPAN 2021. [DOI: 10.1252/jcej.20we191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Risa Kitazaki
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Yokohama National University
| | - Hikaru Nemoto
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Yokohama National University
| | - Toshimitsu Kanai
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Yokohama National University
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10
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Han Y, Xu X, Liu F, Wei W, Liu Z. Novel Microfluidic Device for the Preparation of Multiple Microproducts. Ind Eng Chem Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.1c01094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Han
- R&D Institute of Fluid and Powder Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Xiaofei Xu
- R&D Institute of Fluid and Powder Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Fengxia Liu
- R&D Institute of Fluid and Powder Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Wei Wei
- R&D Institute of Fluid and Powder Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Zhijun Liu
- R&D Institute of Fluid and Powder Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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11
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Heiles B, Terwiel D, Maresca D. The Advent of Biomolecular Ultrasound Imaging. Neuroscience 2021; 474:122-133. [PMID: 33727074 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ultrasound imaging is one of the most widely used modalities in clinical practice, revealing human prenatal development but also arterial function in the adult brain. Ultrasound waves travel deep within soft biological tissues and provide information about the motion and mechanical properties of internal organs. A drawback of ultrasound imaging is its limited ability to detect molecular targets due to a lack of cell-type specific acoustic contrast. To date, this limitation has been addressed by targeting synthetic ultrasound contrast agents to molecular targets. This molecular ultrasound imaging approach has proved to be successful but is restricted to the vascular space. Here, we introduce the nascent field of biomolecular ultrasound imaging, a molecular imaging approach that relies on genetically encoded acoustic biomolecules to interface ultrasound waves with cellular processes. We review ultrasound imaging applications bridging wave physics and chemical engineering with potential for deep brain imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Heiles
- Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Dion Terwiel
- Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David Maresca
- Department of Imaging Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
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12
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van Elburg B, Collado-Lara G, Bruggert GW, Segers T, Versluis M, Lajoinie G. Feedback-controlled microbubble generator producing one million monodisperse bubbles per second. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2021; 92:035110. [PMID: 33820052 DOI: 10.1063/5.0032140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Monodisperse lipid-coated microbubbles are a promising route to unlock the full potential of ultrasound contrast agents for medical diagnosis and therapy. Here, we present a stand-alone lab-on-a-chip instrument that allows microbubbles to be formed with high monodispersity at high production rates. Key to maintaining a long-term stable, controlled, and safe operation of the microfluidic device with full control over the output size distribution is an optical transmission-based measurement technique that provides real-time information on the production rate and bubble size. We feed the data into a feedback loop and demonstrate that this system can control the on-chip bubble radius (2.5 μm-20 μm) and the production rate up to 106 bubbles/s. The freshly formed phospholipid-coated bubbles stabilize after their formation to a size approximately two times smaller than their initial on-chip bubble size without loss of monodispersity. The feedback control technique allows for full control over the size distribution of the agent and can aid the development of microfluidic platforms operated by non-specialist end users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin van Elburg
- Physics of Fluids Group, Technical Medical (TechMed) Center and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Gonzalo Collado-Lara
- Physics of Fluids Group, Technical Medical (TechMed) Center and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Gert-Wim Bruggert
- Physics of Fluids Group, Technical Medical (TechMed) Center and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Segers
- Physics of Fluids Group, Technical Medical (TechMed) Center and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group, Technical Medical (TechMed) Center and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Lajoinie
- Physics of Fluids Group, Technical Medical (TechMed) Center and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
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13
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Helbert A, Gaud E, Segers T, Botteron C, Frinking P, Jeannot V. Monodisperse versus Polydisperse Ultrasound Contrast Agents: In Vivo Sensitivity and safety in Rat and Pig. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2020; 46:3339-3352. [PMID: 33008649 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in the field of monodisperse microbubble synthesis by flow focusing allow for the production of foam-free, highly concentrated and monodisperse lipid-coated microbubble suspensions. It has been found that in vitro, such monodisperse ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) improve the sensitivity of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. Here, we present the first in vivo study in the left ventricle of rat and pig with this new monodisperse bubble agent. We systematically characterize the acoustic sensitivity and safety of the agent at an imaging frequency of 2.5 MHz as compared with three commercial polydisperse UCAs (SonoVue/Lumason, Definity/Luminity and Optison) and one research-grade polydisperse agent with the same shell composition as the monodisperse bubbles. The monodisperse microbubbles, which had a diameter of 4.2 μm, crossed the pulmonary vasculature, and their echo signal could be measured at least as long as that of the polydisperse UCAs, indicating that microfluidically formed monodisperse microbubbles are stable in vivo. Furthermore, it was found that the sensitivity of the monodisperse agent, expressed as the mean echo power per injected bubble, was at least 10 times higher than that of the polydisperse UCAs. Finally, the safety profile of the monodisperse microbubble suspension was evaluated by injecting 400 and 2000 times the imaging dose, and neither physiologic nor pathologic changes were found, which is a first indication that monodisperse lipid-coated microbubbles formed by flow focusing are safe for in vivo use. The more uniform acoustic response and corresponding increased imaging sensitivity of the monodisperse agent may boost emerging applications of microbubbles and ultrasound such as molecular imaging and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Helbert
- Bracco Suisse S.A., Route de la Galaise 31, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Gaud
- Bracco Suisse S.A., Route de la Galaise 31, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland
| | - Tim Segers
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA + Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical (TechMed) Center, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; Former employee of Bracco Suisse S.A
| | | | | | - Victor Jeannot
- Bracco Suisse S.A., Route de la Galaise 31, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland.
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14
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Cui Y, Li Y, Wang K, Deng J, Luo G. Determination of Dynamic Interfacial Tension during the Generation of Tiny Droplets in the Liquid-Liquid Jetting Flow Regime. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:13633-13641. [PMID: 33147955 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c02459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Liquid-liquid dispersion coupled with droplet formation and mass transfer of surfactants is one of the most typical phenomena in many chemical processes. As in every aspect of this process, the interfacial tension variation caused by the unsaturated adsorption of surfactants on the droplet surface plays an important role. This article focuses on microdroplet formation and the dynamic interfacial behavior of surfactants in the jetting regime. In a capillary embedded step T-junction device, controllable preparation of monodisperse droplets is achieved, and a correlation for predicting droplet sizes is established. A method for measuring the dynamic interfacial tension is provided. Mass transfer coefficients are then calculated for Tween 20 during the droplet formation process by a semiempirical correlation. The results indicate that dynamic interfacial tensions are lower than those obtained when the surfactant is adsorbed to equilibrium. Based on the tip-streaming phenomenon, mass transfer coefficients for Tween 20 can reach up to ∼10-3 m/s, higher than those obtained in coaxial microfluidic devices. All the preliminary results shed light on the nature of droplet formation and will be of significance for application in industrial apparatuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjin Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yankai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jian Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guangsheng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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15
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Khan AH, Jiang X, Surwase S, Gultekinoglu M, Bayram C, Sathisaran I, Bhatia D, Ahmed J, Wu B, Ulubayram K, Edirisinghe M, Dalvi SV. Effectiveness of Oil-Layered Albumin Microbubbles Produced Using Microfluidic T-Junctions in Series for In Vitro Inhibition of Tumor Cells. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:11429-11441. [PMID: 32903006 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c01557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This work focuses on the synthesis of oil-layered microbubbles using two microfluidic T-junctions in series and evaluation of the effectiveness of these microbubbles loaded with doxorubicin and curcumin for cell invasion arrest from 3D spheroid models of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), MDA-MB-231 cell line. Albumin microbubbles coated in the drug-laden oil layer were synthesized using a new method of connecting two microfluidic T-mixers in series. Double-layered microbubbles thus produced consist of an innermost core of nitrogen gas encapsulated in an aqueous layer of bovine serum albumin (BSA) which in turn, is coated with an outer layer of silicone oil. In order to identify the process conditions leading to the formation of double-layered microbubbles, a regime map was constructed based on capillary numbers for aqueous and oil phases. The microbubble formation regime transitions from double-layered to single layer microbubbles and then to formation of single oil droplets upon gradual change in flow rates of aqueous and oil phases. In vitro dissolution studies of double-layered microbubbles in an air-saturated environment indicated that a complete dissolution of such bubbles produces an oil droplet devoid of a gas bubble. Incorporation of doxorubicin and curcumin was found to produce a synergistic effect, which resulted in higher cell deaths in 2D monolayers of TNBC cells and inhibition of cell proliferation from 3D spheroid models of TNBC cells compared to the control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaqib H Khan
- Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Xinyue Jiang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Swarupkumar Surwase
- Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Merve Gultekinoglu
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bioengineering Division, Institute for Graduate Studies in Science & Engineering, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Cem Bayram
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Department of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Indumathi Sathisaran
- Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Dhiraj Bhatia
- Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Jubair Ahmed
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Bingjie Wu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Kezban Ulubayram
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bioengineering Division, Institute for Graduate Studies in Science & Engineering, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Mohan Edirisinghe
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Sameer V Dalvi
- Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat, India
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16
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17
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Visscher M, Lajoinie G, Blazejewski E, Veldhuis G, Versluis M. Laser-activated microparticles for multimodal imaging: ultrasound and photoacoustics. Phys Med Biol 2019; 64:034001. [PMID: 30523821 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/aaf4a2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The increasing personalization of medical treatment demands refined imaging and increased monitoring capabilities, as well as an improved efficacy through targeted drug delivery. Such a transition in health care can be facilitated by the use of multimodal contrast agents. In this paper, we present a novel type of multimodal contrast agents, that enhances contrast both in ultrasound and in photoacoustic imaging, while at the same time being capable of triggered drug delivery. Upon pulsed laser irradiation, polymeric microparticles-containing a dye and an oil core-can create a cavitation bubble that subsequently emits a strong acoustic wave. We investigated different formulations of these particles, by changing the oil content, dye concentration and probing conditions using a combination of pulsed laser excitation and an ultrasound chirp. We demonstrated that capsules with a core containing a low boiling point oil give the highest photoacoustic and acoustic response. The laser activation threshold for this system is high in the visible range, but within the near infrared medical limits. The same system also produces a stable bubble. US scattering by these stable bubbles results in medically relevant frequencies, making the particles of interest for biomedical and pre-clinical imaging. Finally, the system has potential to carry a functional drug-load, and a route to these applications is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Visscher
- Physics of Fluids Group, Technical Medical (TechMed) Centre and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thorax Center, Erasmus University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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18
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Pulsipher KW, Hammer DA, Lee D, Sehgal CM. Engineering Theranostic Microbubbles Using Microfluidics for Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy: A Review. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2018; 44:2441-2460. [PMID: 30241729 PMCID: PMC6643280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbubbles interact with ultrasound in various ways to enable their applications in ultrasound imaging and diagnosis. To generate high contrast and maximize therapeutic efficacy, microbubbles of high uniformity are required. Microfluidic technology, which enables precise control of small volumes of fluid at the sub-millimeter scale, has provided a versatile platform on which to produce highly uniform microbubbles for potential applications in ultrasound imaging and diagnosis. Here, we describe fundamental microfluidic principles and the most common types of microfluidic devices used to produce sub-10 μm microbubbles, appropriate for biomedical ultrasound. Bubbles can be engineered for specific applications by tailoring the bubble size, inner gas and shell composition and by functionalizing for additional imaging modalities, therapeutics or targeting ligands. To translate the laboratory-scale discoveries to widespread clinical use of these microfluidic-based microbubbles, increased bubble production is needed. We present various strategies recently developed to improve scale-up. We conclude this review by describing some outstanding problems in the field and presenting areas for future use of microfluidics in ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Pulsipher
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daniel A Hammer
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daeyeon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Chandra M Sehgal
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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19
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Segers T, Kruizinga P, Kok MP, Lajoinie G, de Jong N, Versluis M. Monodisperse Versus Polydisperse Ultrasound Contrast Agents: Non-Linear Response, Sensitivity, and Deep Tissue Imaging Potential. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2018; 44:1482-1492. [PMID: 29705522 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
It has been proposed that monodisperse microbubble ultrasound contrast agents further increase the signal-to-noise ratio of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging. Here, the sensitivity of a polydisperse pre-clinical agent was compared experimentally with that of its size- and acoustically sorted derivatives by using narrowband pressure- and frequency-dependent scattering and attenuation measurements. The sorted monodisperse agents had up to a two-orders-of-magnitude increase in sensitivity, that is, in the average scattering cross section per bubble. Moreover, we found, for the first time, that the highly non-linear response of acoustically sorted microbubbles can be exploited to confine scattering and attenuation to the focal region of ultrasound fields used in clinical imaging. This property is a result of minimal pre-focal scattering and attenuation and can be used to minimize shadowing effects in deep tissue imaging. Moreover, it potentially allows for more localized therapy using microbubbles through the spatial control of resonant microbubble oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Segers
- Physics of Fluids Group and TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Pieter Kruizinga
- Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten P Kok
- Physics of Fluids Group and TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Lajoinie
- Physics of Fluids Group and TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Acoustical Wavefield imaging, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group and TechMed Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands; MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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20
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Gong L, Jiang C, Liu L, Wan S, Tan W, Ma S, Jia X, Wang M, Hu A, Shi Y, Zhang Y, Shen Y, Wang F, Chen Y. Transfection of neurotrophin-3 into neural stem cells using ultrasound with microbubbles to treat denervated muscle atrophy. Exp Ther Med 2017; 15:620-626. [PMID: 29403547 PMCID: PMC5780738 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.5439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) has potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of patients with denervated muscle atrophy. However, the endogenous secretion of NT-3 is low and exogenous NT-3 lacks sufficient time to accumulate due to its short half-life. The transfection of NT-3 has been demonstrated to have a beneficial effect on denervated muscle and motor endplates. Neural stem cells (NSCs) differentiate into neurons and form motor endplate nerve-muscle connections. It has been previously demonstrated that local and noninvasive transfection can be performed using ultrasound with microbubbles (MBs). In the current study, hematoxylin and eosin, acetylcholinesterase and gold chloride staining, as well as transmission electron microscopy, were performed to verify the effects of this treatment strategy. The results demonstrated that using ultrasound with MBs for the transfection of NT-3 into NSCs, and their subsequent transplantation in vivo, attenuated the atrophy of denervated muscle and reduced motor endplate degeneration. This noninvasive, efficient and targeted treatment strategy may therefore be a potential treatment for patients with denervated muscle atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Gong
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Changqing Jiang
- Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Shengxiang Wan
- Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Wen Tan
- Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Sushuang Ma
- Department of Sports Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Xiaojian Jia
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Drug Addiction and Medication Safety, Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China.,Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518020, P.R. China
| | - Meiwei Wang
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Azhen Hu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Drug Addiction and Medication Safety, Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Ultrasound, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Shen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, P.R. China
| | - Feng Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Drug Addiction and Medication Safety, Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China.,Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518020, P.R. China.,Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453002, P.R. China
| | - Yun Chen
- Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China.,Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Drug Addiction and Medication Safety, Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
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21
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Li Y, Wang K, Luo G. Microdroplet Generation with Dilute Surfactant Concentration in a Modified T-Junction Device. Ind Eng Chem Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.7b02588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yankai Li
- The State Key Lab of Chemical
Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kai Wang
- The State Key Lab of Chemical
Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guangsheng Luo
- The State Key Lab of Chemical
Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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22
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Laser-Activated Polymeric Microcapsules for Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy: In Vitro Feasibility. Biophys J 2017; 112:1894-1907. [PMID: 28494960 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymeric microcapsules with a light-absorbing dye incorporated in their shell can generate vapor microbubbles that can be spatiotemporally controlled by pulsed laser irradiation. These contrast agents of 6-8 μm in diameter can circulate through the vasculature, offering possibilities for ultrasound (molecular) imaging and targeted therapies. Here, we study the impact of such vapor bubbles on human endothelial cells in terms of cell poration and cell viability to establish the imaging and therapeutic windows. Two capsule formulations were used: the first one consisted of a high boiling point oil (hexadecane), whereas the second was loaded with a low boiling point oil (perfluoropentane). Poration probability was already 40% for the smallest bubbles that were formed (<7.5 μm diameter), and reached 100% for the larger bubbles. The hexadecane-loaded capsules also produced bubbles while their shell remained intact. These encapsulated bubbles could therefore be used for noninvasive ultrasound imaging after laser activation without inducing any cell damage. The controlled and localized cell destruction achieved by activation of both capsule formulations may provide an innovative approach for specifically inducing cell death in vivo, e.g., for cancer therapy.
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23
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Jeong HH, Yadavali S, Issadore D, Lee D. Liter-scale production of uniform gas bubbles via parallelization of flow-focusing generators. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:2667-2673. [PMID: 28702573 PMCID: PMC5636638 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc00295e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Microscale gas bubbles have demonstrated enormous utility as versatile templates for the synthesis of functional materials in medicine, ultra-lightweight materials and acoustic metamaterials. In many of these applications, high uniformity of the size of the gas bubbles is critical to achieve the desired properties and functionality. While microfluidics have been used with success to create gas bubbles that have a uniformity not achievable using conventional methods, the inherently low volumetric flow rate of microfluidics has limited its use in most applications. Parallelization of liquid droplet generators, in which many droplet generators are incorporated onto a single chip, has shown great promise for the large scale production of monodisperse liquid emulsion droplets. However, the scale-up of monodisperse gas bubbles using such an approach has remained a challenge because of possible coupling between parallel bubbles generators and feedback effects from the downstream channels. In this report, we systematically investigate the effect of factors such as viscosity of the continuous phase, capillary number, and gas pressure as well as the channel uniformity on the size distribution of gas bubbles in a parallelized microfluidic device. We show that, by optimizing the flow conditions, a device with 400 parallel flow focusing generators on a footprint of 5 × 5 cm2 can be used to generate gas bubbles with a coefficient of variation of less than 5% at a production rate of approximately 1 L h-1. Our results suggest that the optimization of flow conditions using a device with a small number (e.g., 8) of parallel FFGs can facilitate large-scale bubble production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heon-Ho Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
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24
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Lajoinie G, Linnartz E, Kruizinga P, de Jong N, Stride E, van Soest G, Versluis M. Laser-driven resonance of dye-doped oil-coated microbubbles: A theoretical and numerical study. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 141:2727. [PMID: 28464648 DOI: 10.1121/1.4979257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Microbubbles are used to enhance the contrast in ultrasound imaging. When coated with an optically absorbing material, these bubbles can also provide contrast in photoacoustic imaging. This multimodal aspect is of pronounced interest to the field of medical imaging. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical framework to describe the physical phenomena underlying the photoacoustic response. This article presents a model for a spherical gas microbubble suspended in an aqueous environment and coated with an oil layer containing an optically absorbing dye. The model includes heat transfer between the gas core and the surrounding liquids. This framework is suitable for the investigation of both continuous wave and pulsed laser excitation. This work utilizes a combination of finite difference simulations and numerical integration to determine the dependancy on the physical properties, including composition and thickness of the oil layer on the microbubble response. A normalization scheme for a linearized version of the model was derived to facilitate comparison with experimental measurements. The results show that viscosity and thickness of the oil layer determine whether or not microbubble resonance can be excited. This work also examines the use of non-sinusoidal excitation to promote harmonic imaging techniques to further improve the imaging sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Lajoinie
- Physics of Fluids Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Erik Linnartz
- Physics of Fluids Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Pieter Kruizinga
- Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eleanor Stride
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Gijs van Soest
- Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
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25
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Segers T, de Jong N, Versluis M. Uniform scattering and attenuation of acoustically sorted ultrasound contrast agents: Modeling and experiments. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 140:2506. [PMID: 27794344 DOI: 10.1121/1.4964270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The sensitivity and efficiency in contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging and therapy can potentially be increased by the use of resonant monodisperse bubbles. However, bubbles of the same size may respond differently to ultrasound due to differences in their phospholipid shell. In an acoustic bubble sorting chip, resonant bubbles can be separated from the polydisperse agent. Here, a sample of acoustically sorted bubbles is characterized by measuring scattering and attenuation simultaneously using narrowband acoustic pulses at peak negative pressures of 10, 25, and 50 kPa over a 0.7-5.5 MHz frequency range. A second sample is characterized by attenuation measurements at acoustic pressures ranging from 5 to 75 kPa in steps of 2.5 kPa. Scattering and attenuation coefficients were modeled by integration over the pressure and frequency dependent response of all bubbles located within the non-uniform acoustic characterization beam. For all driving pressures and frequencies employed here, the coefficients could be modeled using a single and unique set of shell parameters confirming that acoustically sorted bubbles provide a uniform acoustic response. Moreover, it is shown that it is crucial to include the pressure distribution of the acoustic characterization beam in the modeling to accurately determine shell parameters of non-linearly oscillating bubbles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Segers
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
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26
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Lee TY, Choi TM, Shim TS, Frijns RAM, Kim SH. Microfluidic production of multiple emulsions and functional microcapsules. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:3415-40. [PMID: 27470590 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00809g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in microfluidics have enabled the controlled production of multiple-emulsion drops with onion-like topology. The multiple-emulsion drops possess an intrinsic core-shell geometry, which makes them useful as templates to create microcapsules with a solid membrane. High flexibility in the selection of materials and hierarchical order, achieved by microfluidic technologies, has provided versatility in the membrane properties and microcapsule functions. The microcapsules are now designed not just for storage and release of encapsulants but for sensing microenvironments, developing structural colours, and many other uses. This article reviews the current state of the art in the microfluidic-based production of multiple-emulsion drops and functional microcapsules. The three main sections of this paper discuss distinct microfluidic techniques developed for the generation of multiple emulsions, four representative methods used for solid membrane formation, and various applications of functional microcapsules. Finally, we outline the current limitations and future perspectives of microfluidics and microcapsules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Yong Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, South Korea.
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27
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Kandadai MA, Mukherjee P, Shekhar H, Shaw GJ, Papautsky I, Holland CK. Microfluidic manufacture of rt-PA -loaded echogenic liposomes. Biomed Microdevices 2016; 18:48. [PMID: 27206512 PMCID: PMC4920071 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-016-0072-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Echogenic liposomes (ELIP), loaded with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and microbubbles that act as cavitation nuclei, are under development for ultrasound-mediated thrombolysis. Conventional manufacturing techniques produce a polydisperse rt-PA-loaded ELIP population with only a small percentage of particles containing microbubbles. Further, a polydisperse population of rt-PA-loaded ELIP has a broadband frequency response with complex bubble dynamics when exposed to pulsed ultrasound. In this work, a microfluidic flow-focusing device was used to generate monodisperse rt-PA-loaded ELIP (μtELIP) loaded with a perfluorocarbon gas. The rt-PA associated with the μtELIP was encapsulated within the lipid shell as well as intercalated within the lipid shell. The μtELIP had a mean diameter of 5 μm, a resonance frequency of 2.2 MHz, and were found to be stable for at least 30 min in 0.5 % bovine serum albumin. Additionally, 35 % of μtELIP particles were estimated to contain microbubbles, an order of magnitude higher than that reported previously for batch-produced rt-PA-loaded ELIP. These findings emphasize the advantages offered by microfluidic techniques for improving the encapsulation efficiency of both rt-PA and perflurocarbon microbubbles within echogenic liposomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhuvanthi A Kandadai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Suite 1551, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA.
- Department of Emergency Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, CVC 3974, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0769, USA.
| | - Prithviraj Mukherjee
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computing Systems, University of Cincinnati, 812 Rhodes Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
| | - Himanshu Shekhar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Diseases, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - George J Shaw
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Suite 1551, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Ian Papautsky
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computing Systems, University of Cincinnati, 812 Rhodes Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA
| | - Christy K Holland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Diseases, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
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28
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Segers T, de Rond L, de Jong N, Borden M, Versluis M. Stability of Monodisperse Phospholipid-Coated Microbubbles Formed by Flow-Focusing at High Production Rates. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:3937-3944. [PMID: 27006083 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b00616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Monodisperse microbubble ultrasound contrast agents may dramatically increase the sensitivity and efficiency in ultrasound imaging and therapy. They can be produced directly in a microfluidic flow-focusing device, but questions remain as to the interfacial chemistry, such as the formation and development of the phospholipid monolayer coating over time. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of monodisperse bubbles with radii of 2-10 μm at production rates ranging from 10(4) to 10(6) bubbles/s. All bubbles were found to dissolve to a stable final radius 2.55 times smaller than their initial radius, independent of the nozzle size and shear rate, indicating that the monolayer self-assembles prior to leaving the nozzle. The corresponding decrease in surface area by a factor 6.6 reveals that lipid molecules are adsorbed to the gas-liquid interface in the disordered expanded state, and they become mechanically compressed by Laplace pressure-driven bubble dissolution to a more ordered condensed state with near zero surface tension. Acoustic characterization of the stabilized microbubbles revealed that their shell stiffness gradually increased from 0.8 to 2.5 N/m with increasing number of insonations through the selective loss of the more soluble lipopolymer molecules. This work therefore demonstrates high-throughput production of clinically relevant monodisperse contrast microbubbles with excellent control over phospholipid monolayer elasticity and microbubble resonance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Segers
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente , P. O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Leonie de Rond
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente , P. O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC , Wyternaweg 80 EE 2302, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mark Borden
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado , 1111 Engineering Drive, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0427, United States
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente , P. O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
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29
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Bains A, Wulff JE, Moffitt MG. Microfluidic synthesis of dye-loaded polycaprolactone-block-poly(ethylene oxide) nanoparticles: Insights into flow-directed loading and in vitro release for drug delivery. J Colloid Interface Sci 2016; 475:136-148. [PMID: 27163840 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Using the fluorescent probe dye 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) as a surrogate for hydrophobic drugs, we investigate the effects of water content and on-chip flow rate on the multiscale structure, loading and release properties of DiI-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PCL-b-PEO) nanoparticles produced in a gas-liquid segmented microfluidic device. We find a linear increase in PCL crystallinity within the nanoparticle cores with increasing flow rate, while mean nanoparticle sizes first decrease and then increase with flow rate coincident with the disappearance and reappearance of long filament nanoparticles. Loading efficiencies at the lower water content (cwc+10wt%) are generally higher (up to 94%) compared to loading efficiencies (up to 53%) at the higher water content (cwc+75wt%). In vitro release times range between ∼2 and 4days for nanoparticles produced at cwc+10wt% and >15days for nanoparticles produced at cwc+75wt%. At the lower water content, slower release of DiI is found for nanoparticles produced at higher flow rate, while at high water content, release times first decrease and then increase with flow rate. Finally, we investigate the effects of the chemical and physical characteristics of the release medium on the kinetics of in vitro DiI release and nanoparticle degradation. This work demonstrates the general utility of dye-loaded nanoparticles as model systems for screening chemical and flow conditions for producing drug delivery formulations within microfluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Bains
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3065, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada
| | - Jeremy E Wulff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3065, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada
| | - Matthew G Moffitt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3065, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada.
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30
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Lin H, Chen J, Chen C. A novel technology: microfluidic devices for microbubble ultrasound contrast agent generation. Med Biol Eng Comput 2016; 54:1317-30. [DOI: 10.1007/s11517-016-1475-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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31
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Shih R, Lee AP. Post-Formation Shrinkage and Stabilization of Microfluidic Bubbles in Lipid Solution. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:1939-1946. [PMID: 26820229 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b03948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Medical ultrasound imaging often employs ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs), injectable microbubbles stabilized by shells or membranes. In tissue, the compressible gas cores can strongly scatter acoustic signals, resonate, and emit harmonics. However, bubbles generated by conventional methods have nonuniform sizes, reducing the fraction that resonates with a given transducer. Microfluidic flow-focusing is an alternative production method which generates highly monodisperse bubbles with uniform constituents, enabling more-efficient contrast enhancement than current UCAs. Production size is tunable by adjusting gas pressure and solution flow rate, but solution effects on downstream stable size and lifetime have not been closely examined. This study therefore investigated several solution parameters, including the DSPC/DSPE-PEG2000 lipid ratio, concentration, viscosity, and preparation temperature to determine their effects on stabilization. It was found that bubble lifetime roughly correlated with stable size, which in turn was strongly influenced by primary-lipid-to-emulsifier ratio, analogous to its effects on conventional bubble yield and Langmuir-trough compressibility in existing studies. Raising DSPE-PEG2000 fraction in solution reduced bubble surface area in proportion to its reduction of lipid packing density at low compression in literature. In addition, the surface area was found to increase proportionately with lipid concentration above 2.1 mM. However, viscosities above or below 2.3-3.3 mPa·s seemed to reduce bubble size. Finally, lipid preparation at room temperature led to smaller bubbles compared to preparation near or above the primary lipid's phase transition point. Understanding these effects will further improve on postformation control over microfluidic bubble production, and facilitate size-tuning for optimal contrast enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Shih
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine , 3406 Engineering Hall, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Abraham P Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine , 3406 Engineering Hall, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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32
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Lajoinie G, De Cock I, Coussios CC, Lentacker I, Le Gac S, Stride E, Versluis M. In vitro methods to study bubble-cell interactions: Fundamentals and therapeutic applications. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2016; 10:011501. [PMID: 26865903 PMCID: PMC4733084 DOI: 10.1063/1.4940429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Besides their use as contrast agents for ultrasound imaging, microbubbles are increasingly studied for a wide range of therapeutic applications. In particular, their ability to enhance the uptake of drugs through the permeabilization of tissues and cell membranes shows great promise. In order to fully understand the numerous paths by which bubbles can interact with cells and the even larger number of possible biological responses from the cells, thorough and extensive work is necessary. In this review, we consider the range of experimental techniques implemented in in vitro studies with the aim of elucidating these microbubble-cell interactions. First of all, the variety of cell types and cell models available are discussed, emphasizing the need for more and more complex models replicating in vivo conditions together with experimental challenges associated with this increased complexity. Second, the different types of stabilized microbubbles and more recently developed droplets and particles are presented, followed by their acoustic or optical excitation methods. Finally, the techniques exploited to study the microbubble-cell interactions are reviewed. These techniques operate over a wide range of timescales, or even off-line, revealing particular aspects or subsequent effects of these interactions. Therefore, knowledge obtained from several techniques must be combined to elucidate the underlying processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Lajoinie
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente , Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Ine De Cock
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University , Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Ine Lentacker
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University , Ghent, Belgium
| | - Séverine Le Gac
- MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente , Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Eleanor Stride
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford , Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente , Enschede, The Netherlands
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33
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Abstract
Microfluidics-based production of stable microbubbles for ultrasound contrast enhancement or drug/gene delivery allows for precise control over microbubble diameter but at the cost of a low production rate. In situ microfluidic production of microbubbles directly in the vasculature may eliminate the necessity for high microbubble production rates, long stability, or small diameters. Towards this goal, we investigated whether microfluidic-produced microbubbles directly administered into a mouse tail vein could provide sufficient ultrasound contrast. Microbubbles composed of nitrogen gas and stabilized with 3 % bovine serum albumin and 10 % dextrose were injected for 10 seconds into wild type C57BL/6 mice, via a tail-vein catheter. Short-axis images of the right and left ventricle were acquired at 12.5 MHz and image intensity over time was analyzed. Microbubbles were produced on the order of 10(5) microbubbles/s and were observed in both the right and left ventricles. The median rise time, duration, and decay time within the right ventricle were 2.9, 21.3, and 14.3 s, respectively. All mice survived the procedure with no observable respiratory or heart rate distress despite microbubble diameters as large as 19 μm.
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34
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Mahalingam S, Raimi-Abraham BT, Craig DQM, Edirisinghe M. Formation of protein and protein-gold nanoparticle stabilized microbubbles by pressurized gyration. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2015; 31:659-666. [PMID: 25027827 DOI: 10.1021/la502181g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A one-pot single-step novel process has been developed to form microbubbles up to 250 μm in diameter using a pressurized rotating device. The microbubble diameter is shown to be a function of rotational speed and working pressure of the processing system, and a modified Rayleigh-Plesset equation has been derived to explain the bubble-forming mechanism. A parametric plot is constructed to identify a rotating speed and working pressure regime, which allows for continuous bubbling. Bare protein (lysozyme) microbubbles generated in this way exhibit a morphological change, resulting in microcapsules over a period of time. Microbubbles prepared with gold nanoparticles at the bubble surface showed greater stability over a time period and retained the same morphology. The functionalization of microbubbles with gold nanoparticles also rendered optical tunability and has promising applications in imaging, biosensing, and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suntharavathanan Mahalingam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London , Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
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35
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Kok MP, Segers T, Versluis M. Bubble sorting in pinched microchannels for ultrasound contrast agent enrichment. LAB ON A CHIP 2015; 15:3716-3722. [PMID: 26223966 DOI: 10.1039/c5lc00370a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) suspensions contain encapsulated microbubbles with a wide size distribution, with radii between 1 and 10 μm. Medical transducers generally operate at a narrow frequency bandwidth, severely limiting the fraction of bubbles that resonates to the driving ultrasound. Thus, the sensitivity of contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging, molecular imaging with targeted bubbles, and drug delivery with microbubbles can be improved by narrowing down the size distribution of the bubble suspension. Here, we use a low-cost lab-on-a-chip method for the sorting of microbubbles by their size without external actuation, based on a microfluidic separation technique known as pinched flow fractionation (PFF). We show by numerical investigation that the inclusion of particle rotation in the pinched segment is essential for an accurate description of the sorting behavior of particles with sizes close to the pinched segment width. Successful enrichment of a polydisperse contrast agent into a bubble suspension with a narrow size distribution (radius 1.56 ± 0.30 μm) was achieved with a PFF-based microdevice. This sorting technique can be readily parallelized, and may thus lead to an easy-to-use and robust device capable of enriching ultrasound contrast agents, leading to an improvement in the sensitivity of contrast ultrasound imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten P Kok
- Physics of Fluids Group and MESA+ Institute of Nanotechnology, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
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36
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Segers T, de Jong N, Lohse D, Versluis M. Microbubbles for Medical Applications. MICROFLUIDICS FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS 2014. [DOI: 10.1039/9781849737593-00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) suspensions contain encapsulated microbubbles with radii ranging from 1 to 10 micrometers. The bubbles oscillate to the driving ultrasound pulse generating harmonics of the driving ultrasound frequency. This feature allows for the discrimination of non-linear bubble echoes from linear tissue echoes facilitating the visualization and quantification of blood perfusion in organs. Targeting the microbubbles to specific receptors in the body has led to molecular imaging application with ultrasound and targeted drug delivery with drug-loaded microbubbles. Traditional UCA production methods offer high yield but poor control over the microbubble size and uniformity. Medical ultrasound transducers typically operate at a single frequency, therefore only a small selection of bubbles resonates to the driving ultrasound pulse. Here we discuss recent lab-on-a-chip based production and sorting methods that have been shown to produce highly monodisperse bubbles, thereby improving the sensitivity of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging and molecular imaging with microbubbles. Moreover, monodisperse UCA show great potential for targeted drug delivery by the well-controlled bubble response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Segers
- Physics of Fluids Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente PO Box 217 7500 AE Enschede The Netherlands
| | - Nico de Jong
- Physics of Fluids Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente PO Box 217 7500 AE Enschede The Netherlands
| | - Detlef Lohse
- Physics of Fluids Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente PO Box 217 7500 AE Enschede The Netherlands
| | - Michel Versluis
- Physics of Fluids Group, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente PO Box 217 7500 AE Enschede The Netherlands
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37
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Angilè F, Vargo KB, Sehgal CM, Hammer DA, Lee D. Recombinant protein-stabilized monodisperse microbubbles with tunable size using a valve-based microfluidic device. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2014; 30:12610-8. [PMID: 25265041 PMCID: PMC4211726 DOI: 10.1021/la502610c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Revised: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbubbles are used as contrast enhancing agents in ultrasound sonography and more recently have shown great potential as theranostic agents that enable both diagnostics and therapy. Conventional production methods lead to highly polydisperse microbubbles, which compromise the effectiveness of ultrasound imaging and therapy. Stabilizing microbubbles with surfactant molecules that can impart functionality and properties that are desirable for specific applications would enhance the utility of microbubbles. Here we generate monodisperse microbubbles with a large potential for functionalization by combining a microfluidic method and recombinant protein technology. Our microfluidic device uses an air-actuated membrane valve that enables production of monodisperse microbubbles with narrow size distribution. The size of microbubbles can be precisely tuned by dynamically changing the dimension of the channel using the valve. The microbubbles are stabilized by an amphiphilic protein, oleosin, which provides versatility in controlling the functionalization of microbubbles through recombinant biotechnology. We show that it is critical to control the composition of the stabilizing agents to enable formation of highly stable and monodisperse microbubbles that are echogenic under ultrasound insonation. Our protein-shelled microbubbles based on the combination of microfluidic generation and recombinant protein technology provide a promising platform for ultrasound-related applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco
E. Angilè
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, School
of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Kevin B. Vargo
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, School
of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Chandra M. Sehgal
- Department
of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania
Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Daniel A. Hammer
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, School
of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Daeyeon Lee
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, School
of Engineering and Applied Science, University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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38
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Huang H, He X. Interfacial tension based on-chip extraction of microparticles confined in microfluidic Stokes flows. APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 2014; 105:143704. [PMID: 25378709 PMCID: PMC4214277 DOI: 10.1063/1.4898040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 09/28/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics involving two immiscible fluids (oil and water) has been increasingly used to produce hydrogel microparticles with wide applications. However, it is difficult to extract the microparticles out of the microfluidic Stokes flows of oil that have a Reynolds number (the ratio of inertia to viscous force) much less than one, where the dominant viscous force tends to drive the microparticles to move together with the surrounding oil. Here, we present a passive method for extracting hydrogel microparticles in microfluidic Stokes flow from oil into aqueous extracting solution on-chip by utilizing the intrinsic interfacial tension between oil and the microparticles. We further reveal that the thickness of an "extended confining layer" of oil next to the interface between oil and aqueous extracting solution must be smaller than the radius of microparticles for effective extraction. This method uses a simple planar merging microchannel design that can be readily fabricated and further integrated into a fluidic system to extract microparticles for wide applications.
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Mahalingam S, Meinders MBJ, Edirisinghe M. Formation, stability, and mechanical properties of bovine serum albumin stabilized air bubbles produced using coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2014; 30:6694-6703. [PMID: 24841724 DOI: 10.1021/la5011715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Bovine serum albumin (BSA) microbubbles were generated using coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization (CEDHA) using various concentrations of BSA solutions. The bubble characteristics and the long-term stability of the microbubbles were studied through adjustment of processing parameters and the collection media. Bubbles in the range of 40-800 μm were obtained in a controlled fashion, and increasing the flow rate of the BSA solution reduced the polydispersity of the microbubbles. Use of distilled water-glutaraldehyde, glycerol, and glycerol-Tween 80 collection media allowed a remarkable improvement in bubble stability compared to BSA solution collection medium. Possible physical mechanisms were developed to explain the stability of the microbubbles. The collection distance showed a marked influence on stability of the microbubbles. Near-monodisperse particle-reinforced microbubbles were formed with various concentrations of 2,2'-azobis(isobutyramidine) dihydrochloride (AIBA)-polystyrene particle in BSA solution. The bubble size and the size distribution showed negligible change over a period of time irrespective of the concentration of particles at the bubble surface. The compression stiffness of the microbubbles was determined using nanoindentation at ambient temperature and showed that the stiffness of the microbubbles increased from 8 N/m to 20 N/m upon changing the concentration of BSA solution from 5 wt % to 15 wt %.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mahalingam
- TopInstitute Food and Nutrition (TIFN) , P.O. Box 557, Wageningen, 6700 AN, The Netherlands
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Segers T, Versluis M. Acoustic bubble sorting for ultrasound contrast agent enrichment. LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:1705-14. [PMID: 24651248 DOI: 10.1039/c3lc51296g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
An ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) suspension contains encapsulated microbubbles with a wide size distribution, with radii ranging from 1 to 10 μm. Medical transducers typically operate at a single frequency, therefore only a small selection of bubbles will resonate to the driving ultrasound pulse. Thus, the sensitivity can be improved by narrowing down the size distribution. Here, we present a simple lab-on-a-chip method to sort the population of microbubbles on-chip using a traveling ultrasound wave. First, we explore the physical parameter space of acoustic bubble sorting using well-defined bubble sizes formed in a flow-focusing device, then we demonstrate successful acoustic sorting of a commercial UCA. This novel sorting strategy may lead to an overall improvement of the sensitivity of contrast ultrasound by more than 10 dB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Segers
- Physics of Fluids Group and MESA+ Institute of Nanotechnology, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
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