1
|
Cheng Y, Hay CD, Mahuttanatan SM, Hindley JW, Ces O, Elani Y. Microfluidic technologies for lipid vesicle generation. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:4679-4716. [PMID: 39323383 PMCID: PMC11425070 DOI: 10.1039/d4lc00380b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Encapsulating biological and non-biological materials in lipid vesicles presents significant potential in both industrial and academic settings. When smaller than 100 nm, lipid vesicles and lipid nanoparticles are ideal vehicles for drug delivery, facilitating the delivery of payloads, improving pharmacokinetics, and reducing the off-target effects of therapeutics. When larger than 1 μm, vesicles are useful as model membranes for biophysical studies, as synthetic cell chassis, as bio-inspired supramolecular devices, and as the basis of protocells to explore the origin of life. As applications of lipid vesicles gain prominence in the fields of nanomedicine, biotechnology, and synthetic biology, there is a demand for advanced technologies for their controlled construction, with microfluidic methods at the forefront of these developments. Compared to conventional bulk methods, emerging microfluidic methods offer advantages such as precise size control, increased production throughput, high encapsulation efficiency, user-defined membrane properties (i.e., lipid composition, vesicular architecture, compartmentalisation, membrane asymmetry, etc.), and potential integration with lab-on-chip manipulation and analysis modules. We provide a review of microfluidic lipid vesicle generation technologies, focusing on recent advances and state-of-the-art techniques. Principal technologies are described, and key research milestones are highlighted. The advantages and limitations of each approach are evaluated, and challenges and opportunities for microfluidic engineering of lipid vesicles to underpin a new generation of therapeutics, vaccines, sensors, and bio-inspired technologies are presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Cheng
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Callum D Hay
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Suchaya M Mahuttanatan
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - James W Hindley
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Oscar Ces
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yuval Elani
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hameed H, Khan MA, Paiva-Santos AC, Faheem S, Khalid A, Majid MS, Adnan A, Rana F. Liposomes like advanced drug carriers: from fundamentals to pharmaceutical applications. J Microencapsul 2024; 41:456-478. [PMID: 38990129 DOI: 10.1080/02652048.2024.2376116] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
AIMS There are around 24 distinct lipid vesicles described in the literature that are similar to vesicular systems such as liposomes. Liposome-like structures are formed by combining certain amphiphilic lipids with a suitable stabiliser. Since their discovery and classification, self-assembled liposome-like structures as active drug delivery vehicles captured researchers' curiosity. METHODOLOGY This comprehensive study included an in-depth literature search using electronic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar, focusing on studies on liposome and liposomes like structure, discussed in literature till 2024, their sizes, benefits, drawback, method of preparation, characterisation and pharmaceutical applications. RESULTS Pharmacosomes, cubosomes, ethosomes, transethosomes, and genosomes, all liposome-like structures, have the most potential due to their smaller size with high loading capacity, ease of absorption, and ability to treat inflammatory illnesses. Genosomes are futuristic because of its affinity for DNA/gene transport, which is an area of focus in today's treatments. CONCLUSION This review will critically analyse the composition, preparation procedures, drug encapsulating technologies, drug loading, release mechanism, and related applications of all liposome-like structures, highlighting their potential benefits with enhanced efficacy over each other and over traditional carriers by paving the way for exploring novel drug delivery systems in the Pharma industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huma Hameed
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mahtab Ahmad Khan
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ana Cláudia Paiva-Santos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Saleha Faheem
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Aleena Khalid
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Aiman Adnan
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Fizza Rana
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vladisaljević GT. Droplet Microfluidics for High-Throughput Screening and Directed Evolution of Biomolecules. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:971. [PMID: 39203623 PMCID: PMC11356158 DOI: 10.3390/mi15080971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Directed evolution is a powerful technique for creating biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids with tailor-made properties for therapeutic and industrial applications by mimicking the natural evolution processes in the laboratory. Droplet microfluidics improved classical directed evolution by enabling time-consuming and laborious steps in this iterative process to be performed within monodispersed droplets in a highly controlled and automated manner. Droplet microfluidic chips can generate, manipulate, and sort individual droplets at kilohertz rates in a user-defined microchannel geometry, allowing new strategies for high-throughput screening and evolution of biomolecules. In this review, we discuss directed evolution studies in which droplet-based microfluidic systems were used to screen and improve the functional properties of biomolecules. We provide a systematic overview of basic on-chip fluidic operations, including reagent mixing by merging continuous fluid streams and droplet pairs, reagent addition by picoinjection, droplet generation, droplet incubation in delay lines, chambers and hydrodynamic traps, and droplet sorting techniques. Various microfluidic strategies for directed evolution using single and multiple emulsions and biomimetic materials (giant lipid vesicles, microgels, and microcapsules) are highlighted. Completely cell-free microfluidic-assisted in vitro compartmentalization methods that eliminate the need to clone DNA into cells after each round of mutagenesis are also presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Goran T Vladisaljević
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dimitriou P, Li J, Jamieson WD, Schneider JJ, Castell OK, Barrow DA. Manipulation of encapsulated artificial phospholipid membranes using sub-micellar lysolipid concentrations. Commun Chem 2024; 7:120. [PMID: 38824266 PMCID: PMC11144220 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01209-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Droplet Interface Bilayers (DIBs) constitute a commonly used model of artificial membranes for synthetic biology research applications. However, their practical use is often limited by their requirement to be surrounded by oil. Here we demonstrate in-situ bilayer manipulation of submillimeter, hydrogel-encapsulated droplet interface bilayers (eDIBs). Monolithic, Cyclic Olefin Copolymer/Nylon 3D-printed microfluidic devices facilitated the eDIB formation through high-order emulsification. By exposing the eDIB capsules to varying lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) concentrations, we investigated the interaction of lysolipids with three-dimensional DIB networks. Micellar LPC concentrations triggered the bursting of encapsulated droplet networks, while at lower concentrations the droplet network endured structural changes, precisely affecting the membrane dimensions. This chemically-mediated manipulation of enclosed, 3D-orchestrated membrane mimics, facilitates the exploration of readily accessible compartmentalized artificial cellular machinery. Collectively, the droplet-based construct can pose as a chemically responsive soft material for studying membrane mechanics, and drug delivery, by controlling the cargo release from artificial cell chassis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pantelitsa Dimitriou
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK.
| | - Jin Li
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK.
| | - William David Jamieson
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, Kind Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Johannes Josef Schneider
- Institute of Applied Mathematics and Physics, School of Engineering, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Technikumstr. 9, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Kieran Castell
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, Kind Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| | - David Anthony Barrow
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fasciano S, Wang S. Recent advances of droplet-based microfluidics for engineering artificial cells. SLAS Technol 2024; 29:100090. [PMID: 37245659 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2023.05.002] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Artificial cells, synthetic cells, or minimal cells are microengineered cell-like structures that mimic the biological functions of cells. Artificial cells are typically biological or polymeric membranes where biologically active components, including proteins, genes, and enzymes, are encapsulated. The goal of engineering artificial cells is to build a living cell with the least amount of parts and complexity. Artificial cells hold great potential for several applications, including membrane protein interactions, gene expression, biomaterials, and drug development. It is critical to generate robust, stable artificial cells using high throughput, easy-to-control, and flexible techniques. Recently, droplet-based microfluidic techniques have shown great potential for the synthesis of vesicles and artificial cells. Here, we summarized the recent advances in droplet-based microfluidic techniques for the fabrication of vesicles and artificial cells. We first reviewed the different types of droplet-based microfluidic devices, including flow-focusing, T-junction, and coflowing. Next, we discussed the formation of multi-compartmental vesicles and artificial cells based on droplet-based microfluidics. The applications of artificial cells for studying gene expression dynamics, artificial cell-cell communications, and mechanobiology are highlighted and discussed. Finally, the current challenges and future outlook of droplet-based microfluidic methods for engineering artificial cells are discussed. This review will provide insights into scientific research in synthetic biology, microfluidic devices, membrane interactions, and mechanobiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Fasciano
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shue Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhu Z, Chen T, Huang F, Wang S, Zhu P, Xu RX, Si T. Free-Boundary Microfluidic Platform for Advanced Materials Manufacturing and Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2304840. [PMID: 37722080 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202304840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidics, with its remarkable capacity to manipulate fluids and droplets at the microscale, has emerged as a powerful platform in numerous fields. In contrast to conventional closed microchannel microfluidic systems, free-boundary microfluidic manufacturing (FBMM) processes continuous precursor fluids into jets or droplets in a relatively spacious environment. FBMM is highly regarded for its superior flexibility, stability, economy, usability, and versatility in the manufacturing of advanced materials and architectures. In this review, a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in FBMM is provided, encompassing technical principles, advanced material manufacturing, and their applications. FBMM is categorized based on the foundational mechanisms, primarily comprising hydrodynamics, interface effects, acoustics, and electrohydrodynamic. The processes and mechanisms of fluid manipulation are thoroughly discussed. Additionally, the manufacturing of advanced materials in various dimensions ranging from zero-dimensional to three-dimensional, as well as their diverse applications in material science, biomedical engineering, and engineering are presented. Finally, current progress is summarized and future challenges are prospected. Overall, this review highlights the significant potential of FBMM as a powerful tool for advanced materials manufacturing and its wide-ranging applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Zhu
- Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Tianao Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Fangsheng Huang
- Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Shiyu Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Pingan Zhu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Ronald X Xu
- Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Ting Si
- Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Maffeis V, Heuberger L, Nikoletić A, Schoenenberger C, Palivan CG. Synthetic Cells Revisited: Artificial Cells Construction Using Polymeric Building Blocks. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305837. [PMID: 37984885 PMCID: PMC10885666 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The exponential growth of research on artificial cells and organelles underscores their potential as tools to advance the understanding of fundamental biological processes. The bottom-up construction from a variety of building blocks at the micro- and nanoscale, in combination with biomolecules is key to developing artificial cells. In this review, artificial cells are focused upon based on compartments where polymers are the main constituent of the assembly. Polymers are of particular interest due to their incredible chemical variety and the advantage of tuning the properties and functionality of their assemblies. First, the architectures of micro- and nanoscale polymer assemblies are introduced and then their usage as building blocks is elaborated upon. Different membrane-bound and membrane-less compartments and supramolecular structures and how they combine into advanced synthetic cells are presented. Then, the functional aspects are explored, addressing how artificial organelles in giant compartments mimic cellular processes. Finally, how artificial cells communicate with their surrounding and each other such as to adapt to an ever-changing environment and achieve collective behavior as a steppingstone toward artificial tissues, is taken a look at. Engineering artificial cells with highly controllable and programmable features open new avenues for the development of sophisticated multifunctional systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Maffeis
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
| | - Lukas Heuberger
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
| | - Anamarija Nikoletić
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fonseca M, Jarak I, Victor F, Domingues C, Veiga F, Figueiras A. Polymersomes as the Next Attractive Generation of Drug Delivery Systems: Definition, Synthesis and Applications. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:319. [PMID: 38255485 PMCID: PMC10817611 DOI: 10.3390/ma17020319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Polymersomes are artificial nanoparticles formed by the self-assembly process of amphiphilic block copolymers composed of hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks. They can encapsulate hydrophilic molecules in the aqueous core and hydrophobic molecules within the membrane. The composition of block copolymers can be tuned, enabling control of characteristics and properties of formed polymersomes and, thus, their application in areas such as drug delivery, diagnostics, or bioimaging. The preparation methods of polymersomes can also impact their characteristics and the preservation of the encapsulated drugs. Many methods have been described, including direct hydration, thin film hydration, electroporation, the pH-switch method, solvent shift method, single and double emulsion method, flash nanoprecipitation, and microfluidic synthesis. Considering polymersome structure and composition, there are several types of polymersomes including theranostic polymersomes, polymersomes decorated with targeting ligands for selective delivery, stimuli-responsive polymersomes, or porous polymersomes with multiple promising applications. Due to the shortcomings related to the stability, efficacy, and safety of some therapeutics in the human body, polymersomes as drug delivery systems have been good candidates to improve the quality of therapies against a wide range of diseases, including cancer. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy can be improved by using polymersomes to deliver the drugs, protecting and directing them to the exact site of action. Moreover, this approach is also promising for targeted delivery of biologics since they represent a class of drugs with poor stability and high susceptibility to in vivo clearance. However, the lack of a well-defined regulatory plan for polymersome formulations has hampered their follow-up to clinical trials and subsequent market entry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Fonseca
- Univ. Coimbra, Laboratory of Drug Development and Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.F.); (I.J.); (C.D.); (F.V.)
| | - Ivana Jarak
- Univ. Coimbra, Laboratory of Drug Development and Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.F.); (I.J.); (C.D.); (F.V.)
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Francis Victor
- Department of Pharmacy, University Chenab Gujarat, Punjab 50700, Pakistan;
| | - Cátia Domingues
- Univ. Coimbra, Laboratory of Drug Development and Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.F.); (I.J.); (C.D.); (F.V.)
- Univ. Coimbra, REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Univ. Coimbra, Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Area of Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), Faculty of Medicine, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Veiga
- Univ. Coimbra, Laboratory of Drug Development and Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.F.); (I.J.); (C.D.); (F.V.)
- Univ. Coimbra, REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Figueiras
- Univ. Coimbra, Laboratory of Drug Development and Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.F.); (I.J.); (C.D.); (F.V.)
- Univ. Coimbra, REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Govey-Scotland J, Johnstone L, Myant C, Friddin MS. Towards skin-on-a-chip for screening the dermal absorption of cosmetics. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:5068-5080. [PMID: 37938128 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00691c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, there have been increasing global efforts to limit or ban the use of animals for testing cosmetic products. This ambition has been at the heart of international endeavours to develop new in vitro and animal-free approaches for assessing the safety of cosmetics. While several of these new approach methodologies (NAMs) have been approved for assessing different toxicological endpoints in the UK and across the EU, there remains an absence of animal-free methods for screening for dermal absorption; a measure that assesses the degree to which chemical substances can become systemically available through contact with human skin. Here, we identify some of the major technical barriers that have impacted regulatory recognition of an in vitro skin model for this purpose and propose how these could be overcome on-chip using artificial cells engineered from the bottom-up. As part of our future perspective, we suggest how this could be realised using a digital biomanufacturing pipeline that connects the design, microfluidic generation and 3D printing of artificial cells into user-crafted synthetic tissues. We highlight milestone achievements towards this goal, identify future challenges, and suggest how the ability to engineer animal-free skin models could have significant long-term consequences for dermal absorption screening, as well as for other applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Govey-Scotland
- Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2AZ, London, UK.
- Institute for Molecular Sciences and Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2AZ, London, UK
| | - Liam Johnstone
- Office for Product Safety and Standards, 1 Victoria Street, SW1H 0ET, London, UK
| | - Connor Myant
- Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2AZ, London, UK.
| | - Mark S Friddin
- Dyson School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2AZ, London, UK.
- Institute for Molecular Sciences and Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2AZ, London, UK
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London and Kings College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Douliez JP, Arlaut A, Beven L, Fameau AL, Saint-Jalmes A. One step generation of single-core double emulsions from polymer-osmose-induced aqueous phase separation in polar oil droplets. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7562-7569. [PMID: 37751151 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00970j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Water-in-oil-in-water emulsions (W/O/W) are aqueous droplet(s) embedded within oil droplets dispersed in a continuous water phase. They are attracting interest due to their possible applications from cosmetic to food science since both hydrosoluble and liposoluble cargos can be encapsulated within. They are generally prepared using a one-step or a two-step method, phase inversion and also via spontaneous emulsification. Here, we describe a general and simple one-step method based on hydrophilic polymers dispersed in polar oils to generate osmose-induced diffusion of water into oil droplets, forming polymer-rich aqueous droplets inside the oil droplets. Polyethylene glycol, but also other hydrophilic polymers (branched polyethylene imine or polyvinyl pyrrolidone) were successfully dispersed in 1-octanol or other polar oils (oleic acid or tributyrin) to produce an O/W emulsion that spontaneously transformed into a W1/O/W2 emulsion, with the inner aqueous droplet (W1) only containing the hydrophilic polymer initially dispersed in oil. By combining single drop experiments, with macroscopic viscosity measurements, we demonstrated that the double emulsion resulted of water diffusion, which amplitude could be adjusted by the polymer concentration. The production of high internal phase emulsions was also achieved, together with a pH-induced transition from multiple to single core double emulsion. We expect this new method for producing double emulsions to find applications in domains of microencapsulation and materials chemistry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Douliez
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, UMR 1332, F-33140 Villenave dOrnon, France.
| | - Anais Arlaut
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IPR (Institut de Physique de Rennes), UMR 6251, F-35000, Rennes, France.
| | - Laure Beven
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, UMR 1332, F-33140 Villenave dOrnon, France.
| | - Anne-Laure Fameau
- University Lille, CNRS, INRAE, Centrale Lille, UMET, 369 Rue Jules Guesde, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Arnaud Saint-Jalmes
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, IPR (Institut de Physique de Rennes), UMR 6251, F-35000, Rennes, France.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Orabi M, Lo JF. Emerging Advances in Microfluidic Hydrogel Droplets for Tissue Engineering and STEM Cell Mechanobiology. Gels 2023; 9:790. [PMID: 37888363 PMCID: PMC10606214 DOI: 10.3390/gels9100790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogel droplets are biodegradable and biocompatible materials with promising applications in tissue engineering, cell encapsulation, and clinical treatments. They represent a well-controlled microstructure to bridge the spatial divide between two-dimensional cell cultures and three-dimensional tissues, toward the recreation of entire organs. The applications of hydrogel droplets in regenerative medicine require a thorough understanding of microfluidic techniques, the biocompatibility of hydrogel materials, and droplet production and manipulation mechanisms. Although hydrogel droplets were well studied, several emerging advances promise to extend current applications to tissue engineering and beyond. Hydrogel droplets can be designed with high surface-to-volume ratios and a variety of matrix microstructures. Microfluidics provides precise control of the flow patterns required for droplet generation, leading to tight distributions of particle size, shape, matrix, and mechanical properties in the resultant microparticles. This review focuses on recent advances in microfluidic hydrogel droplet generation. First, the theoretical principles of microfluidics, materials used in fabrication, and new 3D fabrication techniques were discussed. Then, the hydrogels used in droplet generation and their cell and tissue engineering applications were reviewed. Finally, droplet generation mechanisms were addressed, such as droplet production, droplet manipulation, and surfactants used to prevent coalescence. Lastly, we propose that microfluidic hydrogel droplets can enable novel shear-related tissue engineering and regeneration studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Joe F. Lo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Mathews HF, Pieper MI, Jung SH, Pich A. Compartmentalized Polyampholyte Microgels by Depletion Flocculation and Coacervation of Nanogels in Emulsion Droplets. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202304908. [PMID: 37387670 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202304908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
In pH-responsive drug carriers, the distribution of charges has been proven to affect delivery efficiency but is difficult to control and verify. Herein, we fabricate polyampholyte nanogel-in-microgel colloids (NiM-C) and show that the arrangement of the nanogels (NG) can easily be manipulated by adapting synthesis conditions. Positively and negatively charged pH-responsive NG are synthesized by precipitation polymerization and labelled with different fluorescent dyes. The obtained NG are integrated into microgel (MG) networks by subsequent inverse emulsion polymerization in droplet-based microfluidics. By confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), we verify that depending on NG concentration, pH value and ionic strength, NiM-C with different NG arrangements are obtained, including Janus-like phase-separation of NG, statistical distribution of NG, and core-shell arrangements. Our approach is a major step towards uptake and release of oppositely charged (drug) molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah F Mathews
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Maria I Pieper
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Se-Hyeong Jung
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrij Pich
- DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Maastricht University, 6167 RD, Geleen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Pilkington CP, Contini C, Barritt JD, Simpson PA, Seddon JM, Elani Y. A microfluidic platform for the controlled synthesis of architecturally complex liquid crystalline nanoparticles. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12684. [PMID: 37542147 PMCID: PMC10403506 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39205-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft-matter nanoparticles are of great interest for their applications in biotechnology, therapeutic delivery, and in vivo imaging. Underpinning this is their biocompatibility, potential for selective targeting, attractive pharmacokinetic properties, and amenability to downstream functionalisation. Morphological diversity inherent to soft-matter particles can give rise to enhanced functionality. However, this diversity remains untapped in clinical and industrial settings, and only the simplest of particle architectures [spherical lipid vesicles and lipid/polymer nanoparticles (LNPs)] have been routinely exploited. This is partially due to a lack of appropriate methods for their synthesis. To address this, we have designed a scalable microfluidic hydrodynamic focusing (MHF) technology for the controllable, rapid, and continuous production of lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) nanoparticles (both cubosomes and hexosomes), colloidal dispersions of higher-order lipid assemblies with intricate internal structures of 3-D and 2-D symmetry. These particles have been proposed as the next generation of soft-matter nano-carriers, with unique fusogenic and physical properties. Crucially, unlike alternative approaches, our microfluidic method gives control over LLC size, a feature we go on to exploit in a fusogenic study with model cell membranes, where a dependency of fusion on particle diameter is evident. We believe our platform has the potential to serve as a tool for future studies involving non-lamellar soft nanoparticles, and anticipate it allowing for the rapid prototyping of LLC particles of diverse functionality, paving the way toward their eventual wide uptake at an industrial level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colin P Pilkington
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Science Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Claudia Contini
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Joseph D Barritt
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Paul A Simpson
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Structural Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - John M Seddon
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Science Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Eisermann J, Wright JJ, Wilton-Ely JDET, Hirst J, Roessler MM. Using light scattering to assess how phospholipid-protein interactions affect complex I functionality in liposomes. RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:386-398. [PMID: 37292059 PMCID: PMC10246558 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00158f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Complex I is an essential membrane protein in respiration, oxidising NADH and reducing ubiquinone to contribute to the proton-motive force that powers ATP synthesis. Liposomes provide an attractive platform to investigate complex I in a phospholipid membrane with the native hydrophobic ubiquinone substrate and proton transport across the membrane, but without convoluting contributions from other proteins present in the native mitochondrial inner membrane. Here, we use dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering techniques (DLS and ELS) to show how physical parameters, in particular the zeta potential (ζ-potential), correlate strongly with the biochemical functionality of complex I-containing proteoliposomes. We find that cardiolipin plays a crucial role in the reconstitution and functioning of complex I and that, as a highly charged lipid, it acts as a sensitive reporter on the biochemical competence of proteoliposomes in ELS measurements. We show that the change in ζ-potential between liposomes and proteoliposomes correlates linearly with protein retention and catalytic oxidoreduction activity of complex I. These correlations are dependent on the presence of cardiolipin, but are otherwise independent of the liposome lipid composition. Moreover, changes in the ζ-potential are sensitive to the proton motive force established upon proton pumping by complex I, thereby constituting a complementary technique to established biochemical assays. ELS measurements may thus serve as a more widely useful tool to investigate membrane proteins in lipid systems, especially those that contain charged lipids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Eisermann
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus London W12 0BZ UK
| | - John J Wright
- The Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, The Keith Peters Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus Cambridge CB2 0XY UK
| | - James D E T Wilton-Ely
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus London W12 0BZ UK
| | - Judy Hirst
- The Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, The Keith Peters Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus Cambridge CB2 0XY UK
| | - Maxie M Roessler
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus London W12 0BZ UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Archer RJ, Hamada S, Shimizu R, Nomura SIM. Scalable Synthesis of Planar Macroscopic Lipid-Based Multi-Compartment Structures. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:4863-4871. [PMID: 36973945 PMCID: PMC10100540 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
As life evolved, the path from simple single cell organisms to multicellular enabled increasingly complex functionalities. The spatial separation of reactions at the micron scale achieved by cellular structures allowed diverse and scalable implementation in biomolecular systems. Mimicking such spatially separated domains in a scalable approach could open a route to creating synthetic cell-like structured systems. Here, we report a facile and scalable method to create multicellular-like, multi-compartment (MC) structures. Aqueous droplet-based compartments ranging from 50 to 400 μm were stabilized and connected together by hydrophobic layers composed of phospholipids and an emulsifier. Planar centimeter-scale MC structures were formed by droplet deposition on a water interface. Further, the resulting macroscopic shapes were shown to be achieved by spatially controlled deposition. To demonstrate configurability and potential versatility, MC assemblies of both homogeneous and mixed compartment types were shown. Notably, magnetically heterogeneous systems were achieved by the inclusion of magnetic nanoparticles in defined sections. Such structures demonstrated actuated motion with structurally imparted directionality. These novel and functionalized structures exemplify a route toward future applications including compartmentally assembled "multicellular" molecular robots.
Collapse
|
16
|
Supramaniam P, Wang Z, Chatzimichail S, Parperis C, Kumar A, Ho V, Ces O, Salehi-Reyhani A. Measuring Encapsulation Efficiency in Cell-Mimicking Giant Unilamellar Vesicles. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:1227-1238. [PMID: 36977193 PMCID: PMC10127275 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
One of the main drivers within the field of bottom-up synthetic biology is to develop artificial chemical machines, perhaps even living systems, that have programmable functionality. Numerous toolkits exist to generate giant unilamellar vesicle-based artificial cells. However, methods able to quantitatively measure their molecular constituents upon formation is an underdeveloped area. We report an artificial cell quality control (AC/QC) protocol using a microfluidic-based single-molecule approach, enabling the absolute quantification of encapsulated biomolecules. While the measured average encapsulation efficiency was 11.4 ± 6.8%, the AC/QC method allowed us to determine encapsulation efficiencies per vesicle, which varied significantly from 2.4 to 41%. We show that it is possible to achieve a desired concentration of biomolecule within each vesicle by commensurate compensation of its concentration in the seed emulsion. However, the variability in encapsulation efficiency suggests caution is necessary when using such vesicles as simplified biological models or standards.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Zibo Wang
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London W12 0HS, U.K
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | | | - Christopher Parperis
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Aditi Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
| | - Vanessa Ho
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Ali Salehi-Reyhani
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London W12 0HS, U.K
- fabriCELL, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Combining 3D Printing and Microfluidic Techniques: A Powerful Synergy for Nanomedicine. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16010069. [PMID: 36678566 PMCID: PMC9867206 DOI: 10.3390/ph16010069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicine has grown tremendously in recent years as a responsive strategy to find novel therapies for treating challenging pathological conditions. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop novel formulations capable of providing adequate therapeutic treatment while overcoming the limitations of traditional protocols. Lately, microfluidic technology (MF) and additive manufacturing (AM) have both acquired popularity, bringing numerous benefits to a wide range of life science applications. There have been numerous benefits and drawbacks of MF and AM as distinct techniques, with case studies showing how the careful optimization of operational parameters enables them to overcome existing limitations. Therefore, the focus of this review was to highlight the potential of the synergy between MF and AM, emphasizing the significant benefits that this collaboration could entail. The combination of the techniques ensures the full customization of MF-based systems while remaining cost-effective and less time-consuming compared to classical approaches. Furthermore, MF and AM enable highly sustainable procedures suitable for industrial scale-out, leading to one of the most promising innovations of the near future.
Collapse
|
18
|
Biophysical quantification of unitary solute and solvent permeabilities to enable translation to membrane science. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
|
19
|
Experimental study on dynamics of double emulsion droplets flowing through the Y-shaped bifurcation. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.130141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
20
|
Jin S, Ye G, Cao N, Liu X, Dai L, Wang P, Wang T, Wei X. Acoustics-Controlled Microdroplet and Microbubble Fusion and Its Application in the Synthesis of Hydrogel Microspheres. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:12602-12609. [PMID: 36194518 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02080] [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
Droplet fusion technology is a key technology for many droplet-based biochemical medical applications. By integrating a symmetrical flow channel structure, we demonstrate an acoustics-controlled fusion method of microdroplets using surface acoustic waves. Different kinds of microdroplets can be staggered and ordered in the symmetrical flow channel, proving the good arrangement effect of the microfluidic chip. This method can realize not only the effective fusion of microbubbles but also the effective fusion of microdroplets of different sizes without any modification. Further, we investigate the influence of the input frequency and peak-to-peak value of the driving voltage on microdroplets fusion, giving the effective fusion parameter conditions of microdroplets. Finally, this method is successfully used in the preparation of hydrogel microspheres, offering a new platform for the synthesis of hydrogel microspheres.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shaobo Jin
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Guoyong Ye
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Na Cao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou450052, China
| | - Xuling Liu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Liguo Dai
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Pengpeng Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou450002, China
| | - Xueyong Wei
- State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an710049, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Faizi HA, Tsui A, Dimova R, Vlahovska PM. Bending Rigidity, Capacitance, and Shear Viscosity of Giant Vesicle Membranes Prepared by Spontaneous Swelling, Electroformation, Gel-Assisted, and Phase Transfer Methods: A Comparative Study. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:10548-10557. [PMID: 35993569 PMCID: PMC9671160 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Closed lipid bilayers in the form of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are commonly used membrane models. Various methods have been developed to prepare GUVs, however it is unknown if all approaches yield membranes with the same elastic, electric, and rheological properties. Here, we combine flickering spectroscopy and electrodefomation of GUVs to measure, at identical conditions, membrane capacitance, bending rigidity and shear surface viscosity of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) membranes formed by several commonly used preparation methods: thin film hydration (spontaneous swelling), electroformation, gel-assisted swelling using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or agarose, and phase-transfer. We find relatively similar bending rigidity value across all the methods except for the agarose hydration method. In addition, the capacitance values are similar except for vesicles prepared via PVA gel hydration. Intriguingly, membranes prepared by the gel-assisted and phase-transfer methods exhibit much higher shear viscosity compared to electroformation and spontaneous swelling, likely due to remnants of polymers (PVA and agarose) and oils (hexadecane and mineral) in the lipid bilayer structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hammad A Faizi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Annie Tsui
- Department of Industrial Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Petia M Vlahovska
- Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
Recent years have seen substantial efforts aimed at constructing artificial cells from various molecular components with the aim of mimicking the processes, behaviours and architectures found in biological systems. Artificial cell development ultimately aims to produce model constructs that progress our understanding of biology, as well as forming the basis for functional bio-inspired devices that can be used in fields such as therapeutic delivery, biosensing, cell therapy and bioremediation. Typically, artificial cells rely on a bilayer membrane chassis and have fluid aqueous interiors to mimic biological cells. However, a desire to more accurately replicate the gel-like properties of intracellular and extracellular biological environments has driven increasing efforts to build cell mimics based on hydrogels. This has enabled researchers to exploit some of the unique functional properties of hydrogels that have seen them deployed in fields such as tissue engineering, biomaterials and drug delivery. In this Review, we explore how hydrogels can be leveraged in the context of artificial cell development. We also discuss how hydrogels can potentially be incorporated within the next generation of artificial cells to engineer improved biological mimics and functional microsystems.
Collapse
|
23
|
Fan Q, Guo Y, Zhao S, Bao B. Generation of liquid metal double emulsion droplets using gravity-induced microfluidics. RSC Adv 2022; 12:20686-20695. [PMID: 35919154 PMCID: PMC9295136 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra04120k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several microfluidic applications are available for liquid metal droplet generation, but the surface oxidation of liquid metal has placed limitations on its application. Multiphase microfluidics makes it possible to protect the inner droplets by producing the structure of double emulsion droplets. Thus, the generation of liquid metal double emulsion droplets has been developed to prevent the surface oxidation of Galinstan. However, the generation using common methods faces considerable challenges due to the gravity effect introduced from the high density of liquid metal, making it difficult for the shell phase to wrap the inner phase. To overcome this obstacle, we introduce an innovative method - a gravity-induced microfluidic device - to creatively generate controllable liquid metal double emulsion droplets, achieved by altering the measurable inclination angle of the plane. It is found that when the inclination angle ranges from 30° to 45°, the device manages to generate liquid metal double emulsion droplets with perfect double sphere-type configuration. Additionally, the core-shell liquid metal hydrogel capsules present potential applications as multifunctional materials for controlled release systems in drug delivery and biomedical applications. By regulating pH or imposing mechanical force, the hydrogel shell can be dissolved to recover the electrical conductivity of Galinstan for applications in flexible electronics, self-healing conductors, elastomer electronic skin, and tumor therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiyue Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Yaohao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Shuangliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University Nanning 530004 China
| | - Bo Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Wang L, Zhang X, Tang C, Li P, Zhu R, Sun J, Zhang Y, Cui H, Ma J, Song X, Zhang W, Gao X, Luo X, You L, Chen Y, Dai Z. Engineering consortia by polymeric microbial swarmbots. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3879. [PMID: 35790722 PMCID: PMC9256712 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31467-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic microbial consortia represent a new frontier for synthetic biology given that they can solve more complex problems than monocultures. However, most attempts to co-cultivate these artificial communities fail because of the winner-takes-all in nutrients competition. In soil, multiple species can coexist with a spatial organization. Inspired by nature, here we show that an engineered spatial segregation method can assemble stable consortia with both flexibility and precision. We create microbial swarmbot consortia (MSBC) by encapsulating subpopulations with polymeric microcapsules. The crosslinked structure of microcapsules fences microbes, but allows the transport of small molecules and proteins. MSBC method enables the assembly of various synthetic communities and the precise control over the subpopulations. These capabilities can readily modulate the division of labor and communication. Our work integrates the synthetic biology and material science to offer insights into consortia assembly and serve as foundation to diverse applications from biomanufacturing to engineered photosynthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Chenwang Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Runtao Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Soft Bio-interface Electronics Lab, Center of Neural Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Human-Machine Intelligence-Synergy Systems, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yunfeng Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Hua Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jiajia Ma
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xinyu Song
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Weiwen Zhang
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiaozhou Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Ye Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhuojun Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Center for Materials Synthetic Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Gözen I, Köksal ES, Põldsalu I, Xue L, Spustova K, Pedrueza-Villalmanzo E, Ryskulov R, Meng F, Jesorka A. Protocells: Milestones and Recent Advances. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2106624. [PMID: 35322554 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202106624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The origin of life is still one of humankind's great mysteries. At the transition between nonliving and living matter, protocells, initially featureless aggregates of abiotic matter, gain the structure and functions necessary to fulfill the criteria of life. Research addressing protocells as a central element in this transition is diverse and increasingly interdisciplinary. The authors review current protocell concepts and research directions, address milestones, challenges and existing hypotheses in the context of conditions on the early Earth, and provide a concise overview of current protocell research methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irep Gözen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Elif Senem Köksal
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Inga Põldsalu
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Lin Xue
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Karolina Spustova
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
| | - Esteban Pedrueza-Villalmanzo
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, Universitetsplatsen 1, Gothenburg, 40530, Sweden
| | - Ruslan Ryskulov
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
| | - Fanda Meng
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
- School of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Aldo Jesorka
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SE-412 96, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Zhao Y, Moshtaghibana S, Zhu T, Fayemiwo KA, Price A, Vladisavljević G. Microfluidic fabrication of novel polymeric core‐shell microcapsules for storage of
CO
2
solvents and organic chelating agents. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhao
- Department of Chemical Engineering Loughborough University Loughborough LE11 3TU UK
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio‐Inspired Energy Materials and Devices Beihang University Beijing China
| | | | - Tianle Zhu
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio‐Inspired Energy Materials and Devices Beihang University Beijing China
| | - Kehinde A. Fayemiwo
- Department of Chemical Engineering Loughborough University Loughborough LE11 3TU UK
| | - Adam Price
- Department of Chemistry Loughborough University Loughborough UK
| | - Goran Vladisavljević
- Department of Chemical Engineering Loughborough University Loughborough LE11 3TU UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Laos R, Benner S. Fluorinated oil-surfactant mixtures with the density of water: Artificial cells for synthetic biology. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0252361. [PMID: 35051170 PMCID: PMC8775225 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a rising interest in biotechnology for the compartmentalization of biochemical reactions in water droplets. Several applications, such as the widely used digital PCR, seek to encapsulate a single molecule in a droplet to be amplified. Directed evolution, another technology with growing popularity, seeks to replicate what happens in nature by encapsulating a single gene and the protein encoded by this gene, linking genotype with phenotype. Compartmentalizing reactions in droplets also allows the experimentalist to run millions of different reactions in parallel. Compartmentalization requires a fluid that is immiscible with water and a surfactant to stabilize the droplets. While there are fluids and surfactants on the market that have been used to accomplish encapsulation, there are reported concerns with these. Span® 80, for example, a commonly used surfactant, has contaminants that interfere with various biochemical reactions. Similarly, synthetic fluids distributed by the cosmetic industry allow some researchers to produce experimental results that can be published, but then other researchers fail to reproduce some of these protocols due to the unreliable nature of these products, which are not manufactured with the intent of being used in biotechnology. The most reliable fluids, immiscible with water and suitable for biochemical reactions, are fluorinated fluids. Fluorinated compounds have the peculiar characteristic of being immiscible with water while at the same time not mixing with hydrophobic molecules. This peculiar characteristic has made fluorinated fluids attractive because it seems to be the basis of their being biologically inert. However, commercially available fluorinated fluids have densities between 1.4 to 1.6 g/mL. The higher-than-water density of fluorinated oils complicates handling of the droplets since these would float on the fluid since the water droplets would be less dense. This can cause aggregation and coalescence of the droplets. Here, we report the synthesis, characterization, and use of fluorinated polysiloxane oils that have densities similar to the one of water at room temperature, and when mixed with non-ionic fluorinated surfactants, can produce droplets encapsulating biochemical reactions. We show how droplets in these emulsions can host many biological processes, including PCR, DNA origami, rolling circle amplification (RCA), and Taqman® assays. Some of these use unnatural DNA built from an Artificially Expanded Genetic Information System (AEGIS) with six nucleotide "letters".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Laos
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, Florida, United States of America
- Panamerican Biolabs LLC, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Steven Benner
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, Florida, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
dCITI-Seq: droplet combinational indexed transposon insertion sequencing. Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:2661-2670. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-03902-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
29
|
Liu D, Sun M, Zhang J, Hu R, Fu W, Xuanyuan T, Liu W. Single-cell droplet microfluidics for biomedical applications. Analyst 2022; 147:2294-2316. [DOI: 10.1039/d1an02321g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on the recent advances in the fundamentals of single-cell droplet microfluidics and its applications in biomedicine, providing insights into design and establishment of single-cell microsystems and their further performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Meilin Sun
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Rui Hu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wenzhu Fu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Tingting Xuanyuan
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wenming Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Haghayegh F, Salahandish R, Zare A, Khalghollah M, Sanati-Nezhad A. Immuno-biosensor on a chip: a self-powered microfluidic-based electrochemical biosensing platform for point-of-care quantification of proteins. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 22:108-120. [PMID: 34860233 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00879j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The realization of true point-of-care (PoC) systems profoundly relies on integrating the bioanalytical assays into "on-chip" fluid handing platforms, with autonomous performance, reproducible functionality, and capacity in scalable production. Specifically for electrochemical immuno-biosensing, the complexity of the procedure used for ultrasensitive protein detection using screen-printed biosensors necessitates a lab-centralized practice, hindering the path towards near-patient use. This work develops a self-powered microfluidic chip that automates the entire assay of electrochemical immuno-biosensing, enabling controlled and sequential delivery of the biofluid sample and the sensing reagents to the surface of the embedded electrochemical biosensor. Without any need for active fluid handling, this novel sample-to-result testing kit offers antibody-antigen immunoreaction within 15 min followed by the subsequent automatic washing, redox probe delivery, and electrochemical signal recording. The redox molecules ([Fe(CN)6]3-/4-) are pre-soaked and dried in fiber and embedded inside the chip. The dimensions of the fluidic design and the parameters of the electrochemical bioassay are optimized to warrant a consistent and reproducible performance of the autonomous sensing device. The uniform diffusion of the dried redox into the injected solution and its controlled delivery onto the biosensor are modeled via a two-phase flow computational fluid dynamics simulation, determining the suitable time for electrochemical signal measurement from the biosensor. The microfluidic chip performs well with both water-based fluids and human plasma with the optimized sample volume to offer a proof-of-concept ultrasensitive biosensing of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid proteins spiked in phosphate buffer saline within 15 min. The on-chip N-protein biosensing demonstrates a linear detection range of 10 to 1000 pg mL-1 with a limit of detection of 3.1 pg mL-1. This is the first self-powered microfluidic-integrated electrochemical immuno-biosensor that promises quantitative and ultrasensitive PoC biosensing. Once it is modified for its design and dimensions, it can be further used for autonomous detection of one or multiple proteins in diverse biofluid samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Haghayegh
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Razieh Salahandish
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Center for BioEngineering Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Azam Zare
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Mahmood Khalghollah
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Amir Sanati-Nezhad
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Center for BioEngineering Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
- Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
O'Grady BJ, Geuy MD, Kim H, Balotin KM, Allchin ER, Florian DC, Bute NN, Scott TE, Lowen GB, Fricker CM, Fitzgerald ML, Guelcher SA, Wikswo JP, Bellan LM, Lippmann ES. Rapid prototyping of cell culture microdevices using parylene-coated 3D prints. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:4814-4822. [PMID: 34787148 PMCID: PMC8717820 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00744k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Fabrication of microfluidic devices by photolithography generally requires specialized training and access to a cleanroom. As an alternative, 3D printing enables cost-effective fabrication of microdevices with complex features that would be suitable for many biomedical applications. However, commonly used resins are cytotoxic and unsuitable for devices involving cells. Furthermore, 3D prints are generally refractory to elastomer polymerization such that they cannot be used as master molds for fabricating devices from polymers (e.g. polydimethylsiloxane, or PDMS). Different post-print treatment strategies, such as heat curing, ultraviolet light exposure, and coating with silanes, have been explored to overcome these obstacles, but none have proven universally effective. Here, we show that deposition of a thin layer of parylene, a polymer commonly used for medical device applications, renders 3D prints biocompatible and allows them to be used as master molds for elastomeric device fabrication. When placed in culture dishes containing human neurons, regardless of resin type, uncoated 3D prints leached toxic material to yield complete cell death within 48 hours, whereas cells exhibited uniform viability and healthy morphology out to 21 days if the prints were coated with parylene. Diverse PDMS devices of different shapes and sizes were easily cast from parylene-coated 3D printed molds without any visible defects. As a proof-of-concept, we rapid prototyped and tested different types of PDMS devices, including triple chamber perfusion chips, droplet generators, and microwells. Overall, we suggest that the simplicity and reproducibility of this technique will make it attractive for fabricating traditional microdevices and rapid prototyping new designs. In particular, by minimizing user intervention on the fabrication and post-print treatment steps, our strategy could help make microfluidics more accessible to the biomedical research community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian J O'Grady
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Michael D Geuy
- Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hyosung Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Kylie M Balotin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Everett R Allchin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - David C Florian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Neelansh N Bute
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Taylor E Scott
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Gregory B Lowen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Colin M Fricker
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Scott A Guelcher
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - John P Wikswo
- Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Leon M Bellan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ethan S Lippmann
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Shetty S, Yandrapalli N, Pinkwart K, Krafft D, Vidakovic-Koch T, Ivanov I, Robinson T. Directed Signaling Cascades in Monodisperse Artificial Eukaryotic Cells. ACS NANO 2021; 15:15656-15666. [PMID: 34570489 PMCID: PMC8552445 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c04219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The bottom-up assembly of multicompartment artificial cells that are able to direct biochemical reactions along a specific spatial pathway remains a considerable engineering challenge. In this work, we address this with a microfluidic platform that is able to produce monodisperse multivesicular vesicles (MVVs) to serve as synthetic eukaryotic cells. Using a two-inlet polydimethylsiloxane channel design to co-encapsulate different populations of liposomes we are able to produce lipid-based MVVs in a high-throughput manner and with three separate inner compartments, each containing a different enzyme: α-glucosidase, glucose oxidase, and horseradish peroxidase. We demonstrate the ability of these MVVs to carry out directed chemical communication between the compartments via the reconstitution of size-selective membrane pores. Therefore, the signal transduction, which is triggered externally, follows a specific spatial pathway between the compartments. We use this platform to study the effects of enzyme cascade compartmentalization by direct analytical comparison between bulk, one-, two-, and three-compartment systems. This microfluidic strategy to construct complex hierarchical structures is not only suitable to study compartmentalization effects on biochemical reactions but is also applicable for developing advanced drug delivery systems as well as minimal cells in the field of bottom-up synthetic biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sunidhi
C. Shetty
- Theory
and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of
Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Naresh Yandrapalli
- Theory
and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of
Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Kerstin Pinkwart
- Theory
and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of
Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Dorothee Krafft
- Max
Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Sandtorstrasse 1, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Vidakovic-Koch
- Max
Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Sandtorstrasse 1, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ivan Ivanov
- Max
Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Sandtorstrasse 1, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tom Robinson
- Theory
and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of
Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Sun H, Ren Y, Jiang T, Tao Y, Jiang H. Dielectrophoretic medium exchange around droplets for on-chip fabrication of layer-by-layer microcapsules. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3352-3360. [PMID: 34235524 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00357g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Continuous medium exchange within a microchannel represents a highly sought-after technique in functionalizing micro-objects with coating layers, enabling a myriad of applications ranging from biomedical engineering to materials science. Herein, we introduce a unique medium exchange approach, namely, tilted-angle dielectrophoresis, to accomplish layer-by-layer (LbL) coating on droplets in a wide microchannel. Pairs of adjacent tilted parallel electrodes arranged in a zigzag fashion are exploited to consecutively and repeatedly guide particles/droplets travelling through three parallel laminar streams comprising two reagents and a washing buffer. The performance of medium exchange is demonstrated using PS microparticles and oil droplets. We show that multi-cycle medium exchange, droplet transfer accompanied with purification, and multi-mode medium exchange around different micro-objects are achieved by conveniently regulating the applied voltage and the inlet flow rate, indicating a flexible, versatile and label-free alternative for characterizing and handling colloidal particles. Furthermore, LbL coating on droplets utilizing the presented strategy is implemented in the parallel coating-chemical and washing streams to obtain multiple layers of microcapsules. The linearly increasing fluorescence intensity of the coated droplets with each subsequent fluorescent coating demonstrates the capability of the tilted-angle dielectrophoretic medium exchanger for on-chip generation of LbL microcapsules on demand. The presented medium exchange strategy, together with its unique features of simple geometric configuration, facile control and multifunctionality, can provide a refined alternative for further expanding the utility scope in functional particles and cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haizhen Sun
- School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China 150001.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Park D, Kim H, Kim JW. Microfluidic production of monodisperse emulsions for cosmetics. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:051302. [PMID: 34733378 PMCID: PMC8550801 DOI: 10.1063/5.0057733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidic technology has enabled the production of emulsions with high monodispersity in sizes ranging from a few to hundreds of micrometers. Taking advantage of this technology, attempts to generate monodisperse emulsion drops with high drug loading capacity, ordered interfacial structure, and multi-functionality have been made in the cosmetics industry. In this article, we introduce the practicality of the droplet-based microfluidic approach to the cosmetic industry in terms of innovation in productivity and marketability. Furthermore, we summarize some recent advances in the production of emulsion drops with enhanced mechanical interfacial stability. Finally, we discuss the future prospects of microfluidic technology in accordance with consumers' needs and industrial attributes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daehwan Park
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Hajeong Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woong Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
How does the Internet of Things (IoT) help in microalgae biorefinery? Biotechnol Adv 2021; 54:107819. [PMID: 34454007 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microalgae biorefinery is a platform for the conversion of microalgal biomass into a variety of value-added products, such as biofuels, bio-based chemicals, biomaterials, and bioactive substances. Commercialization and industrialization of microalgae biorefinery heavily rely on the capability and efficiency of large-scale cultivation of microalgae. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel technologies that can be used to monitor, automatically control, and precisely predict microalgae production. In light of this, innovative applications of the Internet of things (IoT) technologies in microalgae biorefinery have attracted tremendous research efforts. IoT has potential applications in a microalgae biorefinery for the automatic control of microalgae cultivation, monitoring and manipulation of microalgal cultivation parameters, optimization of microalgae productivity, identification of toxic algae species, screening of target microalgae species, classification of microalgae species, and viability detection of microalgal cells. In this critical review, cutting-edge IoT technologies that could be adopted to microalgae biorefinery in the upstream and downstream processing are described comprehensively. The current advances of the integration of IoT with microalgae biorefinery are presented. What this review discussed includes automation, sensors, lab-on-chip, and machine learning, which are the main constituent elements and advanced technologies of IoT. Specifically, future research directions are discussed with special emphasis on the development of sensors, the application of microfluidic technology, robotized microalgae, high-throughput platforms, deep learning, and other innovative techniques. This review could contribute greatly to the novelty and relevance in the field of IoT-based microalgae biorefinery to develop smarter, safer, cleaner, greener, and economically efficient techniques for exhaustive energy recovery during the biorefinery process.
Collapse
|
36
|
ESCRT-III induces phase separation in model membranes prior to budding and causes invagination of the liquid-ordered phase. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2021; 1863:183689. [PMID: 34224704 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Membrane fission triggered by the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) is an important process observed in several pathogenic and non-pathogenic cellular events. From a synthetic-biology viewpoint, ESCRT proteins represent an interesting machinery for the construction of cell mimetic sub-compartments produced by fission. Since their discovery, the studies on ESCRT-III-mediated action, have mainly focused on protein dynamics, ignoring the role of lipid organization and membrane phase state. Recently, it has been suggested that membrane buds formed by the action of ESCRT-III are generated from transient microdomains in endosomal membranes. However, the interplay between membrane domain formation and ESCRT remodeling pathways has not been investigated. Here, giant unilamellar vesicles made of ternary lipid mixtures, either homogeneous in phase or exhibiting liquid-ordered/liquid-disordered phase coexistence, were employed as a model membrane system. These vesicles were incubated with purified recombinant ESCRT-III proteins from the parasite Entamoeba histolytica. In homogeneous membranes, we observe that EhVps32 can trigger domain formation while EhVps20 preferentially co-localizes in the liquid disordered phase. The addition of EhVps24 appears to induce the formation of intraluminal vesicles produced from the liquid-ordered phase. In phase separated membranes, the intraluminal vesicles are also generated from the liquid-ordered phase and presumably emerge from the phase boundary region. Our findings reinforce the hypothesis that ESCRT-mediated remodeling depends on the membrane phase state. Furthermore, the obtained results point to a potential synthetic biology approach for establishing eukaryotic mimics of artificial cells with microcompartments of specific membrane composition, which can also differ from that of the mother vesicle.
Collapse
|
37
|
Ip T, Li Q, Brooks N, Elani Y. Manufacture of Multilayered Artificial Cell Membranes through Sequential Bilayer Deposition on Emulsion Templates. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2275-2281. [PMID: 33617681 PMCID: PMC8360201 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Efforts to manufacture artificial cells that replicate the architectures, processes and behaviours of biological cells are rapidly increasing. Perhaps the most commonly reconstructed cellular structure is the membrane, through the use of unilamellar vesicles as models. However, many cellular membranes, including bacterial double membranes, nuclear envelopes, and organelle membranes, are multilamellar. Due to a lack of technologies available for their controlled construction, multilayered membranes are not part of the repertoire of cell-mimetic motifs used in bottom-up synthetic biology. To address this, we developed emulsion-based technologies that allow cell-sized multilayered vesicles to be produced layer-by-layer, with compositional control over each layer, thus enabling studies that would otherwise remain inaccessible. We discovered that bending rigidities scale with the number of layers and demonstrate inter-bilayer registration between coexisting liquid-liquid domains. These technologies will contribute to the exploitation of multilayered membrane structures, paving the way for incorporating protein complexes that span multiple bilayers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsoi Ip
- Department of ChemistryImperial College LondonMolecular Sciences Research Hub White CityLondonW12 0BZUK
| | - Qien Li
- Department of ChemistryImperial College LondonMolecular Sciences Research Hub White CityLondonW12 0BZUK
| | - Nick Brooks
- Department of ChemistryImperial College LondonMolecular Sciences Research Hub White CityLondonW12 0BZUK
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical EngineeringImperial College London South KensingtonLondonSW7 2AZUK
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Park J, Park JK. Pushbutton-activated microfluidic cartridge as a user-friendly sample preparation tool for diagnostics. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:041302. [PMID: 34257794 PMCID: PMC8270647 DOI: 10.1063/5.0056580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic technologies have several advantages in sample preparation for diagnostics but suffer from the need for an external operation system that hampers user-friendliness. To overcome this limitation in microfluidic technologies, a number of user-friendly methods utilizing capillary force, degassed poly(dimethylsiloxane), pushbutton-driven pressure, a syringe, or a pipette have been reported. Among these methods, the pushbutton-driven, pressure-based method has a great potential to be widely used as a user-friendly sample preparation tool for point-of-care testing or portable diagnostics. In this Perspective, we focus on the pushbutton-activated microfluidic technologies toward a user-friendly sample preparation tool. The working principle and recent advances in pushbutton-activated microfluidic technologies are briefly reviewed, and future perspectives for wide application are discussed in terms of integration with the signal analysis system, user-dependent variation, and universal and facile use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Je-Kyun Park
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Stevendaal MHME, Hest JCM, Mason AF. Functional Interactions Between Bottom‐Up Synthetic Cells and Living Matter for Biomedical Applications. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/syst.202100009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marleen H. M. E. Stevendaal
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems Eindhoven University of Technology P.O. Box 513 (STO 3.41) 5600MB Eindhoven (The Netherlands
| | - Jan C. M. Hest
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems Eindhoven University of Technology P.O. Box 513 (STO 3.41) 5600MB Eindhoven (The Netherlands
| | - Alexander F. Mason
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems Eindhoven University of Technology P.O. Box 513 (STO 3.41) 5600MB Eindhoven (The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Casas-Ferrer L, Brisson A, Massiera G, Casanellas L. Design of vesicle prototissues as a model for cellular tissues. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:5061-5072. [PMID: 33929482 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00336d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Synthesizing biomimetic prototissues with predictable physical properties is a promising tool for the study of cellular tissues, as they would enable to test systematically the role of individual physical mechanisms on complex biological processes. The aim of this study is to design a biomimetic cohesive tissue with tunable mechanical properties by the controlled assembly of giant unillamelar vesicles (GUV). GUV-GUV specific adhesion is mediated by the inclusion of the streptavidin-biotin pair, or DNA complementary strands. Using a simple assembly protocol, we are capable of synthesizing vesicle prototissues of spheroidal or sheet-like morphologies, with predictable cell-cell adhesion strengths, typical sizes, and degree of compaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Casas-Ferrer
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS-Université de Montpellier. Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France.
| | - Amaury Brisson
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS-Université de Montpellier. Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France.
| | - Gladys Massiera
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS-Université de Montpellier. Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France.
| | - Laura Casanellas
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb (L2C), UMR 5221 CNRS-Université de Montpellier. Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Bachler S, Ort M, Krämer SD, Dittrich PS. Permeation Studies across Symmetric and Asymmetric Membranes in Microdroplet Arrays. Anal Chem 2021; 93:5137-5144. [PMID: 33721989 PMCID: PMC8014892 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the permeation of molecules across lipid membranes on an open microfluidic platform. An array of droplet pairs was created by spotting aqueous droplets, dispersed in a lipid oil solution, onto a plate with cavities surrounded by a hydrophobic substrate. Droplets in two adjacent cavities come in contact and form an artificial lipid bilayer, called a droplet interface bilayer (DIB). The method allows for monitoring permeation of fluorescently tagged compounds from a donor droplet to an acceptor droplet. A mathematical model was applied to describe the kinetics and determine the permeation coefficient. We also demonstrate that permeation kinetics can be followed over a series of droplets, all connected via DIBs. Moreover, by changing the lipid oil composition after spotting donor droplets, we were able to create asymmetric membranes that we used to mimic the asymmetry of the cellular plasma membrane. Finally, we developed a protocol to separate and extract the droplets for label-free analysis of permeating compounds by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our versatile platform has the potential to become a new tool for the screening of drug membrane permeability in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Bachler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marion Ort
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie D Krämer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Petra S Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Giant Vesicles Produced with Phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and Phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) by Water-in-Oil Inverted Emulsions. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11030223. [PMID: 33801936 PMCID: PMC7998898 DOI: 10.3390/life11030223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: giant vesicles (GVs) are widely employed as models for studying physicochemical properties of bio-membranes and artificial cell construction due to their similarities to natural cell membranes. Considering the critical roles of GVs, various methods have been developed to prepare them. Notably, the water-in-oil (w/o) inverted emulsion-transfer method is reported to be the most promising, owning to the relatively higher productivity and better encapsulation efficiency of biomolecules. Previously, we successfully established an improved approach to acquire detailed information of 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)-derived GVs with imaging flow cytometry (IFC); (2) Methods: we prepared GVs with different lipid compositions, including phosphatidylcholines (PCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), and PC/PE mixtures by w/o inverted emulsion methods. We comprehensively compared the yield, purity, size, and encapsulation efficiency of the resulting vesicles; (3) Results: the relatively higher productivities of GVs could be obtained from POPC, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DLPE), DOPC: DLPE (7:3), and POPC: DLPE (6:4) pools. Furthermore, we also demonstrate that these GVs are stable during long term preservation in 4 °C. (4) Conclusions: our results will be useful for the analytical study of GVs and GV-based applications.
Collapse
|
43
|
Elani Y. Interfacing Living and Synthetic Cells as an Emerging Frontier in Synthetic Biology. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 133:5662-5671. [PMID: 38505493 PMCID: PMC10946473 DOI: 10.1002/ange.202006941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The construction of artificial cells from inanimate molecular building blocks is one of the grand challenges of our time. In addition to being used as simplified cell models to decipher the rules of life, artificial cells have the potential to be designed as micromachines deployed in a host of clinical and industrial applications. The attractions of engineering artificial cells from scratch, as opposed to re-engineering living biological cells, are varied. However, it is clear that artificial cells cannot currently match the power and behavioural sophistication of their biological counterparts. Given this, many in the synthetic biology community have started to ask: is it possible to interface biological and artificial cells together to create hybrid living/synthetic systems that leverage the advantages of both? This article will discuss the motivation behind this cellular bionics approach, in which the boundaries between living and non-living matter are blurred by bridging top-down and bottom-up synthetic biology. It details the state of play of this nascent field and introduces three generalised hybridisation modes that have emerged.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical EngineeringImperial College LondonExhibition RoadLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Elani Y. Interfacing Living and Synthetic Cells as an Emerging Frontier in Synthetic Biology. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:5602-5611. [PMID: 32909663 PMCID: PMC7983915 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The construction of artificial cells from inanimate molecular building blocks is one of the grand challenges of our time. In addition to being used as simplified cell models to decipher the rules of life, artificial cells have the potential to be designed as micromachines deployed in a host of clinical and industrial applications. The attractions of engineering artificial cells from scratch, as opposed to re-engineering living biological cells, are varied. However, it is clear that artificial cells cannot currently match the power and behavioural sophistication of their biological counterparts. Given this, many in the synthetic biology community have started to ask: is it possible to interface biological and artificial cells together to create hybrid living/synthetic systems that leverage the advantages of both? This article will discuss the motivation behind this cellular bionics approach, in which the boundaries between living and non-living matter are blurred by bridging top-down and bottom-up synthetic biology. It details the state of play of this nascent field and introduces three generalised hybridisation modes that have emerged.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical EngineeringImperial College LondonExhibition RoadLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Pilkington CP, Seddon JM, Elani Y. Microfluidic technologies for the synthesis and manipulation of biomimetic membranous nano-assemblies. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:3693-3706. [PMID: 33533338 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp06226j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidics has been proposed as an attractive alternative to conventional bulk methods used in the generation of self-assembled biomimetic structures, particularly where there is a desire for more scalable production. The approach also allows for greater control over the self-assembly process, and parameters such as particle architecture, size, and composition can be finely tuned. Microfluidic techniques used in the generation of microscale assemblies (giant vesicles and higher-order multi-compartment assemblies) are fairly well established. These tend to rely on microdroplet templation, and the resulting structures have found use as comparmentalised motifs in artificial cells. Challenges in generating sub-micron droplets have meant that reconfiguring this approach to form nano-scale structures is not straightforward. This is beginning to change however, and recent technological advances have instigated the manufacture and manipulation of an increasingly diverse repertoire of biomimetic nano-assemblies, including liposomes, polymersomes, hybrid particles, multi-lamellar structures, cubosomes, hexosomes, nanodiscs, and virus-like particles. The following review will discuss these higher-order self-assembled nanostructures, including their biochemical and industrial applications, and techniques used in their production and analysis. We suggest ways in which existing technologies could be repurposed for the enhanced design, manufacture, and exploitation of these structures and discuss potential challenges and future research directions. By compiling recent advances in this area, it is hoped we will inspire future efforts toward establishing scalable microfluidic platforms for the generation of biomimetic nanoparticles of enhanced architectural and functional complexity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colin P Pilkington
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Science Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK and Department of Chemical Engineering, Exhibition Road, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - John M Seddon
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Science Research Hub, Imperial College London, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Exhibition Road, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Bachler S, Haidas D, Ort M, Duncombe TA, Dittrich PS. Microfluidic platform enables tailored translocation and reaction cascades in nanoliter droplet networks. Commun Biol 2020; 3:769. [PMID: 33318607 PMCID: PMC7736871 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01489-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In the field of bottom-up synthetic biology, lipid membranes are the scaffold to create minimal cells and mimic reactions and processes at or across the membrane. In this context, we employ here a versatile microfluidic platform that enables precise positioning of nanoliter droplets with user-specified lipid compositions and in a defined pattern. Adjacent droplets make contact and form a droplet interface bilayer to simulate cellular membranes. Translocation of molecules across membranes are tailored by the addition of alpha-hemolysin to selected droplets. Moreover, we developed a protocol to analyze the translocation of non-fluorescent molecules between droplets with mass spectrometry. Our method is capable of automated formation of one- and two-dimensional droplet networks, which we demonstrated by connecting droplets containing different compound and enzyme solutions to perform translocation experiments and a multistep enzymatic cascade reaction across the droplet network. Our platform opens doors for creating complex artificial systems for bottom-up synthetic biology. Simon Bachler et al. present a new microfluidic platform to control the precise position and patterns of nanoliter droplets with various lipid materials. They show their platform enables monitoring of droplets and subsequent label-free mass spectrometry, which represents an important advance for the synthetic biology community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Bachler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Haidas
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marion Ort
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Todd A Duncombe
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Petra S Dittrich
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Groaz A, Moghimianavval H, Tavella F, Giessen TW, Vecchiarelli AG, Yang Q, Liu AP. Engineering spatiotemporal organization and dynamics in synthetic cells. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 13:e1685. [PMID: 33219745 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Constructing synthetic cells has recently become an appealing area of research. Decades of research in biochemistry and cell biology have amassed detailed part lists of components involved in various cellular processes. Nevertheless, recreating any cellular process in vitro in cell-sized compartments remains ambitious and challenging. Two broad features or principles are key to the development of synthetic cells-compartmentalization and self-organization/spatiotemporal dynamics. In this review article, we discuss the current state of the art and research trends in the engineering of synthetic cell membranes, development of internal compartmentalization, reconstitution of self-organizing dynamics, and integration of activities across scales of space and time. We also identify some research areas that could play a major role in advancing the impact and utility of engineered synthetic cells. This article is categorized under: Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Lipid-Based Structures Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus-Based Structures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Qiong Yang
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Allen P Liu
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Cho E, Lu Y. Compartmentalizing Cell-Free Systems: Toward Creating Life-Like Artificial Cells and Beyond. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2881-2901. [PMID: 33095011 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Building an artificial cell is a research area that is rigorously studied in the field of synthetic biology. It has brought about much attention with the aim of ultimately constructing a natural cell-like structure. In particular, with the more mature cell-free platforms and various compartmentalization methods becoming available, achieving this aim seems not far away. In this review, we discuss the various types of artificial cells capable of hosting several cellular functions. Different compartmental boundaries and the mature and evolving technologies that are used for compartmentalization are examined, and exciting recent advances that overcome or have the potential to address current challenges are discussed. Ultimately, we show how compartmentalization and cell-free systems have, and will, come together to fulfill the goal to assemble a fully synthetic cell that displays functionality and complexity as advanced as that in nature. The development of such artificial cell systems will offer insight into the fundamental study of evolutionary biology and the sea of applications as a result. Although several challenges remain, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence also appear to help pave the way to address them and achieve the ultimate goal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eunhee Cho
- Key Lab of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Key Lab of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Frey C, Pfeil J, Neckernuss T, Geiger D, Weishaupt K, Platzman I, Marti O, Spatz JP. Label‐free monitoring and manipulation of microfluidic water‐in‐oil droplets. VIEW 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/viw.20200101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Frey
- Department of Cellular Biophysics Max Planck Institute for Medical Research Heidelberg Germany
- Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering University of Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Jonas Pfeil
- Institute of Experimental Physics University of Ulm Ulm Germany
| | | | - Daniel Geiger
- Institute of Experimental Physics University of Ulm Ulm Germany
| | - Klaus Weishaupt
- Department of Cellular Biophysics Max Planck Institute for Medical Research Heidelberg Germany
- Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering University of Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Ilia Platzman
- Department of Cellular Biophysics Max Planck Institute for Medical Research Heidelberg Germany
- Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering University of Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
| | - Othmar Marti
- Institute of Experimental Physics University of Ulm Ulm Germany
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Department of Cellular Biophysics Max Planck Institute for Medical Research Heidelberg Germany
- Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering University of Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
- Max Planck School Matter to Life Heidelberg Germany
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Sattari A, Hanafizadeh P, Hoorfar M. Multiphase flow in microfluidics: From droplets and bubbles to the encapsulated structures. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 282:102208. [PMID: 32721624 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidic technologies have a unique ability to control more precisely and effectively on two-phase flow systems in comparison with macro systems. Controlling the size of the droplets and bubbles has led to an ever-increasing expansion of this technology in two-phase systems. Liquid-liquid and gas-liquid two-phase flows because of their numerous applications in different branches such as reactions, synthesis, emulsions, cosmetic, food, drug delivery, etc. have been the most critical two-phase flows in microfluidic systems. This review highlights recent progress in two-phase flows in microfluidic devices. The fundamentals of two-phase flows, including some essential dimensionless numbers, governing equations, and some most well-known numerical methods are firstly introduced, followed by a review of standard methods for producing segmented flows such as emulsions in microfluidic systems. Then various encapsulated structures, a common two-phase flow structure in microfluidic devices, and different methods of their production are reviewed. Finally, applications of two-phase microfluidic flows in drug-delivery, biotechnology, mixing, and microreactors are briefly discussed.
Collapse
|