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Debnath N, Live LS, Poudineh M. A microfluidic plasma separation device combined with a surface plasmon resonance biosensor for biomarker detection in whole blood. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:572-579. [PMID: 36723239 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00693f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biomarker detection in whole blood enables understanding of the cause, progression, relapse or outcome of treatment of a disease. Conventional biomarker detection techniques, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence, require long assay time, costly laboratory instruments, large reagent volume and sample pre-processing. Hence, there is an unmet need for reliable capture and detection of biomarkers in unprocessed blood which are adaptable to point-of-care (POC) testing. Here, we present a simple, low-cost, and rapid protein detection device from whole blood samples which has the potential to be employed in a POC setting. The platform consists of two components: a plasma separation device that extracts plasma from whole blood without the application of any external active forces and a SPR sensor chip that uses a label-free optical technique for the detection of biomarkers in the extracted plasma. We have demonstrated the detection of IgG and IgM biomolecules in unprocessed blood at concentrations lower than the physiological value within 15 min. The proposed technique has the potential for improving the diagnosis and screening of many diseases, including cancer, influenza, human immunodeficiency virus, and SARS-Cov2 at POC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Debnath
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | | | - Mahla Poudineh
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
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2
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Liu Y, Gao R, Zhuo Y, Wang Y, Jia H, Chen X, Lu Y, Zhang D, Yu L. Rapid simultaneous SERS detection of dual myocardial biomarkers on single-track finger-pump microfluidic chip. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1239:340673. [PMID: 36628756 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.340673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a serious disease with high mortality that afflicts many people around the world. The main cause of death from AMI was the inaccurate early diagnosis, which resulted from the medical treatment might be a delay. Therefore, it is crucial to achieve the rapid detection of AMI. The cardiac troponin I (cTnI) level in human serum may significantly increase as the myocardial membrane ruptured, and the creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) was also associated with the AMI recurrence and the infarct size of myocardial infarction. Both of them are regarded as important cardiac biomarkers for the early diagnosis of AMI. Therefore, we chose these two cardiac biomarkers as indicators for simultaneous detection. We proposed a single-track finger-pump microfluidic chip for simultaneous surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of cTnI and CK-MB. The entire detection process takes only 5 min without the cumbersome syringe pump. Meanwhile, it enables multiple reagent additions and removals of the unbonded reactants. This microfluidic sensor employed "sandwich" immunoassays based on SERS nanoprobes, AMI biomarkers, and magnetic beads. It is possible to detect two cardiac biomarkers simultaneously in a single measurement, greatly simplifying the detection process and reducing the detection time. Magnetic beads with SERS nanoprobes were separated and captured in the microchamber by a round magnet integrated into the chip. Our results showed that the detection limits of cTnI and CK-MB could reach to 0.01 ng mL-1, respectively. The limit of detections (LODs) match with the clinical threshold values for AMI biomarkers. It is believed that the proposed single-track finger-pump microfluidic chip can be used as an effective tool for determining early AMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyuan Liu
- School of Instrument Science and Opto-electronic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China; College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Rongke Gao
- School of Instrument Science and Opto-electronic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China; College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China.
| | - Ying Zhuo
- School of Instrument Science and Opto-electronic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Yeru Wang
- College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Huakun Jia
- College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Xiaozhe Chen
- College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Yang Lu
- College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Dongzhi Zhang
- College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
| | - Liandong Yu
- School of Instrument Science and Opto-electronic Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China; College of Control Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China.
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3
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Park J, Kim H, Park JK. Microfluidic channel-integrated hanging drop array chip operated by pushbuttons for spheroid culture and analysis. Analyst 2021; 145:6974-6980. [PMID: 32857069 DOI: 10.1039/d0an01091j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Although the hanging drop methods have a number of advantages for spheroid culture, they suffer from reagent exchange procedures that depend on tedious and accurate liquid handling by manual pipetting or robotic arms. To simplify these procedures, we developed a method for liquid handling in a hanging drop array (HDA) chip for spheroid culture and analysis by integrating microfluidic channels operated by pushbuttons. Six finger-actuated microfluidic pumping units connected to a 3 × 3 HDA can draw or replenish reagents in an HDA chip without any external equipment. The initial cell seeding, medium exchange, and staining for further analysis can be simply done by pushing the buttons in the programmed order. After the assessment of the reagent exchange ratio of the device, BT474 spheroids of various sizes were cultured in the device for 7 days by exchanging the medium once a day and stained on the same device by exchanging the medium with staining reagents for the LIVE/DEAD assay. Furthermore, the cultured spheroids were embedded into collagen by exchanging the medium with a collagen solution to mimic a cancer metastasis environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhwan Park
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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Ozcelik A, Aslan Z. A practical microfluidic pump enabled by acoustofluidics and 3D printing. MICROFLUIDICS AND NANOFLUIDICS 2021; 25:5. [PMID: 33424526 PMCID: PMC7780904 DOI: 10.1007/s10404-020-02411-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Simple and low-cost solutions are becoming extremely important for the evolving necessities of biomedical applications. Even though, on-chip sample processing and analysis has been rapidly developing for a wide range of screening and diagnostic protocols, efficient and reliable fluid manipulation in microfluidic platforms still require further developments to be considered portable and accessible for low-resource settings. In this work, we present an extremely simple microfluidic pumping device based on three-dimensional (3D) printing and acoustofluidics. The fabrication of the device only requires 3D-printed adaptors, rectangular glass capillaries, epoxy and a piezoelectric transducer. The pumping mechanism relies on the flexibility and complexity of the acoustic streaming patterns generated inside the capillary. Characterization of the device yields controllable and continuous flow rates suitable for on-chip sample processing and analysis. Overall, a maximum flow rate of ~ 12 μL/min and the control of pumping direction by frequency tuning is achieved. With its versatility and simplicity, this microfluidic pumping device offers a promising solution for portable, affordable and reliable fluid manipulation for on-chip applications. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10404-020-02411-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adem Ozcelik
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey
| | - Zeynep Aslan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey
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5
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Park J, Han DH, Park JK. Towards practical sample preparation in point-of-care testing: user-friendly microfluidic devices. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:1191-1203. [PMID: 32119024 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00047g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic technologies offer a number of advantages for sample preparation in point-of-care testing (POCT), but the requirement for complicated external pumping systems limits their wide use. To facilitate sample preparation in POCT, various methods have been developed to operate microfluidic devices without complicated external pumping systems. In this review, we introduce an overview of user-friendly microfluidic devices for practical sample preparation in POCT, including self- and hand-operated microfluidic devices. Self-operated microfluidic devices exploit capillary force, vacuum-driven pressure, or gas-generating chemical reactions to apply pressure into microchannels, and hand-operated microfluidic devices utilize human power sources using simple equipment, including a syringe, pipette, or simply by using finger actuation. Furthermore, this review provides future perspectives to realize user-friendly integrated microfluidic circuits for wider applications with the integration of simple microfluidic valves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhwan Park
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Park J, Park JK. Integrated microfluidic pumps and valves operated by finger actuation. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:2973-2977. [PMID: 31433426 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00422j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Here, we report an integrated operation of microfluidic pumps and valves only by finger actuation. As the working principle of the finger-actuated microfluidic pumps includes deflection of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) membrane, the pneumatic valves for controlling the flow direction can be easily integrated with the pumps. Using a single button, the flow path can be determined and flow generation can be achieved. We also verified the integrated operation of finger-actuated pumps and valves by demonstrating nucleic acid purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhwan Park
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Torrinha Á, Montenegro MC, Araújo AN. Conjugation of glucose oxidase and bilirubin oxidase bioelectrodes as biofuel cell in a finger-powered microfluidic platform. Electrochim Acta 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2019.06.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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FAN YQ, WANG HL, GAO KX, LIU JJ, CHAI DP, ZHANG YJ. Applications of Modular Microfluidics Technology. CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2040(18)61126-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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9
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Park J, Park JK. Finger-actuated microfluidic device for the blood cross-matching test. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:1215-1222. [PMID: 29589005 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc01128h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A blood cross-matching test should be carried out to prevent a hemolytic transfusion reaction as the final verification step. To simplify complicated procedures of a conventional blood cross-matching test requiring bulky systems and skilled people, we present a finger-actuated microfluidic device for the blood cross-matching test. Although finger actuation is a simple action that anyone can easily accomplish, there would be a variation in the individual finger actuation that may induce the user-dependent errors of the device. Therefore, the working principle of the finger-actuated microfluidic device is newly designed to reduce the user-dependent errors by indirectly controlling the pressure of fluidic channels. The constant volume was repeatedly dispensed by pushing and releasing a pressure chamber regardless of the different pushed depths of the pressure chamber, the pushing time interval, and the end-users. The dispensed volume was linearly increased according to the number of pushing times applied to the pressure chamber and determined by adjusting the diameter of an actuation chamber. In addition, multiple fluids can be dispensed with a desirable ratio by pushing and releasing the pressure chamber. Finally, a finger-actuated microfluidic device for the blood cross-matching test was developed, which can simultaneously actuate four fluidic channels. After loading 50 μL of whole blood samples from a donor and a recipient into two inlets of the device, the blood plasma from each individual was separated through the two plasma separation membranes. The blood cross-matching test results can be achieved by cross-reacting the donor's blood plasma with the recipient's whole blood as well as the donor's whole blood with the recipient's blood plasma by pushing and releasing only a single pressure chamber within 10 min.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhwan Park
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Phan DT, Jin L, Wustoni S, Chen CH. Buffer-free integrative nanofluidic device for real-time continuous flow bioassays by ion concentration polarization. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:574-584. [PMID: 29299579 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc01066d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
To perform precision medicine in real-time, a sensor capable of continuously monitoring target biomolecules secreted from a patient under dynamic situations is essential. In this study, a novel portable device combining an aptamer probe and a nanofluidic component was developed, enabling the buffer-free continuous monitoring of small molecules in biological fluids. This integration is synergistic: the aptamer sensor is used to bind target biomolecules, triggering a fluorescence signal change, while the nanofluidic component is applied to achieve ion concentration polarization and convert serum into a clean buffer for aptamer signal regeneration. To demonstrate the system's versatility, we measured various adenosine triphosphate concentrations in human serum for hours with high sensitivity and specificity at minute temporal resolution. Our results demonstrate that this integrative device can be applied for the continuous measurement of target biomolecules and online signal regeneration in patient samples without the use of bulky clean buffer solutions for dynamic real-time healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinh-Tuan Phan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 7 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117574.
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11
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Bachman H, Huang PH, Zhao S, Yang S, Zhang P, Fu H, Huang TJ. Acoustofluidic devices controlled by cell phones. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:433-441. [PMID: 29302660 PMCID: PMC5989538 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc01222e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Acoustofluidic devices have continuously demonstrated their potential to impact medical diagnostics and lab-on-a-chip applications. To bring these technologies to real-world applications, they must be made more accessible to end users. Herein, we report on the effort to provide an easy-to-use and portable system for controlling sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic devices. With the use of a cell phone and a modified Bluetooth® speaker, on-demand and hands-free pumping and mixing are achieved. Additionally, a novel design for a sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic device is proposed that combines both pumping and mixing functions into a single device, thus removing the need for external equipment typically needed to accomplish these two tasks. These applications serve to demonstrate the potential function that acoustofluidic devices can provide in point-of-care platforms. To further this point-of-care goal, we also design a portable microscope that combines with the cell phone and Bluetooth® power supply, providing a completely transportable acoustofluidic testing station. This work serves to bolster the promising position that acoustofluidic devices have within the rapidly changing research and diagnostics fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter Bachman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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12
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Alves PU, Vinhas R, Fernandes AR, Birol SZ, Trabzon L, Bernacka-Wojcik I, Igreja R, Lopes P, Baptista PV, Águas H, Fortunato E, Martins R. Multifunctional microfluidic chip for optical nanoprobe based RNA detection - application to Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Sci Rep 2018; 8:381. [PMID: 29321602 PMCID: PMC5762653 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18725-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many diseases have their treatment options narrowed and end up being fatal if detected during later stages. As a consequence, point-of-care devices have an increasing importance for routine screening applications in the health sector due to their portability, fast analyses and decreased cost. For that purpose, a multifunctional chip was developed and tested using gold nanoprobes to perform RNA optical detection inside a microfluidic chip without the need of molecular amplification steps. As a proof-of-concept, this device was used for the rapid detection of chronic myeloid leukemia, a hemato-oncological disease that would benefit from early stage diagnostics and screening tests. The chip passively mixed target RNA from samples, gold nanoprobes and saline solution to infer a result from their final colorimetric properties. An optical fiber network was used to evaluate its transmitted spectra inside the chip. Trials provided accurate output results within 3 min, yielding signal-to-noise ratios up to 9 dB. When compared to actual state-of-art screening techniques of chronic myeloid leukemia, these results were, at microscale, at least 10 times faster than the reported detection methods for chronic myeloid leukemia. Concerning point-of-care applications, this work paves the way for other new and more complex versions of optical based genosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Urbano Alves
- CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Raquel Vinhas
- UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Alexandra R Fernandes
- UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Semra Zuhal Birol
- MEMS, Department of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Istanbul Technical University, Ayazaga Campus, 34469, Maslak, Turkey
| | - Levent Trabzon
- MEMS, Department of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Istanbul Technical University, Ayazaga Campus, 34469, Maslak, Turkey
| | - Iwona Bernacka-Wojcik
- CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, SE-601 74, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Rui Igreja
- CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Paulo Lopes
- Department of Physics and IEETA (Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro), Campus Santiago, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Pedro Viana Baptista
- UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Hugo Águas
- CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Elvira Fortunato
- CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo Martins
- CENIMAT/I3N, Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal
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13
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Rodríguez-Ruiz I, Babenko V, Martínez-Rodríguez S, Gavira JA. Protein separation under a microfluidic regime. Analyst 2017; 143:606-619. [PMID: 29214270 DOI: 10.1039/c7an01568b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC), or micro-Total Analysis Systems (μTAS), is recognized as a powerful analytical technology with high capabilities, though end-user products for protein purification are still far from being available on the market. Remarkable progress has been achieved in the separation of nucleic acids and proteins using electrophoretic microfluidic devices, while pintsize devices have been developed for protein isolation according to miniaturized chromatography principles (size, charge, affinity, etc.). In this work, we review the latest advances in the fabrication of components, detection methods and commercial implementation for the separation of biological macromolecules based on microfluidic systems, with some critical remarks on the perspectives of their future development towards standardized microfluidic systems and protocols. An outlook on the current needs and future applications is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - V Babenko
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalograficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-University of Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain.
| | - S Martínez-Rodríguez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology III and Immunology. University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - J A Gavira
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalograficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-University of Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain.
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14
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A Controllable and Integrated Pump-enabled Microfluidic Chip and Its Application in Droplets Generating. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11319. [PMID: 28900226 PMCID: PMC5596006 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10785-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A microfluidic chip with a controllable and integrated piezoelectric pump was proposed and demonstrated, where the pump was designed as a micro-actuator based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) organic piezoelectric film. In this case, the pump should integrate with the microfluidics device very well into one chip. The flow rate can be precisely controlled in the range of 0–300 µl/min for water by tuning the Vpp and frequency of Alternating Current (AC) voltage applied on the diaphragm. To analyze the relationship between the flow rate and the deflection of diaphragm, the deformations of diaphragm at different voltages were researched. The displacement of diaphragm was defined as 17.2 µm at the voltages of 3.5 kV, 5 Hz when the pump chamber was full of water. We have used the integrated microfluidic chip with two pumps for droplet generation to demonstrate its great potential for application in droplet-based microfluidic chip.
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Mepham A, Besant JD, Weinstein AW, Burgess IB, Sargent EH, Kelley SO. Power-free, digital and programmable dispensing of picoliter droplets using a Digit Chip. LAB ON A CHIP 2017; 17:1505-1514. [PMID: 28350406 DOI: 10.1039/c7lc00199a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing need for power-free methods to manipulate small volumes of liquids and thereby enable use of diagnostic assays in resource-limited settings. Most existing self-powered devices provide analog manipulation of fluids using paper, capillary or pressure-driven pumps. These strategies are well-suited to manipulating larger micro- and milliliter-scale volumes at constant flow rates; however, they fail to enable the manipulation of nanoliter and picoliter volumes required in assays using droplets, capillary sampling (e.g. finger prick), or expensive reagents. Here we report a device, termed the Digit Chip, that provides programmable and power-free digital manipulation of sub-nanoliter volumes. The device consists of a user-friendly button interface and a series of chambers connected by capillary valves that serve as digitization elements. Via a button press, the user dispenses and actuates ultra-small, quantitatively-programmed volumes. The device geometry is optimized using design models and experiments and precisely dispenses volumes as low as 21 pL with 97% accuracy. The volume dispensed can be tuned in 10 discrete steps across one order-of-magnitude with 98% accuracy. As a proof-of-principle that nanoliter-scale reagents can be precisely actuated and combined on-chip, we deploy the device to construct a precise concentration gradient with 10 discrete concentrations. Additionally, we apply this device alongside an inexpensive smartphone-based fluorescence imaging platform to perform a titration of E. coli with ampicillin. We observe the onset of bacterial death at a concentration of 5 μg mL-1, increasing to a maximum at 50 μg mL-1. These results establish the utility of the Digit Chip for diagnostic applications in low-resource environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mepham
- Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada.
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16
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Han JY, Rahmanian OD, Kendall EL, Fleming N, DeVoe DL. Screw-actuated displacement micropumps for thermoplastic microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:3940-3946. [PMID: 27713994 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00862c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The fabrication of on-chip displacement pumps integrated into thermoplastic chips is explored as a simple and low cost method for achieving precise and programmable flow control for disposable microfluidic systems. The displacement pumps consist of stainless steel screws inserted into threaded ports machined into a thermoplastic substrate which also serve as on-chip reagent storage reservoirs. Three different methods for pump sealing are investigated to enable high pressure flows without leakage, and software-defined control of multiple pumps is demonstrated in a self-contained platform using a compact and self-contained microcontroller for operation. Using this system, flow rates ranging from 0.5-40 μl min-1 are demonstrated. The pumps are combined with on-chip burst valves to fully seal multiple reagents into fabricated chips while providing on-demand fluid distribution in a downstream microfluidic network, and demonstrated for the generation of size-tunable water-in-oil emulsions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Y Han
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - O D Rahmanian
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - E L Kendall
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - N Fleming
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - D L DeVoe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. and Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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17
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Qian X, Zhang W, Peng C, Liu X, Yu Q, Ni K, Wang X. Characterizing the Deformation of the Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Membrane for Microfluidic System through Image Processing. MICROMACHINES 2016; 7:mi7050092. [PMID: 30404266 PMCID: PMC6190036 DOI: 10.3390/mi7050092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes have been widely used in the microfluidic community to achieve various functions such as control, sensing, filter, etc. In this paper, an experimental process was proposed to directly characterize the deformation of the on-chip PDMS membrane at large deformation based on the image processing method. High precision pressures were applied on the surface of the PDMS membrane with fixed edges and a series deformation of the PDMS membrane were captured by the imaging system. The Chan and Vese (CV) level set method was applied to segment the images of the deformed membrane. The volumes wrapped by the deformed membranes were obtained, and pressure-volumes relationships of the PDMS membranes with different geometry parameters were also calculated. Then the membrane capacitance can be derived by differentiating the curve of pressure-volumes. In addition, the theoretical estimation of the capacitance of the PDMS membrane at large deformation was also obtained through finite element simulation (FEM), which was in good agreement with the experimental results. These results are expected to be significant for designing and on-chip measuring of such PDMS membrane based microfluidic components in our future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Qian
- Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Wenhui Zhang
- Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Cheng Peng
- Department of Biology, South University of Science and Technology of China, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Xingyang Liu
- Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Quan Yu
- Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Kai Ni
- Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Xiaohao Wang
- Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China.
- The State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
- The Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China.
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18
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Nosrati R, Gong MM, San Gabriel MC, Pedraza CE, Zini A, Sinton D. Paper-Based Quantification of Male Fertility Potential. Clin Chem 2016; 62:458-65. [DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2015.250282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND
More than 70 million couples worldwide are affected by infertility, with male-factor infertility accounting for about half of the cases. Semen analysis is critical for determining male fertility potential, but conventional testing is costly and complex. Here, we demonstrate a paper-based microfluidic approach to quantify male fertility potential, simultaneously measuring 3 critical semen parameters in 10 min: live and motile sperm concentrations and sperm motility.
METHODS
The device measures the colorimetric change of yellow tetrazolium dye to purple formazan by the diaphorase flavoprotein enzyme present in metabolically active human sperm to quantify live and motile sperm concentration. Sperm motility was determined as the ratio of motile to live sperm. We assessed the performance of the device by use of clinical semen samples, in parallel with standard clinical approaches.
RESULTS
Detection limits of 8.46 and 15.18 million/mL were achieved for live and motile sperm concentrations, respectively. The live and motile sperm concentrations and motility values from our device correlated with those of the standard clinical approaches (R2 ≥ 0.84). In all cases, our device provided 100% agreement in terms of clinical outcome. The device was also robust and could tolerate conditions of high absolute humidity (22.8 g/m3) up to 16 weeks when packaged with desiccant.
CONCLUSIONS
Our device outperforms existing commercial paper-based assays by quantitatively measuring live and motile sperm concentrations and motility, in only 10 min. This approach is applicable to current clinical practices as well as self-diagnostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Max M Gong
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria C San Gabriel
- Urology Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, McGill University and Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Claudio E Pedraza
- Urology Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, McGill University and Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Armand Zini
- Urology Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, McGill University and Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - David Sinton
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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19
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Balloon Pump with Floating Valves for Portable Liquid Delivery. MICROMACHINES 2016; 7:mi7030039. [PMID: 30407412 PMCID: PMC6189947 DOI: 10.3390/mi7030039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a balloon pump with floating valves to control the discharge flow rates of sample solutions. Because the floating valves were made from a photoreactive resin, the shapes of the floating valves could be controlled by employing different exposure patterns without any change in the pump configurations. Owing to the simple preparation process of the pump, we succeeded in changing the discharge flow rates in accordance with the number and length of the floating valves. Because our methods could be used to easily prepare balloon pumps with arbitrary discharge properties, we achieved several microfluidic operations by the integration of the balloon pumps with microfluidic devices. Therefore, we believe that the balloon pump with floating valves will be a useful driving component for portable microfluidic systems.
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20
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Han K, Yoon YJ, Shin Y, Park MK. Self-powered switch-controlled nucleic acid extraction system. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:132-141. [PMID: 26562630 DOI: 10.1039/c5lc00891c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technologies have played a great role in revolutionizing the way in vitro medical diagnostics are conducted and transforming bulky and expensive laboratory instruments and labour-intensive tests into easy to use, cost-effective miniaturized systems with faster analysis time, which can be used for near-patient or point-of-care (POC) tests. Fluidic pumps and valves are among the key components for LOC systems; however, they often require on-line electrical power or batteries and make the whole system bulky and complex, therefore limiting its application to POC testing especially in low-resource setting. This is particularly problematic for molecular diagnostics where multi-step sample processing (e.g. lysing, washing, elution) is necessary. In this work, we have developed a self-powered switch-controlled nucleic acid extraction system (SSNES). The main components of SSNES are a powerless vacuum actuator using two disposable syringes and a switchgear made of PMMA blocks and an O-ring. In the vacuum actuator, an opened syringe and a blocked syringe are bound together and act as a working syringe and an actuating syringe, respectively. The negative pressure in the opened syringe is generated by a restoring force of the compressed air inside the blocked syringe and utilized as the vacuum source. The Venus symbol shape of the switchgear provides multiple functions including being a reagent reservoir, a push-button for the vacuum actuator, and an on-off valve. The SSNES consists of three sets of vacuum actuators, switchgears and microfluidic components. The entire system can be easily fabricated and is fully disposable. We have successfully demonstrated DNA extraction from a urine sample using a dimethyl adipimidate (DMA)-based extraction method and the performance of the DNA extraction has been confirmed by genetic (HRAS) analysis of DNA biomarkers from the extracted DNAs using the SSNES. Therefore, the SSNES can be widely used as a powerless and disposable system for DNA extraction and the syringe-based vacuum actuator would be easily utilized for diverse applications with various microchannels as a powerless fluidic pump.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyungsup Han
- Institute of Microelectronics, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Science Park Road, Singapore Science Park II, 117685, Singapore. and School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 639798, Singapore.
| | - Yong-Jin Yoon
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 639798, Singapore.
| | - Yong Shin
- Institute of Microelectronics, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Science Park Road, Singapore Science Park II, 117685, Singapore. and Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Mi Kyoung Park
- Institute of Microelectronics, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Science Park Road, Singapore Science Park II, 117685, Singapore.
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21
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Monzawa T, Kaneko M, Tsai CHD, Sakuma S, Arai F. On-chip actuation transmitter for enhancing the dynamic response of cell manipulation using a macro-scale pump. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2015; 9:014114. [PMID: 25713696 PMCID: PMC4320150 DOI: 10.1063/1.4907757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
An on-chip actuation transmitter for achieving fast and accurate cell manipulation is proposed. Instead of manipulating cell position by a directly connected macro-scale pump, polydimethylsiloxane deformation is used as a medium to transmit the actuation generated from the pump to control the cell position. This actuation transmitter has three main advantages. First, the dynamic response of cell manipulation is faster than the conventional method with direct flow control based on both the theoretical modeling and experimental results. The cell can be manipulated in a simple harmonic motion up to 130 Hz by the proposed actuation transmitter as opposed to 90 Hz by direct flow control. Second, there is no need to fill the syringe pump with the sample solution because the actuation transmitter physically separates the fluids between the pump and the cell flow, and consequently, only a very small quantity of the sample is required (<1 μl). In addition, such fluid separation makes it easy to keep the experiment platform sterilized because there is no direct fluid exchange between the sample and fluid inside the pump. Third, the fabrication process is simple because of the single-layer design, making it convenient to implement the actuation transmitter in different microfluidic applications. The proposed actuation transmitter is implemented in a lab-on-a-chip system for red blood cell (RBC) evaluation, where the extensibility of red blood cells is evaluated by manipulating the cells through a constriction channel at a constant velocity. The application shows a successful example of implementing the proposed transmitter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Monzawa
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Osaka University , Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Makoto Kaneko
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Osaka University , Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Chia-Hung Dylan Tsai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Osaka University , Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shinya Sakuma
- Department of Micro-Nano Systems Engineering, Nagoya University , Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Fumihito Arai
- Department of Micro-Nano Systems Engineering, Nagoya University , Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
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22
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Iwai K, Shih KC, Lin X, Brubaker TA, Sochol RD, Lin L. Finger-powered microfluidic systems using multilayer soft lithography and injection molding processes. LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:3790-9. [PMID: 25102160 DOI: 10.1039/c4lc00500g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Point-of-care (POC) and disposable biomedical applications demand low-power microfluidic systems with pumping components that provide controlled pressure sources. Unfortunately, external pumps have hindered the implementation of such microfluidic systems due to limitations associated with portability and power requirements. Here, we propose and demonstrate a 'finger-powered' integrated pumping system as a modular element to provide pressure head for a variety of advanced microfluidic applications, including finger-powered on-chip microdroplet generation. By utilizing a human finger for the actuation force, electrical power sources that are typically needed to generate pressure head were obviated. Passive fluidic diodes were designed and implemented to enable distinct fluids from multiple inlet ports to be pumped using a single actuation source. Both multilayer soft lithography and injection molding processes were investigated for device fabrication and performance. Experimental results revealed that the pressure head generated from a human finger could be tuned based on the geometric characteristics of the pumping system, with a maximum observed pressure of 7.6 ± 0.1 kPa. In addition to the delivery of multiple, distinct fluids into microfluidic channels, we also employed the finger-powered pumping system to achieve the rapid formation of both water-in-oil droplets (106.9 ± 4.3 μm in diameter) and oil-in-water droplets (75.3 ± 12.6 μm in diameter) as well as the encapsulation of endothelial cells in droplets without using any external or electrical controllers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Iwai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, USA.
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23
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Bruhn BR, Schroeder TBH, Li S, Billeh YN, Wang KW, Mayer M. Osmosis-based pressure generation: dynamics and application. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91350. [PMID: 24614529 PMCID: PMC3948862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 02/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper describes osmotically-driven pressure generation in a membrane-bound compartment while taking into account volume expansion, solute dilution, surface area to volume ratio, membrane hydraulic permeability, and changes in osmotic gradient, bulk modulus, and degree of membrane fouling. The emphasis lies on the dynamics of pressure generation; these dynamics have not previously been described in detail. Experimental results are compared to and supported by numerical simulations, which we make accessible as an open source tool. This approach reveals unintuitive results about the quantitative dependence of the speed of pressure generation on the relevant and interdependent parameters that will be encountered in most osmotically-driven pressure generators. For instance, restricting the volume expansion of a compartment allows it to generate its first 5 kPa of pressure seven times faster than without a restraint. In addition, this dynamics study shows that plants are near-ideal osmotic pressure generators, as they are composed of many small compartments with large surface area to volume ratios and strong cell wall reinforcements. Finally, we demonstrate two applications of an osmosis-based pressure generator: actuation of a soft robot and continuous volume delivery over long periods of time. Both applications do not need an external power source but rather take advantage of the energy released upon watering the pressure generators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon R. Bruhn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Thomas B. H. Schroeder
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Suyi Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Yazan N. Billeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - K. W. Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Michael Mayer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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24
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Gong MM, MacDonald BD, Nguyen TV, Van Nguyen K, Sinton D. Lab-in-a-pen: a diagnostics format familiar to patients for low-resource settings. LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:957-63. [PMID: 24406870 DOI: 10.1039/c3lc51185e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We present a low cost, simple and integrated device for medical diagnostics in low-resource settings called the lab-in-a-pen. Finger pricking, and sample collection and processing, are integrated with commercially available paper-based assays in a pen format. This approach ensures safety (i.e. biological sample and sharps containment) and can be used by untrained end users across multiple settings. The pen format also leverages existing low cost, high volume manufacturing and assembly methods. We characterize sample wicking in the lab-in-a-pen using porcine whole blood. The clinical diagnostic utility and usability of the lab-in-a-pen is established by testing of patients for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis B 'e' antigen (HBeAg) by medical staff at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max M Gong
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3G8.
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25
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Jun Kang Y, Yeom E, Lee SJ. A microfluidic device for simultaneous measurement of viscosity and flow rate of blood in a complex fluidic network. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2013; 7:54111. [PMID: 24404074 PMCID: PMC3799722 DOI: 10.1063/1.4823586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Blood viscosity has been considered as one of important biophysical parameters for effectively monitoring variations in physiological and pathological conditions of circulatory disorders. Standard previous methods make it difficult to evaluate variations of blood viscosity under cardiopulmonary bypass procedures or hemodialysis. In this study, we proposed a unique microfluidic device for simultaneously measuring viscosity and flow rate of whole blood circulating in a complex fluidic network including a rat, a reservoir, a pinch valve, and a peristaltic pump. To demonstrate the proposed method, a twin-shaped microfluidic device, which is composed of two half-circular chambers, two side channels with multiple indicating channels, and one bridge channel, was carefully designed. Based on the microfluidic device, three sequential flow controls were applied to identify viscosity and flow rate of blood, with label-free and sensorless detection. The half-circular chamber was employed to achieve mechanical membrane compliance for flow stabilization in the microfluidic device. To quantify the effect of flow stabilization on flow fluctuations, a formula of pulsation index (PI) was analytically derived using a discrete fluidic circuit model. Using the PI formula, the time constant contributed by the half-circular chamber is estimated to be 8 s. Furthermore, flow fluctuations resulting from the peristaltic pumps are completely removed, especially under periodic flow conditions within short periods (T < 10 s). For performance demonstrations, the proposed method was applied to evaluate blood viscosity with respect to varying flow rate conditions [(a) known blood flow rate via a syringe pump, (b) unknown blood flow rate via a peristaltic pump]. As a result, the flow rate and viscosity of blood can be simultaneously measured with satisfactory accuracy. In addition, the proposed method was successfully applied to identify the viscosity of rat blood, which circulates in a complex fluidic network. These observations confirm that the proposed method can be used for simultaneous measurement of viscosity and flow rate of whole blood circulating in the complex fluid network, with sensorless and label-free detection. Furthermore, the proposed method will be used in evaluating variations in the viscosity of human blood during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures or hemodialysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Jun Kang
- Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Eunseop Yeom
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea
| | - Sang-Joon Lee
- Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea ; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea
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26
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Wang YN, Tsai CH, Fu LM, Lin Liou LK. Microfluidic rectifier based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) membrane and its application to a micropump. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2013; 7:44118. [PMID: 24404051 PMCID: PMC3758359 DOI: 10.1063/1.4818905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/06/2013] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
A microfluidic rectifier incorporating an obstructed microchannel and a PDMS membrane is proposed. During forward flow, the membrane deflects in the upward direction; thereby allowing the fluid to pass over the obstacle. Conversely, during reverse flow, the membrane seals against the obstacle, thereby closing the channel and preventing flow. It is shown that the proposed device can operate over a wide pressure range by increasing or decreasing the membrane thickness as required. A microfluidic pump is realized by integrating the rectifier with a simple stepper motor mechanism. The experimental results show that the pump can achieve a vertical left height of more than 2 m. Moreover, it is shown that a maximum flow rate of 6.3 ml/min can be obtained given a membrane thickness of 200 μm and a motor velocity of 80 rpm. In other words, the proposed microfluidic rectifier not only provides an effective means of preventing reverse flow but also permits the realization of a highly efficient microfluidic pump.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Nan Wang
- Department of Vehicle Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hsiung Tsai
- Department of Vehicle Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
| | - Lung-Ming Fu
- Graduate Institute of Materials Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
| | - Lung-Kai Lin Liou
- Graduate Institute of Materials Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
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27
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Gong MM, Macdonald BD, Vu Nguyen T, Van Nguyen K, Sinton D. Field tested milliliter-scale blood filtration device for point-of-care applications. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2013; 7:44111. [PMID: 24404044 PMCID: PMC3752026 DOI: 10.1063/1.4817792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we present a low cost and equipment-free blood filtration device capable of producing plasma from blood samples with mL-scale capacity and demonstrate its clinical application for hepatitis B diagnosis. We report the results of in-field testing of the device with 0.8-1 ml of undiluted, anticoagulated human whole blood samples from patients at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam. Blood cell counts demonstrate that the device is capable of filtering out 99.9% of red and 96.9% of white blood cells, and the plasma collected from the device contains lower red blood cell counts than plasma obtained from a centrifuge. Biochemistry and immunology testing establish the suitability of the device as a sample preparation unit for testing alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), urea, hepatitis B "e" antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B "e" antibody (HBe Ab), and hepatitis B surface antibody (HBs Ab). The device provides a simple and practical front-end sample processing method for point-of-care microfluidic diagnostics, enabling sufficient volumes for multiplexed downstream tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max M Gong
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Brendan D Macdonald
- Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada
| | - Trung Vu Nguyen
- National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, 78 Giai Phong Street, Hanoi, Vietnam ; Department of Microbiology, Hanoi Medical University, 1 Ton That Tung Street, Hanoi, Vietnam ; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Parasitology, Hanoi Medical University, 1 Ton That Tung Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Kinh Van Nguyen
- National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, 78 Giai Phong Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - David Sinton
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada
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28
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Wang X, Hagen JA, Papautsky I. Paper pump for passive and programmable transport. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2013; 7:14107. [PMID: 24403999 PMCID: PMC3579862 DOI: 10.1063/1.4790819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2012] [Accepted: 01/25/2013] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
In microfluidic systems, a pump for fluid-driving is often necessary. To keep the size of microfluidic systems small, a pump that is small in size, light-weight and needs no external power source is advantageous. In this work, we present a passive, simple, ultra-low-cost, and easily controlled pumping method based on capillary action of paper that pumps fluid through conventional polymer-based microfluidic channels with steady flow rate. By using inexpensive cutting tools, paper can be shaped and placed at the outlet port of a conventional microfluidic channel, providing a wide range of pumping rates. A theoretical model was developed to describe the pumping mechanism and aid in the design of paper pumps. As we show, paper pumps can provide steady flow rates from 0.3 μl/s to 1.7 μl/s and can be cascaded to achieve programmable flow-rate tuning during the pumping process. We also successfully demonstrate transport of the most common biofluids (urine, serum, and blood). With these capabilities, the paper pump has the potential to become a powerful fluid-driving approach that will benefit the fielding of microfluidic systems for point-of-care applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wang
- BioMicroSystems Laboratory, School of Electronic and Computing Systems, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, USA
| | - Joshua A Hagen
- Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, USA
| | - Ian Papautsky
- BioMicroSystems Laboratory, School of Electronic and Computing Systems, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, USA
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