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Hiniduma K, Bhalerao KS, De Silva PIT, Chen T, Rusling JF. Design and Fabrication of a 3D-Printed Microfluidic Immunoarray for Ultrasensitive Multiplexed Protein Detection. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:2187. [PMID: 38138356 PMCID: PMC10745552 DOI: 10.3390/mi14122187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic technology has revolutionized device fabrication by merging principles of fluid dynamics with technologies from chemistry, physics, biology, material science, and microelectronics. Microfluidic systems manipulate small volumes of fluids to perform automated tasks with applications ranging from chemical syntheses to biomedical diagnostics. The advent of low-cost 3D printers has revolutionized the development of microfluidic systems. For measuring molecules, 3D printing offers cost-effective, time, and ease-of-designing benefits. In this paper, we present a comprehensive tutorial for design, optimization, and validation for creating a 3D-printed microfluidic immunoarray for ultrasensitive detection of multiple protein biomarkers. The target is the development of a point of care array to determine five protein biomarkers for aggressive cancers. The design phase involves defining dimensions of microchannels, reagent chambers, detection wells, and optimizing parameters and detection methods. In this study, the physical design of the array underwent multiple iterations to optimize key features, such as developing open detection wells for uniform signal distribution and a flap for covering wells during the assay. Then, full signal optimization for sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD) was performed, and calibration plots were generated to assess linear dynamic ranges and LODs. Varying characteristics among biomarkers highlighted the need for tailored assay conditions. Spike-recovery studies confirmed the assay's accuracy. Overall, this paper showcases the methodology, rigor, and innovation involved in designing a 3D-printed microfluidic immunoarray. Optimized parameters, calibration equations, and sensitivity and accuracy data contribute valuable metrics for future applications in biomarker analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshani Hiniduma
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA; (K.H.); (K.S.B.); (P.I.T.D.S.); (T.C.)
| | - Ketki S. Bhalerao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA; (K.H.); (K.S.B.); (P.I.T.D.S.); (T.C.)
| | - Peyahandi I. Thilini De Silva
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA; (K.H.); (K.S.B.); (P.I.T.D.S.); (T.C.)
| | - Tianqi Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA; (K.H.); (K.S.B.); (P.I.T.D.S.); (T.C.)
| | - James F. Rusling
- Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3060, USA; (K.H.); (K.S.B.); (P.I.T.D.S.); (T.C.)
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3136, USA
- Department of Surgery and Neag Cancer Center, Uconn Health, Farmington, CT 06030-0001, USA
- School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland at Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
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Hua W, Zhang C, Raymond L, Mitchell K, Wen L, Yang Y, Zhao D, Liu S, Jin Y. 3D printing-based full-scale human brain for diverse applications. BRAIN-X 2023; 1:e5. [PMID: 37818250 PMCID: PMC10564551 DOI: 10.1002/brx2.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Surgery is the most frequent treatment for patients with brain tumors. The construction of full-scale human brain models, which is still challenging to realize via current manufacturing techniques, can effectively train surgeons before brain tumor surgeries. This paper aims to develop a set of three-dimensional (3D) printing approaches to fabricate customized full-scale human brain models for surgery training as well as specialized brain patches for wound healing after surgery. First, a brain patch designed to fit a wound's shape and size can be easily printed in and collected from a stimuli-responsive yield-stress support bath. Then, an inverse 3D printing strategy, called "peeling-boiled-eggs," is proposed to fabricate full-scale human brain models. In this strategy, the contour layer of a brain model is printed using a sacrificial ink to envelop the target brain core within a photocurable yield-stress support bath. After crosslinking the contour layer, the as-printed model can be harvested from the bath to photo crosslink the brain core, which can be eventually released by liquefying the contour layer. Both the brain patch and full-scale human brain model are successfully printed to mimic the scenario of wound healing after removing a brain tumor, validating the effectiveness of the proposed 3D printing approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijian Hua
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Lily Raymond
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Kellen Mitchell
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Lai Wen
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Molecular and Cellular Signaling in the Cardiovascular System, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Danyang Zhao
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Shu Liu
- Department of Gerontology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yifei Jin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
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Topographical Vacuum Sealing of 3D-Printed Multiplanar Microfluidic Structures. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2021; 11:bios11100395. [PMID: 34677351 PMCID: PMC8534087 DOI: 10.3390/bios11100395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrate a novel way of creating three-dimensional microfluidic channels capable of following complex topographies. To this end, substrates with open channels and different geometries were 3D-printed, and the open channels were consecutively closed with a thermoplastic using a low-resolution vacuum-forming approach. This process allows the sealing of channels that are located on the surface of complex multiplanar topographies, as the thermoplastic aligns with the surface-shape (the macrostructure) of the substrate, while the microchannels remain mostly free of thermoplastic as their small channel size resists thermoplastic inflow. This new process was analyzed for its capability to consistently close different substrate geometries, which showed reliable sealing of angles >90°. Furthermore, the thermoplastic intrusion into channels of different widths was quantified, showing a linear effect of channel width and percentage of thermoplastic intrusion; ranging from 43.76% for large channels with 2 mm width to only 5.33% for channels with 500 µm channel width. The challenging sealing of substrate ‘valleys’, which are created when two large protrusions are adjacent to each other, was investigated and the correlation between protrusion distance and height is shown. Lastly, we present three application examples: a serpentine mixer with channels spun around a cuboid, increasing the usable surface area; a cuvette-inspired flow cell for a 2-MXP biosensor based on molecular imprinted polymers, fitting inside a standard UV/Vis-Spectrophotometer; and an adapter system that can be manufactured by one-sided injection molding and is self-sealed before usage. These examples demonstrate how this novel technology can be used to easily adapt microfluidic circuits for application in biosensor platforms.
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Delkash Y, Gouin M, Rimbeault T, Mohabatpour F, Papagerakis P, Maw S, Chen X. Bioprinting and In Vitro Characterization of an Eggwhite-Based Cell-Laden Patch for Endothelialized Tissue Engineering Applications. J Funct Biomater 2021; 12:jfb12030045. [PMID: 34449625 PMCID: PMC8395907 DOI: 10.3390/jfb12030045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an emerging fabrication technique to create 3D constructs with living cells. Notably, bioprinting bioinks are limited due to the mechanical weakness of natural biomaterials and the low bioactivity of synthetic peers. This paper presents the development of a natural bioink from chicken eggwhite and sodium alginate for bioprinting cell-laden patches to be used in endothelialized tissue engineering applications. Eggwhite was utilized for enhanced biological properties, while sodium alginate was used to improve bioink printability. The rheological properties of bioinks with varying amounts of sodium alginate were examined with the results illustrating that 2.0-3.0% (w/v) sodium alginate was suitable for printing patch constructs. The printed patches were then characterized mechanically and biologically, and the results showed that the printed patches exhibited elastic moduli close to that of natural heart tissue (20-27 kPa) and more than 94% of the vascular endothelial cells survived in the examination period of one week post 3D bioprinting. Our research also illustrated the printed patches appropriate water uptake ability (>1800%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Delkash
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (M.G.); (T.R.); (F.M.); (P.P.)
- Correspondence: (Y.D.); (X.C.)
| | - Maxence Gouin
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (M.G.); (T.R.); (F.M.); (P.P.)
- School of Engineering, Icam Site de Paris-Sénart, 34 Points de Vue, 77127 Lieusaint, France
| | - Tanguy Rimbeault
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (M.G.); (T.R.); (F.M.); (P.P.)
- School of Engineering, Icam Site de Vendée, 28 Boulevard d’Angleterre, 85000 La Roche-sur-Yon, France
| | - Fatemeh Mohabatpour
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (M.G.); (T.R.); (F.M.); (P.P.)
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, 105 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E4, Canada
| | - Petros Papagerakis
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (M.G.); (T.R.); (F.M.); (P.P.)
- College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan, 105 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E4, Canada
| | - Sean Maw
- Graham School of Professional Development, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada;
| | - Xiongbiao Chen
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (M.G.); (T.R.); (F.M.); (P.P.)
- Correspondence: (Y.D.); (X.C.)
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Can 3D Printing Bring Droplet Microfluidics to Every Lab?-A Systematic Review. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12030339. [PMID: 33810056 PMCID: PMC8004812 DOI: 10.3390/mi12030339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, additive manufacturing has steadily gained attention in both research and industry. Applications range from prototyping to small-scale production, with 3D printing offering reduced logistics overheads, better design flexibility and ease of use compared with traditional fabrication methods. In addition, printer and material costs have also decreased rapidly. These advantages make 3D printing attractive for application in microfluidic chip fabrication. However, 3D printing microfluidics is still a new area. Is the technology mature enough to print complex microchannel geometries, such as droplet microfluidics? Can 3D-printed droplet microfluidic chips be used in biological or chemical applications? Is 3D printing mature enough to be used in every research lab? These are the questions we will seek answers to in our systematic review. We will analyze (1) the key performance metrics of 3D-printed droplet microfluidics and (2) existing biological or chemical application areas. In addition, we evaluate (3) the potential of large-scale application of 3D printing microfluidics. Finally, (4) we discuss how 3D printing and digital design automation could trivialize microfluidic chip fabrication in the long term. Based on our analysis, we can conclude that today, 3D printers could already be used in every research lab. Printing droplet microfluidics is also a possibility, albeit with some challenges discussed in this review.
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Prabhakar P, Sen RK, Dwivedi N, Khan R, Solanki PR, Srivastava AK, Dhand C. 3D-Printed Microfluidics and Potential Biomedical Applications. FRONTIERS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fnano.2021.609355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
3D printing is a smart additive manufacturing technique that allows the engineering of biomedical devices that are usually difficult to design using conventional methodologies such as machining or molding. Nowadays, 3D-printed microfluidics has gained enormous attention due to their various advantages including fast production, cost-effectiveness, and accurate designing of a range of products even geometrically complex devices. In this review, we focused on the recent significant findings in the field of 3D-printed microfluidic devices for biomedical applications. 3D printers are used as fabrication tools for a broad variety of systems for a range of applications like diagnostic microfluidic chips to detect different analytes, for example, glucose, lactate, and glutamate and the biomarkers related to different clinically relevant diseases, for example, malaria, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. 3D printers can print various materials (inorganic and polymers) with varying density, strength, and chemical properties that provide users with a broad variety of strategic options. In this article, we have discussed potential 3D printing techniques for the fabrication of microfluidic devices that are suitable for biomedical applications. Emerging diagnostic technologies using 3D printing as a method for integrating living cells or biomaterials into 3D printing are also reviewed.
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Priyadarshini BM, Dikshit V, Zhang Y. 3D-printed Bioreactors for In Vitro Modeling and Analysis. Int J Bioprint 2020; 6:267. [PMID: 33088992 PMCID: PMC7557350 DOI: 10.18063/ijb.v6i4.267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) printing has markedly enhanced the functionality of bioreactors by offering the capability of manufacturing intricate architectures, which changes the way of conducting in vitro biomodeling and bioanalysis. As 3D-printing technologies become increasingly mature, the architecture of 3D-printed bioreactors can be tailored to specific applications using different printing approaches to create an optimal environment for bioreactions. Multiple functional components have been combined into a single bioreactor fabricated by 3D-printing, and this fully functional integrated bioreactor outperforms traditional methods. Notably, several 3D-printed bioreactors systems have demonstrated improved performance in tissue engineering and drug screening due to their 3D cell culture microenvironment with precise spatial control and biological compatibility. Moreover, many microbial bioreactors have also been proposed to address the problems concerning pathogen detection, biofouling, and diagnosis of infectious diseases. This review offers a reasonably comprehensive review of 3D-printed bioreactors for in vitro biological applications. We compare the functions of bioreactors fabricated by various 3D-printing modalities and highlight the benefit of 3D-printed bioreactors compared to traditional methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vishwesh Dikshit
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Ave, 639798, Singapore
| | - Yi Zhang
- HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Ave, 639798, Singapore.,School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Ave, 639798, Singapore
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Sreenivasan P, Wilson J, Nair PD, Thomas LV. Polycaprolactone solution–based ink for designing microfluidic channels on paper via 3D printing platform for biosensing application. POLYM ADVAN TECHNOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pat.4848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Priyadarsini Sreenivasan
- Division of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Technologies, Biomedical Technology WingSree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology Thiruvananthapuram Kerala India
| | - Jijo Wilson
- Division of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Technologies, Biomedical Technology WingSree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology Thiruvananthapuram Kerala India
| | - Prabha Damodaran Nair
- Division of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Technologies, Biomedical Technology WingSree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology Thiruvananthapuram Kerala India
| | - Lynda Velutheril Thomas
- Division of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Technologies, Biomedical Technology WingSree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology Thiruvananthapuram Kerala India
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Chua CK. Call for special issues. Int J Bioprint 2019; 5:228. [PMID: 32954040 PMCID: PMC7481099 DOI: 10.18063/ijb.v5i2.228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chee Kai Chua
- Head of Pillar, Engineering Product Development, Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Rd, Singapore - 487372
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