Application Of Microfluidic Chip Research Articles

A microparticle manipulation method facilitated via microfluidic chip based on swirling flow topology design and its application in sorting

Microfluidics technology is trustworthy for microparticle operation as it doesn't involve destructive contact. Our research endeavors have encompassed microparticles manipulation by generating swirling flow region (SFR). Now we try to utilize swirl and flow topology to promote microfluidic chip design because serial operation is still not well enabled. Herein, a new model is proposed for a 6-microchannel microfluidic chip, which has realized active control of microparticles. The chip is capable of trapping, transferring, and enriching microparticles, and is applied for microparticles sorting. Simulation is performed to substantiate the viability of generating SFRs, and experiments are conducted on 3D-printed chips to validate the envisioned functions of the proposed microfluidic chip. Encouragingly, our experiments yield convincing outcomes, wherein microparticles are successfully trapped, transferred, and enriched in separated SFRs. With the help of a self-developed vision algorithm, the size sorting of microparticles is facilitated. Significantly, the manipulation of different microparticles can be achieved by tuning the microchannel velocities and tailoring the flow topology. This work presents a pioneering flow field structure and provides a feasible scheme for sorting microparticles, which is a noteworthy advance in swirl-based microfluidic chip applications. It is a potential mean for bio-/chemical analysis and fluidic-directed assembly of multiple microparticles.

Efficient fabrication of bioinspired soft, ridged-slippery surfaces with large-range anisotropic wettability for droplet manipulation.

The droplet lossless directional motion control on slippery surfaces holds immense promise for applications in microfluidic chips, hazardous substance detection, chemical dispensing, etc. However, a significant challenge in this domain lies in efficiently developing soft, slippery surfaces with large-range anisotropic wettability and compatibility for curved scenarios. This study addressed this challenge through a quick 3D printing-assisted method to produce soft, ridged-slippery surfaces (SRSSs) as the droplet manipulation platform. The SRSSs demonstrated substantial anisotropic rolling resistances, measuring 116.9 μN in the perpendicular direction and 7.7 μN in the parallel direction, exhibiting a ratio of 15.2. Combining several extents of anisotropic wettability on a soft substrate could realize diverse reagent manipulation functions. Furthermore, these SRSSs showcased high compatibility with various droplet constituents, impressive liquid impact resistance, self-repair capability, and mechanical durability and thermal durability, ensuring exceptional applicability. As proofs of concept, the SRSSs were successfully applied in droplet control and classification for heavy metal ion detection, mechanical arm-based droplet grab and release, and cross-species transport, showcasing their remarkable versatility, compatibility, and practicality in advanced droplet microfluidic chips and water harvesting applications.

Reaction rate and thermal effects of hydrogen peroxide decomposition in microfluidic chips containing channel-type silver catalysts

A test device for the reaction performance of hydrogen peroxide reaction solution for catalytic decomposition in a microchannel silver catalytic bed.

Microfluidic chips in female reproduction: a systematic review of status, advances, and challenges.

The female reproductive system is essential to women's health, human reproduction and societal well-being. However, the clinical translation of traditional research models is restricted due to the uncertain effects and low efficiency. Emerging evidence shows that microfluidic chips provide valuable platforms for studying the female reproductive system, while no paper has ever comprehensively discussed the topic. Here, a total of 161 studies out of 14,669 records are identified in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and IEEE Xplore databases. Among these, 61 studies focus on oocytes, which further involves culture, cell surgeries (oocyte separation, rotation, enucleation, and denudation), evaluation and cryopreservation. Forty studies investigate embryo manipulation via microfluidic chips, covering in vitro fertilization, cryopreservation and functional evaluation. Forty-six studies reconstitute both the physiological and pathological statuses of in vivo organs, mostly involved in placenta and fetal membrane research. Fourteen studies perform drug screening and toxicity testing. In this review, we summarize the current application of microfluidic chips in studying the female reproductive system, the advancements in materials and methods, and discuss the future challenges. The present evidence suggests that microfluidic chips-assisted reproductive system reconstruction is promising and more studies are urgently needed.

Preparation of microfluidic chips by electroplating and used for microdroplet study

Microfluidic chips have been widely used in chemical industry and biological monitoring. The application of microfluidic chips in biological analysis, chemical synthesis, clinical detection and other fields not only makes the chemical reaction system small and highly integrated, but also reduces the sample consumption. At present, the traditional microchannel machining methods, such as laser etching and injection molding, have many disadvantages such as complicated process, high technical requirements, high cost and long cycle. In this paper, a new method of microstructure and microchannel in microfluidic chips based on electroplating technology is proposed based on traditional methods, and the microdroplet experiment was carried out.

Microfluidic Chips: Emerging Technologies for Adoptive Cell Immunotherapy

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a personalized therapy that has shown great success in treating hematologic malignancies in clinic, and has also demonstrated potential applications for solid tumors. The process of ACT involves multiple steps, including the separation of desired cells from patient tissues, cell engineering by virus vector systems, and infusion back into patients after strict tests to guarantee the quality and safety of the products. ACT is an innovative medicine in development; however, the multi-step method is time-consuming and costly, and the preparation of the targeted adoptive cells remains a challenge. Microfluidic chips are a novel platform with the advantages of manipulating fluid in micro/nano scales, and have been developed for various biological research applications as well as ACT. The use of microfluidics to isolate, screen, and incubate cells in vitro has the advantages of high throughput, low cell damage, and fast amplification rates, which can greatly simplify ACT preparation steps and reduce costs. Moreover, the customizable microfluidic chips fit the personalized demands of ACT. In this mini-review, we describe the advantages and applications of microfluidic chips for cell sorting, cell screening, and cell culture in ACT compared to other existing methods. Finally, we discuss the challenges and potential outcomes of future microfluidics-related work in ACT.

Application of microfluidic chips in the simulation of the urinary system microenvironment.

The urinary system, comprising the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, has a unique mechanical and fluid microenvironment, which is essential to the urinary system growth and development. Microfluidic models, based on micromachining and tissue engineering technology, can integrate pathophysiological characteristics, maintain cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, and accurately simulate the vital characteristics of human tissue microenvironments. Additionally, these models facilitate improved visualization and integration and meet the requirements of the laminar flow environment of the urinary system. However, several challenges continue to impede the development of a tissue microenvironment with controllable conditions closely resemble physiological conditions. In this review, we describe the biochemical and physical microenvironment of the urinary system and explore the feasibility of microfluidic technology in simulating the urinary microenvironment and pathophysiological characteristics in vitro. Moreover, we summarize the current research progress on adapting microfluidic chips for constructing the urinary microenvironment. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and suggest directions for future development and application of microfluidic technology in constructing the urinary microenvironment in vitro.

MOFs-Modified Electrochemical Sensors and the Application in the Detection of Opioids.

Opioids are widely used in clinical practice, but drug overdoses can lead to many adverse reactions, and even endanger life. Therefore, it is essential to implement real-time measurement of drug concentrations to adjust the dosage given during treatment, keeping drug levels within therapeutic levels. Metal-Organic frameworks (MOFs) and their composite materials modified bare electrode electrochemical sensors have the advantages of fast production, low cost, high sensitivity, and low detection limit in the detection of opioids. In this review, MOFs and MOFs composites, electrochemical sensors modified with MOFs for the detection of opioids, as well as the application of microfluidic chips in combination with electrochemical methods are all reviewed, and the potential for the development of microfluidic chips electrochemical methods with MOFs surface modifications for the detection of opioids is also prospected. We hope that this review will provide contributions to the study of electrochemical sensors modified with MOFs for the detection of opioids.

Microfluidic Actuated and Controlled Systems and Application for Lab-on-Chip in Space Life Science

The use of space environment to carry out life science research is of great significance. However, there are limitations in complex manipulation, research models based on mammalian and 2-dimensional cell culture experiments, etc. Microfluidic chips possess the characteristics of integrating the relevant functions of traditional laboratories into micron-scale chips, with low energy consumption, high throughput, and automation. The application of microfluidic chips can overcome the challenges of space environments, the scarce experimental resources, and the unmanned operation problems to some extent. Moreover, microfluidic chips can realize long-term experimental operation and remote data recording and transmission. To carry out related research with microfluidic chips, the actuation and control of microfluidics are very important. In this paper, the microfluidic actuated and controlled technologies in microfluidic chips are reviewed, and then the application of microfluidic chips and microfluidic actuated and controlled systems in space life science is also briefly described.

Latest advances and perspectives of liquid biopsy for cancer diagnostics driven by microfluidic on-chip assays.

Microfluidic-based lab-on-a-chip technology is a multidisciplinary approach, which has evolved rapidly in the past decade and remains a hot research topic as a promising microanalysis platform for a plethora of biomedical applications. Microfluidic chips have been successfully applied in cancer diagnosis and monitoring, given that they can lead to the effective separation and analysis of cancer-derived substances such as extracellular vesicles (EVs), circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and circulating DNA (ctDNA), proteins and other metabolites. In particular, EVs and CTCs are two outstanding objects for cancer liquid biopsy, which share similar membrane structures but possess different sizes. Through molecular typing and concentration detection of EVs, CTCs and ctDNA, disease-related information can be well-learned, including the development stage and prognosis of cancer. However, the conventional separation and detection methods are often time-consuming with limited efficiency. In comparison, the use of microfluidic platforms can effectively simplify the separation and enrichment process and improve the detection efficiency significantly. Although review papers have been published on the application of microfluidic chips for the analysis of objects of liquid biopsy, generally they focused on a specific detection target, lacking a descriptive extraction of the commonality of LOC devices used in liquid biopsy. Thus, few of them present a comprehensive overview and outlook on the design and application of microfluidic chips for liquid biopsy. This motivated us to prepare this review paper, which is divided into 4 parts. The first part aims to elucidate the material selection and fabrication approaches of microfluidic chips. In the second part, the important separation strategies, including physical methods and biological methods, are discussed. The third part highlights the advanced on-chip technologies for the detection of EVs, CTCs and ctDNA by providing practical examples. In the fourth part, novel on-chip applications of single cells/exosomes are introduced. Finally, the prospective outlook and challenges for the long-term development of on-chip assays are envisioned and discussed.

In vitro study of emodin-induced nephrotoxicity in human renal glomerular endothelial cells on a microfluidic chip

Emodin is an effective component of rhubarb with positive pharmacological effects on human health. However, it is also toxic to different cells or tissues to varying degrees. The effects of emodin on glomerular endothelial cells (GECs) remain to be tested, and the documented works were always performed in vitro and hardly reflect the real physiological situation. To study the effects of emodin on GECs in a biomimetic environment, we utilized a microfluidic chip to assess the physiological reaction of human renal glomerular endothelial cells to various concentrations of emodin in this work. The results showed that emodin caused cytotoxicity, impaired glomerular filtration barrier integrity to macromolecules, and increased barrier permeability in a dose-dependent manner. With the increase in emodin concentration, the concentration of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, transforming growth factor-β1, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) increased while the production of inflammatory cytokine IL-6 first increased and then decreased with the increase in emodin concentration. Our findings shed new light on emodin-induced nephrotoxicity and provide insights for the application of microfluidic chip devices to reveal drug-cell interactions.

Application of Microfluidic Chips in the Detection of Airborne Microorganisms.

The spread of microorganisms in the air, especially pathogenic microorganisms, seriously affects people’s normal life. Therefore, the analysis and detection of airborne microorganisms is of great importance in environmental detection, disease prevention and biosafety. As an emerging technology with the advantages of integration, miniaturization and high efficiency, microfluidic chips are widely used in the detection of microorganisms in the environment, bringing development vitality to the detection of airborne microorganisms, and they have become a research highlight in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Microfluidic chips can be used for the detection and analysis of bacteria, viruses and fungi in the air, mainly for the detection of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, H1N1 virus, SARS-CoV-2 virus, Aspergillus niger, etc. The high sensitivity has great potential in practical detection. Here, we summarize the advances in the collection and detection of airborne microorganisms by microfluidic chips. The challenges and trends for the detection of airborne microorganisms by microfluidic chips was also discussed. These will support the role of microfluidic chips in the prevention and control of air pollution and major outbreaks.

Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic SiO2 Nanoparticles Enabled Janus‐Type Paper through Commercial Glaco Spraying and Air‐Plasma Treatment

AbstractFunctional paper‐based microdevices have been receiving wide attention in the research areas of microfluidic chips, soft actuators, etc. This work introduces the design and fabrication of a Janus‐type paper in which one side of the paper remains hydrophilic and the other side is hydrophobic. Such Janus‐type paper is prepared by directly spraying hydrophobic Glaco solutions and following air plasma treatment. The former treatment can cover the paper fibers with numerous hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles. Through optimizing the fabrication parameters of the air plasma, it can penetrate the filter paper in a controllable depth, resulting in effectively regulating the hydrophobic particles into hydrophilic ones. Thereafter, the antirotation and interfacial stability of the Janus paper are investigated. Finally, a liquid storage and contamination‐free analysis devices are demonstrated on the Janus‐type paper platform. Noting that the commercially nonfluoride coating (Glaco) and mature plasma instrument together make the fabrication method simple, rapid, users/environmental‐friendly, and mass‐produced. The method provides a new route to fabricate Janus‐type paper for potential multifunctional applications in microfluidic chips and smart actuators, and may open up new avenue to prepare Janus films in a simple/rapid way.

Two microfluidic chips based on Rayleigh surface acoustic waves for controllable synthesis of silver nanoparticles: A comparison

Based on the biocompatibility and non-invasive nature of acoustically driven microfluidics, two microfluidic chips with Rayleigh surface acoustic waves (SAWs) as the driving source are proposed for micro-scale mixing: traveling surface acoustic wave (TSAW) and standing surface acoustic wave (SSAW) chips. This paper presents the first comparison of the controllable synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by TSAW chip and SSAW chip. The effect of peak-to-peak voltage and inlet flow rate on the micro-mixing performance of the two chips is investigated in focus. First, based on the finite element theory, the simulation software COMSOL is used to compare and analyze the mixing performance of the two chips. Then, a series of experiments of AgNPs synthesis is carried out combining with the liquid-phase reduction method. The difference in the results is characterized by UV spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The simulation results reveal that, under the same conditions, the SSAW chip transmits more energy to the fluid, which can effectively disturb the fluid and destroy the laminar flow interface. That is, it is easier to achieve rapid and uniform mixing with a better micro-mixing effect. As the peak-to-peak voltage increases or the inlet flow rate relatively decreases, the mixing effect of the SSAW chip gradually becomes better. However, experimental results indicate that the TSAW chip can synthesize AgNPs with higher concentration, better monodispersity, and smaller size deviation. As the peak-to-peak voltage increases or the inlet flow rate relatively decreases, it is easier to synthesize AgNPs with better quality. The comparison of the simulation and experimental results of the two chips can provide guidelines for the analysis of micro-scale mixing performance and practical applications of microfluidic chips driven by SAWs.

Fabrication of bionic hydrophobic micropillar arrays by femtosecond lasers for droplet manipulation

<p indent="0mm">Nature is the source of inspiration for human design and manufacture. The preparation of biomimetic functional surfaces is a hot research topic, especially in the preparation of biomimetic hydrophobic surfaces. Common preparation methods include plasma etching, lithography, and so on. But those preparation methods are complex. In this article, a simple strategy for the preparation of hydrophobic micropillar arrays is proposed based on femtosecond laser micro-nano fabrication and replica-mold technology, and the relationship between structural parameters, surface chemical modification, and wettability is systematically investigated. It was found that structural parameters, such as spacing, diameter, and height, had a large effect on the wettability of the chemically modified micropillar arrays. When the spacing of the micropillars increases from 400 to <sc>600 μm,</sc> the droplet sliding angle increases from 31° to 76°. This is because as the spacing increases, the droplets gradually penetrate the gaps between the micropillars. As the droplet slides across the surface, it creates a larger energy potential barrier, so the larger the spacing, the greater the sliding angle, which means the greater adhesion force on the surface. Similarly, when the diameter increases from 100 to <sc>300 μm,</sc> the droplet sliding angle increases from 40° to 80° accordingly. The contact area between the droplet and the micropillar array increases with increasing diameter, that is, the adhesion force between the droplet and the micropillar array increases gradually. Therefore, the sliding angle of the droplet is increased on a larger diameter micropillar array, i.e., the adhesion force is relatively high. The height of the micropillar also affects wettability. When the height is below <sc>100 μm,</sc> the droplet will fall into the structure under the action of its gravity, and contact with the substrate, resulting in a larger adhesion force. Even when the sample is turned over 90°, the droplets do not slip off. When the height is greater than <sc>200 μm,</sc> there is an air layer between the droplet and the substrate, which becomes increasingly visible as the height increases. The sliding angle of the droplet on the micropillar array maintains at ~50° and does not change significantly with increasing height. This is because the contact state between droplets and microcolumns will not be changed after the height increases to a certain extent (≥200 μm). Furthermore, the prepared samples exhibit excellent fatigue resistance. After testing, the maximum tensile rate of the sample can reach 400%, and the micropillar array can still recover to the original morphology. Based on the above experimental results, the surface adhesion force of the micropillar array can be controlled by adjusting the structural parameters, such as diameter and spacing. We designed a micropillar array with different spacings (400 and <sc>600 μm)</sc> to realize the control of droplet sliding behavior by using this property. In addition, the micropillar arrays with different spacings can be combined into specific patterns to realize the micro-reaction of droplets. This preparation method of biomimetic hydrophobic micropillar arrays is not only simple but also widely applicable. The prepared hydrophobic micropillar arrays have potential applications in microfluidic chips, biomedicine, and chemical micro-reactions.

Anti-Cancer Drug Screening with Microfluidic Technology

The up-and-coming microfluidic technology is the most promising platform for designing anti-cancer drugs and new point-of-care diagnostics. Compared to conventional drug screening methods based on Petri dishes and animal studies, drug delivery in microfluidic systems has many advantages. For instance, these platforms offer high-throughput drug screening, require a small number of samples, provide an in vivo-like microenvironment for cells, and eliminate ethical issues associated with animal studies. Multiple cell cultures in microfluidic chips could better mimic the 3D tumor environment using low reagents consumption. The clinical experiments have shown that combinatorial drug treatments have a better therapeutic effect than monodrug therapy. Many attempts have been made in this field in the last decade. This review highlights the applications of microfluidic chips in anti-cancer drug screening and systematically categorizes these systems as a function of sample size and combination of drug screening. Finally, it provides a perspective on the future of the clinical applications of microfluidic systems for anti-cancer drug development.

Application of microfluidic chips in anticancer drug screening.

With the continuous development of drug screening technology, new screening methodologies and technologies are constantly emerging, driving drug screening into rapid, efficient and high-throughput development. Microfluidics is a rising star in the development of innovative approaches in drug discovery. In this article, we summarize the recent years’ progress of microfluidic chip technology in drug screening, including the developmental history, structural design, and applications in different aspects of microfluidic chips on drug screening. Herein, the existing microfluidic chip screening platforms are summarized from four aspects: chip structure design, sample injection and drive system, cell culture technology on a chip, and efficient remote detection technology. Furthermore, this review discusses the application and developmental prospects of using microfluidic chips in drug screening, particularly in screening natural product anticancer drugs based on chemical properties, pharmacological effects, and drug cytotoxicity.

Microfluidic strategies for separation and analysis of circulating exosomes

外泌体是一类由细胞分泌的含有脂质、蛋白、核酸等多种物质的纳米级囊泡,主要参与细胞间的物质交换及信息传导,与多种疾病的发生发展密切相关。对外泌体进行深入研究,理解其生物学功能,对疾病诊断与治疗具有重要意义。由于外泌体尺寸较小且密度和体液接近,想要对复杂生物样本中的外泌体进行分离与分析十分困难。传统的外泌体分离方法如超速离心、超滤等大都需要借助大型仪器设备,且耗时长、操作复杂。因此迫切需要开发高效、便捷的外泌体分离检测手段。微流控技术因其微型化、高通量、可集成等特点,为外泌体的分离分析提供了一个新的平台。该文主要对近年来微流控技术在外泌体分离分析相关领域的研究进展进行了综述。重点从外泌体物理特性和生化特性两个角度出发,介绍了微流控芯片技术用于外泌体分离领域的主要原理、策略和方法。此外,还介绍了微流控技术与荧光、电化学传感、表面等离子体共振等多模态检测方法结合,实现外泌体一体化分析的新进展。最后,该文分析了目前微流控技术用于外泌体分离检测存在的挑战,并对其发展趋势和前景进行了展望。随着微流控外泌体分离分析装置的不断微型化、集成化、自动化,微流控芯片技术将在外泌体分离、生化检测、机制研究等方面将发挥越来越重要的作用。

Multifunctional microfluidic chip for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Microfluidic chip is not a chip in the traditional sense. It is technologies that control fluids at the micro level. As a burgeoning biochip, microfluidic chips integrate multiple disciplines, including physiology, pathology, cell biology, biophysics, engineering mechanics, mechanical design, materials science, and so on. The application of microfluidic chip has shown tremendous promise in the field of cancer therapy in the past three decades. Various types of cell and tissue cultures, including 2D cell culture, 3D cell culture and tissue organoid culture could be performed on microfluidic chips. Patient-derived cancer cells and tissues can be cultured on microfluidic chips in a visible, controllable, and high-throughput manner, which greatly advances the process of personalized medicine. Moreover, the functionality of microfluidic chip is greatly expanding due to the customizable nature. In this review, we introduce its application in developing cancer preclinical models, detecting cancer biomarkers, screening anti-cancer drugs, exploring tumor heterogeneity and producing nano-drugs. We highlight the functions and recent development of microfluidic chip to provide references for advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Progress of Application of Microfluidic Chip

Due to microfluidic chip’ s small sample consumption, high detection sensitivity, easy integration, automatic detection and other characteristics, it has been widely used in many fields such as environmental science, chemical detection, and life sciences. This article summarizes the current application and commercial development of microfluidic chips. At the same time, some deficiencies in the technology, problems to be solved and future development directions are also reviewed and prospected.