At present, point-of-care (POC) diagnostics typically provide a binary indication of health status (e.g., home pregnancy test strip). Before anticipatory use of diagnostics for assessment of complex diseases becomes widespread, development of sophisticated bioassays capable of quantitatively measuring disease biomarkers is necessary. Successful translation of new bioassays into clinical settings demands the ability to monitor both the onset and progression of disease. Here we report on a clinical POC diagnostic that enables rapid quantitation of an oral disease biomarker in human saliva by using a monolithic disposable cartridge designed to operate in a compact analytical instrument. Our microfluidic method facilitates hands-free saliva analysis by integrating sample pretreatment (filtering, enrichment, mixing) with electrophoretic immunoassays to quickly measure analyte concentrations in minimally pretreated saliva samples. Using 20 l of saliva, we demonstrate rapid (<10 min) measurement of the collagen-cleaving enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) in saliva from healthy and periodontally diseased subjects. In addition to physiologically measurable indicators of periodontal disease, conventional measurements of salivary MMP-8 were used to validate the microfluidic assays described in this proof-of-principle study. The microchipbased POC diagnostic demonstrated is applicable to rapid, reliable measurement of proteinaceous disease biomarkers in biological fluids.

We have developed a rapid diffusion immunoassay that allows measurement of small molecules down to subnanomolar concentrations in <1 min. This competitive assay is based on measuring the distribution of a labeled probe molecule after it diffuses for a short time from one region into another region containing antigen-specific antibodies. The assay was demonstrated in the T-sensor, a simple microfluidic device that places two fluid streams in contact and allows interdiffusion of their components. The model analyte was phenytoin, a typical small drug molecule. Clinically relevant levels were measured in blood diluted from 10- to 400-fold in buffer containing the labeled antigen. Removal of cells from blood samples was not necessary. This assay compared favorably with fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) measurements. Numerical simulations agree well with experimental results and provide insight for predicting assay performance and limitations. The assay is homogeneous, requires <1 microl of reagents and sample, and is applicable to a wide range of analytes.

The potential of integration of functions in microfluidic chips is demonstrated by implementing on-chip preconcentration of proteins prior to on-chip protein sizing by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Two polymeric elements-a thin (approximately 50 microm) size exclusion membrane for preconcentration and a longer (approximately cm) porous monolith for protein sizing-were fabricated in situ using photopolymerization. Contiguous placement of the two polymeric elements in the channels of a microchip enabled simple and zero dead volume integration of the preconcentration with SDS-PAGE. The size exclusion membrane was polymerized in the injection channel using a shaped laser beam, and the sizing monolith was cast by photolithography using a mask and UV lamp. Proteins injected electrophoretically were trapped on the upstream side of the size exclusion membrane (MW cutoff approximately 10 kDa) and eluted off the membrane by reversing the electric field. Subsequently, the concentrated proteins were separated in a cross-linked polyacrylamide monolith that was patterned contiguous to the size exclusion membrane. The extent of protein preconcentration is easily tuned by varying the voltage during injection or by controlling the sample volume loaded. Electric fields applied across the nanoporous membrane resulted in a concentration polarization effect evidenced by decreasing current over time and irreproducible migration of proteins during sizing. To minimize the concentration polarization effect, sieving gels were polymerized only on the separation side of the membrane, and an alternate electrical current path was employed, bypassing the membrane, for most of the elution and separation steps. Electrophoretically sweeping a fixed sample volume against the membrane yields preconcentration factors that are independent of protein mobility. The volume sweeping method also avoids biased protein loading from concentration polarization and sample matrix variations. Mobilities of the concentrated proteins were log-linear with respect to molecular weight, demonstrating the suitability of this approach for protein sizing. Proteins were concentrated rapidly (<5 min) over 1000-fold followed by high-resolution separation in the sieving monolith. Proteins with concentrations as low as 50 fM were detectable with 30 min of preconcentration time. The integrated preconcentration-sizing approach facilitates analysis of low-abundant proteins that cannot be otherwise detected. Moreover, the integrated preconcentration-analysis approach employing in situ formation of photopatterned polymeric elements provides a generic, inexpensive, and versatile method to integrate functions at chip level and can be extended to lowering of detection limits for other applications such as DNA analysis and clinical diagnostics.

A microfluidic pump is described that uses magnetic actuation to push fluid through a microchannel. Operation relies on the use of magnetically-actuated plugs of ferrofluid, a suspension of nanosize ferromagnetic particles. The ferrofluid contacts but is immiscible with the pumped fluid. The prototype circular design demonstrates continuous pumping by regenerating a translating ferrofluidic plug at the conclusion of each pumping cycle. The flow rate can be controlled by adjusting device dimensions or the velocity of an external permanent magnet that directs the motion of the ferrofluid. The ferrofluidic plugs also serve as valves; if the magnetic actuator is stopped, pressure can be maintained with no power consumption. Flow can also be reversed by switching the direction of actuation. The maximum flow rate achieved with minimal backpressure was 45.8 l/min. The maximum pressure head achieved was 135 mm water (1.2 kPa).[558]

Microfluidic adhesion-based cell separation systems are of interest in clinical and biological applications where small sample volumes must be processed efficiently and rapidly. While the ability to capture rare cells from complex suspensions such as blood using microfluidic systems has been demonstrated, few methods exist for rapid and non-destructive release of the bound cells. Such detachment is critical for applications in tissue engineering and cell-based therapeutics in contrast with diagnostics wherein immunohistochemical, proteomic, and genomic analyses can be carried out by simply lysing captured cells. This paper demonstrates how the incorporation of 4-arm amine terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) molecules along with antibodies within alginate hydrogels can enhance the ability of the hydrogels to capture endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from whole human blood. The hydrogel coatings are applied conformally onto pillar structures within microfluidic channels and their dissolution with a chelator allows for effective recovery of EPCs following capture.