Application of microreactors in medicine and biomedicine

Abstract

Microreactor technology is an interdisciplinary field that combines science and engineering. This new concept in production, analysis and research is finding increasing application in many different fields. Benefits of this new technology pose a vital influence on chemical industry, biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry and medicine, life science, clinical and environmental diagnostic. In the last few years, together with microplant development, a great part of research investigation is focused on integrated micro-systems, the so called micro-total-analysis-systems (μ-TAS) or lab-on-chip (LOC). They are devices that perform sampling, sample preparation, detection and date processing in integrated model. Cell sorting, cell lysis, single cell analysis and non-destructive single cell experiments on just one microreactor, makes the LOC platform possible. Clinical diagnostic devices are also leaning towards completely integrated, multiple sophisticated biochemical analyses (PCR amplification, cell lysis, separation and detection) all on a single platform and in real time. Special attention is also paid to the usage of microdevices in tissue. Tissue engineering is one of the most promising fields that can lead to in vitro tissue and organ reconstruction ready for implantation and microdevices can be used to promote the migration, proliferation and the differentiation of cells in controlled situations.

Flow Regimes of Viscous Immiscible Liquids in T‐Type Microchannels

“…In chemical technologies, the flow of immiscible liquids ensures the continuity and safety of processes, providing high efficiency of reactions, e.g., in extraction , , nitration , and synthesis of nanoparticles , as well as in many other applications . Liquid‐liquid microreactors are used in medicine and biomedicine to perform sampling, sample preparation, detection, and data processing in integrated models of micro total analysis systems , . Microreactors can be used for high‐throughput screening, drug discovery and testing, cell investigation, and single‐cell experimentation.…”

Three-phase slug flow in microchips can provide beneficial reaction conditions for enzyme liquid-liquid reactions

“…We believe that the suggested concept is not limited only to enzyme synthesis but can be useful in many chemical, biochemical, and biological applications such as cell cultivation, production of fine chemicals, synthesis of micro and nanoparticles, etc. 32 In feature, we are going to carry out theoretical and experimental studies that confirm and refine our ideas about reaction-transport processes in three-phase slug flow microsystems.…”

Materijali za izradu mikroreaktora

“…wet and dry etching), pri čemu se za izradu mikrokanala preporučuje suho jetkanje jer je učinkovitije, 27 27,29,43 Pri oblikovanju mikroreaktora treba uzeti u obzir karakteristike fluida, vrijeme trajanja reakcije, dimenzije mikroreaktora, ukupni volumen i protok fluida u svim mikrokanalima, temperaturu i tlak sustava, jer promjenom samo jedne veličine procesa dolazi do promjene značajki procesa. 14 Za proizvodnju staklenih mikroreaktora pogodan je manji broj postupaka, a najčešće su to: mokro jetkanje, pri čemu se može upotrijebiti fluorovodična kiselina te pjeskarenje. 16,21 Mikroreaktori od keramičkih materijala obično se izrađuju srašćivanjem praha ili alternativno, injekcijskim prešanjem.…”