Dielectrophoresis based continuous-flow nano sorter: fast quality control of gene vaccines

Abstract

We present a prototype nanofluidic device, developed for the continuous-flow dielectrophoretic (DEP) fractionation, purification, and quality control of sample suspensions for gene vaccine production. The device consists of a cross injector, two operation regions, and separate outlets where the analytes are collected. In each DEP operation region, an inhomogeneous electric field is generated at a channel spanning insulating ridge. The samples are driven by ac and dc voltages that generate a dielectrophoretic potential at the ridge as well as (linear) electrokinetics. Since the DEP potential differs at the two ridges, probes of three and more species can be iteratively fully fractionated. We demonstrate the fast and efficient separation of parental plasmid, miniplasmid, and minicircle DNA, where the latter is applicable as a gene vaccine. Since the present technique is virtually label-free, it offers a fast purification and in-process quality control with low consumption, in parallel, for the production of gene vaccines.

Recent advances in direct current electrokinetic manipulation of particles for microfluidic applications

“…13C). This resolution is much better than that reported by Viefhues et al [197] in a similar nanofluidic device. Viefhues [198] also fabricated a microchannel with an asymmetric S-shaped ridge extending over the full channel width.…”

The development of malaria diagnostic techniques: a review of the approaches with focus on dielectrophoretic and magnetophoretic methods

“…The main drawback of the DC-DEP approach is the required use of a relatively higher electric potential that might cause a Joule heating problem. The combination of AC/DC-DEP would eliminate the drawbacks of the DC-DEP technique by reducing the electric potential required as well as the Joule heating problem [ 72 – 74 ].…”

Dielectrophoretic separation of micron and submicron particles: A review

“…In recent years, DEP has emerged as an effective flow manipulation technique for both biological and nonbiological particles. Dielectrophoretic manipulation has potential application in medical field for drug discovery and delivery , fractionation of gene vaccine , detection and separation of cancer cells , sorting of infected red blood cells , enrichment of CD34 + stem cells , separation of DNA , protein molecules , and so on. DEP chip has been implemented for point‐of‐care system for medical diagnostics and quantitative cell analysis .…”