Microfluidics technology: future prospects for molecular diagnostics

Lo, Roger C.

doi:10.2147/ahct.s94024

Cited by 14 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 82 publications

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“…In general, more sophisticated and integrated platforms are desirable to efficiently handle these complex analyses. There are also applications in the molecular diagnostics with good prospects toward commercialization [444], including microscopy-based analysis of RBCs [445], image-based RBC motion tracking [446], detection of thrombosis and hemostasis [447,448], immune checkpoint therapies [449], and the "liquid biopsy" of circulating tumor cells and fetal nucleated RBCs [450].…”

Section: Future Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis

et al. 2023

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The utilizations of microfluidic chips for single RBC (red blood cell) studies have attracted great interests in recent years to filter, trap, analyze, and release single erythrocytes for various applications. Researchers in this field have highlighted the vast potential in developing micro devices for industrial and academia usages, including lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip systems. This article critically reviews the current state-of-the-art and recent advances of microfluidics for single RBC analyses, including integrated sensors and microfluidic platforms for microscopic/tomographic/spectroscopic single RBC analyses, trapping arrays (including bifurcating channels), dielectrophoretic and agglutination/aggregation studies, as well as clinical implications covering cancer, sepsis, prenatal, and Sickle Cell diseases. Microfluidics based RBC microarrays, sorting/counting and trapping techniques (including acoustic, dielectrophoretic, hydrodynamic, magnetic, and optical techniques) are also reviewed. Lastly, organs on chips, multi-organ chips, and drug discovery involving single RBC are described. The limitations and drawbacks of each technology are addressed and future prospects are discussed.

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Section: Future Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis

et al. 2023

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“…Several research groups demonstrated complete systems, integrating all steps for PCRbased diagnosis of various pathogens in crude samples for field-use [17][18][19]; to an extent, the potential of POC molecular diagnostic technology is now met in some commercial cartridgebased PCR assays with pre-printed reagents for diagnosis of common infectious diseases and for drug sensitivity tests performed by trained personnel [20,21]. Although, wide commercialization of POC molecular diagnostics requires the integration of all steps on a single chip, with sample-in-answer-out functionality at a low-cost, providing substantial benefits for the enduser compared to alternatives [22,23]. The current potential of higher throughput, more reliable performance and target multiplexing in simpler, "smarter" and truly portable systems, connected in a dedicated health surveillance network is far from being fulfilled [24].…”

Section: Pcr-based Microfluidics In Molecular Diagnosticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fabrication routes via projection stereolithography for 3D-printing of microfluidic geometries for nucleic acid amplification

et al. 2020

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Digital Light Processing (DLP) stereolithography (SLA) as a high-resolution 3D printing process offers a low-cost alternative for prototyping of microfluidic geometries, compared to traditional clean-room and workshop-based methods. Here, we investigate DLP-SLA printing performance for the production of micro-chamber chip geometries suitable for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a key process in molecular diagnostics to amplify nucleic acid sequences. A DLP-SLA fabrication protocol for printed micro-chamber devices with monolithic micro-channels is developed and evaluated. Printed devices were post-processed with ultraviolet (UV) light and solvent baths to reduce PCR inhibiting residuals and further treated with silane coupling agents to passivate the surface, thereby limiting biomolecular adsorption occurences during the reaction. The printed devices were evaluated on a purpose-built infrared (IR) mediated PCR thermocycler. Amplification of 75 base pair long target sequences from genomic DNA templates on fluorosilane and glass modified chips produced amplicons consistent with the control reactions, unlike the non-silanized chips that produced faint or no amplicon. The results indicated good functionality of the IR thermocycler and good PCR compatibility of the printed and silanized SLA polymer. Based on the proposed methods, various microfluidic designs and ideas can be validated in-house at negligible costs without the requirement of tool manufacturing and workshop or clean-room access. Additionally, the versatile chemistry of 3D printing resins enables customised surface properties adding significant value to the printed prototypes. Considering the low setup and unit cost, design flexibility and flexible resin chemistries, DLP-SLA is anticipated to play a key role in future prototyping of microfluidics, particularly in the fields of research biology and molecular diagnostics. From a system point-of-view, the proposed method of thermocycling shows promise for portability and modular integration of funcitonalitites for diagnostic or research applications that utilize nucleic acid amplification technology.

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“…Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is broadly used as a diagnostic tool in clinical applications for its precision, sensitivity, versatility, and quantifiability 1,2 . The quantification and monitoring of small molecules such as drug and metabolites, large proteins, nucleic acids, and even whole pathogens were made possible due to the sensitivity of the antibody-antigen interaction 3 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microfluidics technology holds the promise for improving molecular diagnostic tests through miniaturizing techniques. Microfluidics can simplify the procedures, reduce the assay time and sample reagent consumption, avoid the risk of contamination, lessen the unit cost, lower power consumption, and enhance reaction efficiency 1,8–10 . In general, there are two approaches through microfluidics technology by which immunoassay can be improved: (1) enhanced surface immobilization or (2) effective mass transport and diffusion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utility of Centrifugation-Controlled Convective (C3) Flow for Rapid On-chip ELISA

Espulgar

Tadokoro

Tamiya

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Miniaturizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocols in microfluidics is sought after by researchers for a rapid, high throughput screening, on-site diagnosis, and ease in operation for detection and quantification of biomarkers. Herein, we report the use of the centrifugation-controlled convective (C3) flow as an alternative method in fluid flow control in a ring-structured channel for enhanced on-chip ELISA. A system that consists of a rotating heater stage and a microfluidic disk chip has been developed and demonstrated to detect IgA. The ring-structured channel was partially filled with microbeads (250 µm in diameter) carrying the capture antibodies and the analyte solution was driven by thermal convection flow (50 µL/min) to promote the reaction. The remaining part of the circular channel without microbeads served as the observation area to measure the absorbance value of the labeled protein. Currently, the system is capable of conducting four reactions in parallel and can be performed within 30 min at 300 G. A detection limit of 6.16 ng/mL using 24 µL of target sample (IgA) was observed. By simply changing the capture antibodies, the system is expected to be versatile for other immunoassays.

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Microfluidics technology: future prospects for molecular diagnostics

Cited by 14 publications

References 82 publications

Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis

Advances in Microfluidics for Single Red Blood Cell Analysis

Fabrication routes via projection stereolithography for 3D-printing of microfluidic geometries for nucleic acid amplification

Utility of Centrifugation-Controlled Convective (C3) Flow for Rapid On-chip ELISA

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