The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in nanomedicine holds
great promise
for the treatment of diseases for which conventional therapies present
serious limitations. Additionally, NPs can drastically improve early
diagnosis and follow-up of many disorders. However, to harness their
full capabilities, they must be precisely designed, produced, and
tested in relevant models. Microfluidic systems can simulate dynamic
fluid flows, gradients, specific microenvironments, and multiorgan
complexes, providing an efficient and cost-effective approach for
both NPs synthesis and screening. Microfluidic technologies allow
for the synthesis of NPs under controlled conditions, enhancing batch-to-batch
reproducibility. Moreover, due to the versatility of microfluidic
devices, it is possible to generate and customize endless platforms
for rapid and efficient in vitro and in vivo screening of NPs’
performance. Indeed, microfluidic devices show great potential as
advanced systems for small organism manipulation and immobilization.
In this review, first we summarize the major microfluidic platforms
that allow for controlled NPs synthesis. Next, we will discuss the
most innovative microfluidic platforms that enable mimicking in vitro
environments as well as give insights into organism-on-a-chip and
their promising application for NPs screening. We conclude this review
with a critical assessment of the current challenges and possible
future directions of microfluidic systems in NPs synthesis and screening
to impact the field of nanomedicine.