Recent innovations in protein separation on microchips by electrophoretic methods: An update

Abstract

Lab-on-a-chip electrophoresis is becoming increasingly useful for protein analysis, thanks to recent developments in this field. This review is an update of the review we published at the start of 2008 [Peng, Y., Pallandre, A., Tran, N. T., Taverna, M., Electrophoresis 2008, 29, 156-177]. The superiority of polymers for the manufacture of analytical microchips has been confirmed. This trend implies several modifications to the processes previously used with glass/silicon chips and requires a better understanding of the interfacial phenomena of these materials. Significant progress in chip-based techniques for protein analysis has been made in the last 2 years. In addition to advances in traditional electrokinetic modes, counter-flow gradient focusing techniques have emerged as useful methods not only for separation, but also for the online preconcentration of samples. This review, with more than 175 references, presents recent advances and novel strategies for EOF measurement, surface treatment, sample pretreatment, detection and innovations relating to the different modes of separation.

“Click” chemistry‐based surface modification of poly(dimethylsiloxane) for protein separation in a microfluidic chip

“…Among diverse elastomer-based microfluidic chips, PDMS microfluidic chips are nontoxic to cells, permeable to gases, impermeable to water and ease of bonding to itself and other substrates. Thus, PDMS microfluidic chips are particularly suitable for separation of biological samples, such as proteins [1]. Unfortunately, PDMS surface is inherently hydrophobic.…”

Recent advances in microfluidic technologies for biochemistry and molecular biology

“…In this regard, chipbased separation formats are especially powerful (54,55). Advantages of performing electrophoresis on the microscale include improved analytical performance (with respect to both efficiency and resolution), lower sample consumption, system portability, and ultra-short analysis times.…”

Poly(ethylene glycol)‐coated microfluidic devices for chip electrophoresis

“…While the motivation for surface modification is quite similar in classical capillary electrophoresis and in microchip electrophoresis (MCE) a simple transfer of established methods is often challenging as microfluidic devices can be manufactured from quite different materials such as thermoplastic polymers, elastomeric compounds but also glass and fused silica. Extensive work on this area has been summarised by several review articles [1][2][3][4]. Glass and in part fused silica are popular chip materials for electrophoresis because of their hydrophilicity which facilitates the filling with aqueous buffers, the good thermal conductivity and in the case of fused silica the excellent transparency in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral range.…”