Disease relevance of Microfluidics

• Abl, which is a protein tyrosine kinase whose constitutive activity is responsible for chronic myelogenous leukemia, was covalently linked to the surfaces of silicon nanowires within microfluidic channels to create active electrical devices [1].
• Viable E. coli cells were entrapped in hydrogel micropatches photopolymerized within microfluidic systems [2].
• Microfluidic separations of multiplex PCR products generated from methicillin-resistant/sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA/MSSA) DNA on microfluidic capillary electrophoresis (CE) devices are successfully detected with the integrated detector [3].

High impact information on Microfluidics

• Microfluidic networks (microFNs) were used to pattern biomolecules with high resolution on a variety of substrates (gold, glass, or polystyrene) [4].
• This Account summarizes techniques for fabrication and applications in biomedicine of microfluidic devices fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) [5].
• To improve visualization and the control of cell position, we have developed a simple alternative patch clamp technique based on microfluidic junctions between a main chamber and lateral recording capillaries, all fabricated by micromolding of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) [6].
• Using electroosmosis to drive flow through microfluidic channels, we pulse minute quantities of a bradykinin solution through four 5-microm apertures onto PC12 cells and show stimulation of individual cells using a Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent dye [7].
• To test these models, we developed a microfluidic device capable of partially stimulating an islet, while allowing observation of the NAD(P)H and [Ca2+]i responses [8].

Biological context of Microfluidics

• The detection of doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in individual cardiomyocytes was performed on a microfluidic device [9].
• A microfluidic flow-through device for biochemical reactions on beads was used to take advantage of the reaction kinetics to increase the sequence specificity of the DNA polymerase, discriminating mismatched configurations from matched [10].
• When exocytosis events occurred, the microfluidic system detected the fluorescent signal of quinacrine, which was released from RBL-2H3 cells by using a photomultiplier tube (PMT) fitted onto a microscope [11].
• In numerous applications in microfluidics, cell growth, soft lithography, and molecular imprinting, the surface of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is modified from a hydrophobic methyl-terminated surface to a hydrophilic hydroxyl-terminated surface [12].
• Neutrophil migration in opposing chemoattractant gradients using microfluidic chemotaxis devices [13].

Anatomical context of Microfluidics

• Previous reports on stimulating NO production using an immobilized endothelium in microfluidic channels were limited by the requirement of ATP concentrations of at least 100 muM, a value that is not physiologically relevant [14].
• The electrokinetic focusing and the resultant accelerated electrophoretic motion of polystyrene particles and red blood cells were visualized in microfluidic cross-channels [15].
• The ability to monitor NO production with ATP concentrations that are similar to in vivo levels of ATP in the microcirculation represents a major advance in the use of microfluidic technology as an in vitro model of the microcirculation [14].
• Local induction of acetylcholine receptor clustering in myotube cultures using microfluidic application of agrin [16].
• Based on the large surface area to volume ratio of porous membrane media, adsorbed BSA onto the PVDF membranes enables high resolution separation of racemic mixtures with sample consumption of sub-nanogram or less in the integrated microfluidic networks [17].

Associations of Microfluidics with chemical compounds

• There is a wide range of literature on soft lithography, organic surface science (especially self-assembled monolayers of organic thiols adsorbed on gold) and microfluidics [18].
• Applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, the fabrication of microfluidic devices and the preparation of high-density cell arrays employ hydrogel materials that are often prepared by this technique [19].
• The Letter reports an experimental study of microfluidic droplets produced in T junctions and subjected to a local periodic forcing [20].
• The principle is demonstrated using a microfluidic chip made of poly(methyl methacrylate) with integrated soft ferromagnetic plate structures [21].
• Linear and rapid separation of proteins was achieved in the polyacrylamide-coated COC microfluidic device [22].

Gene context of Microfluidics

• The SARS virus species can be analyzed with high positive rate and rapidity on the microfluidic chip system [23].
• We developed a microfluidic system with microstructured membranes for exposing neutrophils to fast and precise changes between stable, linear gradients of the known chemoattractant Interleukin-8 (IL-8) [24].
• Human NSCs (hNSCs) from the developing cerebral cortex were cultured for more than 1 week in the microfluidic device while constantly exposed to a continuous gradient of a growth factor (GF) mixture containing epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) [25].
• The three-dimensional topology of the microfluidic network in the stamp makes this technique a versatile one with which to pattern multiple types of proteins and cells in complex, discontinuous structures on a surface [26].
• To obtain the single-turnover rate constant (k = 1100 +/- 250 s(-1)), four new features for this microfluidics platform were demonstrated: (i) rapid on-chip dilution, (ii) multiple time range access, (iii) biocompatibility with RNase A, and (iv) explicit treatment of mixing for improving time resolution of the system [27].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Microfluidics

• Isoelectric focusing in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic chip [28].
• Immobilization of DNA hydrogel plugs in microfluidic channels [29].
• A microfluidic chip based on capillary electrophoresis coupled with a cellulose-single-stranded DNA (cellulose-ssDNA) modified electrode was used for the simultaneous analysis of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-DOPA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and ascorbic acid (AA) [30].
• Microbioassay system for antiallergic drug screening using suspension cells retaining in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic device [31].
• Surface characterization using chemical force microscopy and the flow performance of modified polydimethylsiloxane for microfluidic device applications [32].

References