Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Microfluidics:A Boon for Biological Research


Affiliations
1 Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012, India
2 Department of Biotechnology, M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru 560 054, India
 

Microfluidics is an emerging new interdisciplinary field that deals with the manipulation of fluids at the microscale and nanoscale. Having its origins in other areas of science and technology, microfluidics is slowly beginning to make radical changes in various fields of biological sciences. The exclusivity of fluid behaviour at the microscale offers a large number of advantages in biological research such as miniaturization of assays, faster sample processing and rapid detection. This article provides a concise overview of the applications of microfluidics technology in some of the major disciplines of biological research. Furthermore, it also mentions the hurdles that microfluidics is facing and the solutions that are envisaged for the future to make it a widely available, reliable and cost-effective technology.

Keywords

Biological Research, Lab-On-A-Chip, Microfluidics, Microchannels.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Beebe, D. J., Mensing, G. A. and Walker, G. M., Physics and applications of microfluidics in biology. Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng., 2002, 4, 261–286.

  • Sackmann, E. K., Fulton, A. L. and Beebe, D. J., The present and future role of microfluidics in biomedical research. Nature, 2014, 507(7491), 181–189.

  • Mampallil, D. and George, S. D., Microfluidics – a lab in your palm. Resonance, 2012, 17(7), 682–690.

  • Whitesides, G. M., The origins and future of microfluidics. Nature, 2006, 442, 368–373.

  • Ng, J., Gitlin, I., Stroock, A. and Whitesides, G. M., Components for integrated poly (dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic systems. Electrophoresis, 2002, 23, 3461.

  • Mardis, E. R., The impact of next-generation sequencing technology on genetics. Trends Genet., 2008, 24, 133–141.

  • Kim, H. et al., A microfluidic DNA library preparation platform for next-generation sequencing. PLoS ONE, 2013, 8(7), 1–9.

  • Bose, S. et al., Scalable microfluidics for single-cell RNA printing and sequencing. Genome Biol., 2015, 16, 120.

  • Li, X., Ballerini, D. R. and Shen, W., A perspective on paper-based microfluidics: Current status and future trends. Biomicrofluidics, 2012, 6, 1–13.

  • Martinez, A. W. et al., Patterned paper as a platform for inexpensive, low-volume, portable bioassays. Angew. Chem., 2007, 46, 1318–1320.

  • Ellerbee, A. K. et al., Quantifying colorimetric assays in paperbased microfluidic devices by measuring the transmission of light through paper. Anal. Chem., 2009, 81(20), 8447–8452.

  • Yetisen, A. K. et al., Paper-based microfluidic point-of-care diagnostic devices. Lab Chip, 2013, 13, 2210–2251.

  • Ng, A. H., Uddayasankar, U. and Wheeler, A. R., Immunoassays in microfluidic systems. Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2010, 397, 991–1007.

  • Bange, A., Halsall, H. B. and Heineman, W. R., Microfluidic immunosensor systems. Biosens. Bioelectron., 2005, 20, 2488–2503.

  • Yanagisawa, N. et al., Multiplex ELISA in a single microfluidic channel. Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2011, 401, 1173–1181.

  • Wang, T. et al., Ultrasensitive microfluidic solid-phase ELISA using an actuatable microwell-patterned PDMS chip. Lab Chip, 2013, 13, 4190.

  • Wu, J. et al., Extraction, amplification and detection of DNA in microfluidic chip-based assays. Microchim. Acta, 2013, 181(13–14), 1611–1631.

  • Burns, M. A. et al., An integrated nanoliter DNA analysis device. Science, 1998, 282, 484–487.

  • Saleema, Saleh-Lakha and Trevors, J. T., Perspective: microfluidic applications in microbiology. J. Microbiol. Methods, 2010, 82, 108–111.

  • Hooshangi, S., Thiberge, S. and Luxr, M., Dynamics of Drosophila embryonic patterning network perturbed in space and time using microfluidics. Nature, 2005, 434, 1134–1138.

  • Chung, K. et al., A microfluidic array for large-scale ordering and orientation of embryos. Nature Methods, 2013, 8(2), 171–176.

  • Yetisen, A. K. et al., A microsystem-based assay for studying pollen tube guidance in plant reproduction. J. Micromech. Microeng., 2011, 21, 054018.

  • Ghanbari, M. et al., Microfluidic positioning of pollen grains in lab-on-a-chip for single cell analysis. J. Biosci. Bioeng., 2014, 117, 504–511.

  • Kokare, C. R., Biofilm: importance and applications. Indian J. Biotechnol., 2009, 8, 159–168.

  • Richter, L. et al., Development of a microfluidic biochip for online monitoring of fungal biofilm dynamics. Lab Chip, 2007, 7, 1723–1731.

  • Piyasena, M. E. and Graves, S. W., The intersection of flow cytometry with microfluidics and microfabrication. Lab Chip, 2014, 14, 1044–1059.

  • Mao, X. et al., An integrated, multiparametric flow cytometry chip using ‘microfluidic drifting’ based three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing. Biomicrofluidics, 2012, 6(2), 024113–024113-9.

  • Sakamoto, C., Yamaguchi, N. and Nasu, M., Rapid and simple quantification of bacterial cells by using a microfluidic device. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2005, 71(2).

  • Ryley, J. and Pereira-Smith, O. M., Microfluidics device for single cell gene expression analysis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast, 2006, 23, 1065–1073.

  • Takayama, S. et al., Selective chemical treatment of cellular microdomains using multiple laminar streams. Chem. Biol., 2003, 10(2), 123–130.

  • Lu, H. et al., Microfluidic shear devices for quantitative analysis of cell adhesion. Anal. Chem., 2004, 76(18), 5257–5264.

  • Cho, B. S. et al., Passively driven integrated microfluidic system for separation of motile sperm. Anal. Chem., 2003, 75(7), 1671–1675.

  • Huh, D., Hamilton, G. A. and Ingber, D. E., From 3D cell culture to organs-on-chips. Trends Cell Biol., 2011, 21(12), 745–754.

  • Huh, D. et al., Reconstituting organ-level lung functions on a chip. Science, 2010, 328, 1662–1668.

  • Jang, K. J. et al., Human kidney proximal tubule-on-a-chip for drug transport and nephrotoxicity assessment. Integr. Biol., 2013, 5, 1119–1129.

  • Jang, K. et al., Development of an osteoblast-based 3D continuousperfusion microfluidic system for drug screening. Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2008, 390, 825–832.

  • Henley, W. H. and Ramsey, J. M., High electric field strength two-dimensional peptide separations using a microfluidic device. Electrophoresis, 2012, 33(17), 2718–2724.

  • Koesdjojo, M. T., Tennico, Y. H. and Remcho, V. T., Fabrication of a microfluidic system for capillary electrophoresis using a twostage embossing technique and solvent welding on poly (methylmethacrylate) with water as a sacrificial layer. Anal. Chem., 2008, 80, 2311–2318.

  • Das, C., Zhang, J., Denslow, N. D. and Fan, Z. H., Integration of isoelectric focusing with multichannel gel electrophoresis by using microfluidic pseudo-valves. Lab Chip, 2007, 7, 1806–1812.

  • Lau, B. T. C. et al., A complete microfluidic screening platform for rational protein crystallization. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129, 454–455.

  • Du, W., Li, L., Nichols, K. P. and Ismagilov, R. F., SlipChip. Lab Chip, 2009, 9, 2286–2292.

  • Khvostichenko, D. S. et al., X-ray transparent microfluidic chip for mesophase-based crystallization of membrane proteins and onchip structure determination. Cryst. Growth Des., 2014, 14(10), 4886–4890.

  • Neuzil, P. et al., Revisiting lab-on-a-chip technology for drug discovery. Nature, 2011, 11, 620–632.

  • Kang, L., Chung, B. G., Langer, R. and Khademhosseini, A., Microfluidics for drug discovery and development: from target selection to product lifecycle management. Drug Discovery Today, 2008, 13, 1–13.

  • Lombardi, D. and Dittrich, P. S., Droplet microfluidics with magnetic beads: a new tool to investigate drug–protein interactions. Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 2011, 399, 347–352.

  • Sung, J. H. and Shuler, M. L., A micro cell culture analog (microCCA) with 3-D hydrogel culture of multiple cell lines to assess metabolism-dependent cytotoxicity of anti-cancer drugs. Lab Chip, 2009, 9(10), 1385–1394.

  • Ma, H., Xu, H. and Qin, J., Biomimetic tumor microenvironment on a microfluidic platform. Biomicrofluidics, 2013, 7(1), 011501.

  • Jagannadh, V. K. et al., Imaging flow cytometry with femtosecond laser-micromachined glass microfluidic channels. IEEE J. Selected Top. Quantum. Electron., 2015, 21(4).

  • Jagannadh, V. K., Srinivasan, R. and Gorthi, S. S., A semiautomated, field-portable microscopy platform for clinical diagnostic applications. AIP Adv., 2015, 5, 084902.

  • Jagirdar, A., Shetty, P., Satti, S., Garg, S. and Paul, D., A paperfluidic device for dental applications using a novel patterning technique. Anal. Methods, 2015, 7, 1293–1299.

  • Jha, A. K. and Bahga, S. S., Uncertainty quantification in modelling of microfluidic T-sensor based diffusion immunoassay. Biomicrofluidics, 2016, 10, 014105.

  • Bhandari, P., Narahari, T. and Dendukuri, D., ‘Fab-chips’: a versatile, fabric-based platform for low-cost, rapid and multiplexed diagnostics. Lab Chip, 2011, 11(15), 2493–2499.

  • Mitchell, P., Microfluidics – downsizing large-scale biology. Nature Biotechnol., 2001, 19, 717–721.

  • Su, F., Chakrabarty, K. and Fair, R. B., Microfluidics-based biochips: technology issues, implementation platforms, and designautomation challenges. IEEE Trans. Comput.-Aided Des. Integr. Circuits Syst., 2006, 25(2), 211–223.

  • Alvankarian, J., Bahadorimehr, A., Davaji, B. and Majlis, B. Y., Issues and challenges in microfluidic research studies. In 10th IEEE International Conference Semiconductor Electronics, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2012, pp. 333–335.

  • Lee, J. N., Park, C. and Whitesides, G. M., Solvent compatibility of poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic devices. Anal. Chem., 2003, 75, 6544–6554.

  • Fiorini, G. S. and Chiu, D. T., Disposable microfluidic devices: fabrication, function, and application. BioTechniques, 2005, 38, 429–446.


Abstract Views: 311

PDF Views: 84




  • Microfluidics:A Boon for Biological Research

Abstract Views: 311  |  PDF Views: 84

Authors

Karthik Mahesh
Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012, India
Sravanti Vaidya
Department of Biotechnology, M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru 560 054, India

Abstract


Microfluidics is an emerging new interdisciplinary field that deals with the manipulation of fluids at the microscale and nanoscale. Having its origins in other areas of science and technology, microfluidics is slowly beginning to make radical changes in various fields of biological sciences. The exclusivity of fluid behaviour at the microscale offers a large number of advantages in biological research such as miniaturization of assays, faster sample processing and rapid detection. This article provides a concise overview of the applications of microfluidics technology in some of the major disciplines of biological research. Furthermore, it also mentions the hurdles that microfluidics is facing and the solutions that are envisaged for the future to make it a widely available, reliable and cost-effective technology.

Keywords


Biological Research, Lab-On-A-Chip, Microfluidics, Microchannels.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv112%2Fi10%2F2021-2028