scholarly journals Fabrication and Applications of Microfluidic Devices: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 2011
Author(s):  
Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu ◽  
Cristina Chircov ◽  
Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă ◽  
Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Cell Culture ◽  
Material Science ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Microfluidic Chips ◽  
Drug Encapsulation ◽  
Microfluidic Technology ◽  
Nanoparticle Preparation

Microfluidics is a relatively newly emerged field based on the combined principles of physics, chemistry, biology, fluid dynamics, microelectronics, and material science. Various materials can be processed into miniaturized chips containing channels and chambers in the microscale range. A diverse repertoire of methods can be chosen to manufacture such platforms of desired size, shape, and geometry. Whether they are used alone or in combination with other devices, microfluidic chips can be employed in nanoparticle preparation, drug encapsulation, delivery, and targeting, cell analysis, diagnosis, and cell culture. This paper presents microfluidic technology in terms of the available platform materials and fabrication techniques, also focusing on the biomedical applications of these remarkable devices.

scholarly journals Patterning Biological Gels for 3D Cell Culture inside Microfluidic Devices by Local Surface Modification through Laminar Flow Patterning

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1112
Author(s):  
Joshua Loessberg-Zahl ◽  
Jelle Beumer ◽  
Albert van den Berg ◽  
Jan Eijkel ◽  
Andries van der Meer
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Laminar Flow ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Umbilical Vein ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Microfluidic Channel ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Microfluidic Chips ◽  
Surface Patterns ◽  
Flow Velocities

Microfluidic devices are used extensively in the development of new in vitro cell culture models like organs-on-chips. A typical feature of such devices is the patterning of biological hydrogels to offer cultured cells and tissues a controlled three-dimensional microenvironment. A key challenge of hydrogel patterning is ensuring geometrical confinement of the gel, which is generally solved by inclusion of micropillars or phaseguides in the channels. Both of these methods often require costly cleanroom fabrication, which needs to be repeated even when only small changes need be made to the gel geometry, and inadvertently expose cultured cells to non-physiological and mechanically stiff structures. Here, we present a technique for facile patterning of hydrogel geometries in microfluidic chips, but without the need for any confining geometry built into the channel. Core to the technique is the use of laminar flow patterning to create a hydrophilic path through an otherwise hydrophobic microfluidic channel. When a liquid hydrogel is injected into the hydrophilic region, it is confined to this path by the surrounding hydrophobic regions. The various surface patterns that are enabled by laminar flow patterning can thereby be rendered into three-dimensional hydrogel structures. We demonstrate that the technique can be used in many different channel geometries while still giving the user control of key geometric parameters of the final hydrogel. Moreover, we show that human umbilical vein endothelial cells can be cultured for multiple days inside the devices with the patterned hydrogels and that they can be stimulated to migrate into the gel under the influence of trans-gel flows. Finally, we demonstrate that the patterned gels can withstand trans-gel flow velocities in excess of physiological interstitial flow velocities without rupturing or detaching. This novel hydrogel-patterning technique addresses fundamental challenges of existing methods for hydrogel patterning inside microfluidic chips, and can therefore be applied to improve design time and the physiological realism of microfluidic cell culture assays and organs-on-chips.

scholarly journals 3D-Printed Microfluidics and Potential Biomedical Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Prabhakar ◽  
Raj Kumar Sen ◽  
Neeraj Dwivedi ◽  
Raju Khan ◽  
Pratima R. Solanki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Microfluidic Chips ◽  
3D Printers ◽  
Broad Variety ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Diagnostic Technologies ◽  
Printing Techniques

3D printing is a smart additive manufacturing technique that allows the engineering of biomedical devices that are usually difficult to design using conventional methodologies such as machining or molding. Nowadays, 3D-printed microfluidics has gained enormous attention due to their various advantages including fast production, cost-effectiveness, and accurate designing of a range of products even geometrically complex devices. In this review, we focused on the recent significant findings in the field of 3D-printed microfluidic devices for biomedical applications. 3D printers are used as fabrication tools for a broad variety of systems for a range of applications like diagnostic microfluidic chips to detect different analytes, for example, glucose, lactate, and glutamate and the biomarkers related to different clinically relevant diseases, for example, malaria, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. 3D printers can print various materials (inorganic and polymers) with varying density, strength, and chemical properties that provide users with a broad variety of strategic options. In this article, we have discussed potential 3D printing techniques for the fabrication of microfluidic devices that are suitable for biomedical applications. Emerging diagnostic technologies using 3D printing as a method for integrating living cells or biomaterials into 3D printing are also reviewed.

Synthesis of mussel-inspired polydopamine-gallium nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Nanomedicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Valdir Uchôa Teixeira ◽  
Fátima Raquel Azevedo Maia ◽  
Mariana Carvalho ◽  
Rui Reis ◽  
Joaquim Miguel Oliveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Adipose Derived Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Analysis ◽  
Shell Formation ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Alkali Medium ◽  
Reproducible Method ◽  
Gallium Nanoparticles

Aim: To established a simple, controlled and reproducible method to synthesize gallium (Ga)-coated polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles (NPs). Materials & methods: PDA NPs were synthesized in alkali medium with posterior Ga shell formation due to ion chelation on the NP surface. Results: The obtained results with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed the incorporation of Ga on the PDA NP surface. The cytotoxicity of Ga-coated PDA NPs was evaluated in vitro at different concentrations in contact with human adipose-derived stem cells. Further cell analysis also demonstrated the benefit of Ga-coated PDA NPs, which increased the cell proliferation rate compared with noncoated PDA NPs. Conclusion: This study indicated that Ga could work as an appropriate shell for PDA NPs, inducing cell proliferation at the analyzed concentrations.

scholarly journals Special Issue: Biointerface Coatings for Biomaterials and Biomedical Applications

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 423
Author(s):  
Hsien-Yeh Chen ◽  
Peng-Yuan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Surface Properties ◽  
Material Science ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Material Surface ◽  
Special Issue

The success of recent material science and applications in biotechnologies should be credited to developments of malleable surface properties, as well as the adaptation of conjugation reactions to the material surface [...]

scholarly journals Strategy for fast manufacturing of 3D hydrodynamic focusing multilayer microfluidic chips and its application for flow-based synthesis of gold nanoparticles

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanwei Wang ◽  
Michael Seidel
Keyword(s):  
Gold Nanoparticles ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Microfluidic Chips ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Hydrodynamic Focusing ◽  
Pressure Sensitive Adhesive ◽  
Pmma Sheet ◽  
Pressure Sensitive ◽  
Working Device ◽  
Channel Structures

AbstractFabrication of 3D microfluidic devices is normally quite expensive and tedious. A strategy was established to rapidly and effectively produce multilayer 3D microfluidic chips which are made of two layers of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) sheets and three layers of double-sided pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes. The channel structures were cut in each layer by cutting plotter before assembly. The structured channels were covered by a PMMA sheet on top and a PMMA carrier which contained threads to connect with tubing. A large variety of PMMA slides and PSA tapes can easily be designed and cut with the help of a cutting plotter. The microfluidic chip was manually assembled by a simple lamination process.The complete fabrication process from device design concept to working device can be completed in minutes without the need of expensive equipment such as laser, thermal lamination, and cleanroom. This rapid frabrication method was applied for design of a 3D hydrodynamic focusing device for synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as proof-of-concept. The fouling of AuNPs was prevented by means of a sheath flow. Different parameters such as flow rate and concentration of reagents were controlled to achieve AuNPs of various sizes. The sheet-based fabrication method offers a possibility to create complex microfluidic devices in a rapid, cheap and easy way.

Multi-Layer Construction Process for Fabricating Electrospun Fiber Embedded Microfluidic Devices

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Chang Yan ◽  
John Sperduto ◽  
Michael Rossini ◽  
Michael Sebok
Keyword(s):  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Electrospun Fiber ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Device Optimization ◽  
Specialized Equipment ◽  
Microfabrication Techniques

Microfluidic devices are widely used in biomedical applications owing to their inherent advantages. Microfabrication techniques are common methods for fabricating microfluidic devices, which require specialized equipment. This paper presents a multi-layer construction process for producing microfluidic devices via integrating two accessible fabrication techniques — hydrogel molding, a microfabrication-free method, and electrospinning (ES). The formed microchannels were examined via analyzing micrographs. Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the method and potential for incorporating complex channels and device optimization.

Low density cell culture of locust neurons in closed-channel microfluidic devices

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 1003-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Göbbels ◽  
Anja Lena Thiebes ◽  
André van Ooyen ◽  
Uwe Schnakenberg ◽  
Peter Bräunig
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Closed Channel
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