Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lu Huang, Yin Chen, Jianhua Zhou
Summary: Heterogeneous cell-cell communications are crucial for regulating biological processes and diseases. Traditional cell co-culture methods provide bulk-averaged results, while single-cell co-culture based on microfluidic platforms can reveal heterogeneous interactions between different cell types at single-cell resolution.
CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Taeyung Kim, Jaewook Kim, Jeon Woong Kang, Sun Beom Kwon, Jiwoo Hong
Summary: This study presents a compact and low-cost 3D digital microfluidics (DMF) platform constructed using 3D printing technology, which can be used for various biological, chemical, and medicinal research. The platform allows for basic 3D droplet manipulation and has been validated for chemical reaction-based analysis and synthesis. The proposed 3D DMF platform offers ease of manufacturing and flexibility for programmable 3D droplet manipulation in biochemical and medical applications.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Tomasz Zablotny, Matthew Courtney, Jan P. Huissoon, Carolyn L. Ren
Summary: The usability and robustness of droplet microfluidic devices are major challenges to their widespread adoption. This study presents a compact and cost-effective droplet sensing system that utilizes lensless imaging techniques. The system can detect nearly all droplet interfaces with accuracy and performance similar to existing optical microscope-based systems. This system has the potential to miniaturize and modularize droplet microfluidic systems, paving the way for widespread adoption.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Guanqiu Hao, Cheng Yu, Yingying Chen, Xiangdong Liu, Yongping Chen
Summary: A facile microfluidic approach is used to fabricate robust PCM capsules, in which multilayer graphene is introduced to improve the thermal conductivity of the PCM. Experimental tests show that the PCM can be controllably encapsulated with high monodispersity and reliable core-shell structure. The size and thermo-regulation ability of the capsules can be controlled precisely by adjusting the flow rates. The addition of multilayer graphene enhances the thermal conductivity of the capsules without significant reduction in energy storage capacity, resulting in faster response to ambient thermal changes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Xiao Zhou, Yuanhang Mao, Miao Gu, Zhen Cheng
Summary: Researchers developed a microfluidic system embedded with a weakly supervised cell counting network (WSCNet) to generate microfluidic droplets, evaluate their quality, and accurately recognize the locations of encapsulated cells.
Article
Biophysics
Xiaoyu Yue, Xiaoxia Fang, Tong Sun, Jingwei Yi, Xiaojun Kuang, Qingsheng Guo, Yao Wang, Hongchen Gu, Hong Xu
Summary: The BOAD system breaks through the Poisson distribution by achieving orderly arrangement of particles using sheath flow, Dean vortex, and compression flow channel. It significantly improves single-bead encapsulation efficiency up to 86% and demonstrates potential for bead-based ultra-high multiplexed digital detection.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Yu Wang, Dongyang Cai, Xiuyun Ouyang, Haoyan He, Yunfan Liu, Jingjing Zou, Zhenhua Chen, Bin Wu, Hongkai Wu, Dayu Liu
Summary: This article introduces a method for rapid detection of carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs). The method combines cascade filtration (CF) with droplet digital chromogenic assays (DDCA) using a microfluidic chip. Clinical testing shows that the method has 100% sensitivity and specificity for CRO identification.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Utku M. Soenmez, Nolan Frey, Jonathan S. Minden, Philip R. LeDuc
Summary: This article describes a microfluidic system developed to precisely compress whole Drosophila melanogaster embryos. The system features microchannels with deformable sidewalls, enabling alignment, immobilization, compression, and post-stimulation sample collection. By parallelizing the microchannels, hundreds of embryos can be simultaneously compressed with different patterns. The system offers high throughput, mechanical stimulation or immobilization, and automated alignment, making it useful for studying embryogenesis.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Xilal Y. Rima, Jingjing Zhang, Luong T. H. Nguyen, Aaron Rajasuriyar, Min Jin Yoon, Chi-Ling Chiang, Nicole Walters, Kwang Joo Kwak, L. James Lee, Eduardo Reategui
Summary: Investigating cellular and vesicular heterogeneity in breast cancer is challenging. Researchers have developed a three-dimensional microfluidic system to mimic the tumor microenvironment and study EV in breast cancer. The system can accurately capture and analyze EV, and recapitulate heterogeneity at a cellular and vesicular level.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chuan-Fu Deng, Shi-Hao Yang, Rui Xie, Xiao-Jie Ju, Zhuang Liu, Da-Wei Pan, Jianhong Xu, Guangsheng Luo, Wei Wang, Liang-Yin Chu
Summary: A strategy based on stepwise nesting of basic fractal networks is proposed for modular microfluidic integration, which enables more flexible choices of microchannel dimensions for uniform flow distribution. Compared to the control group, the nested fractal networks can significantly improve the monodispersity of droplet size.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
C. R. S. Mesquita, L. E. Charelli, L. S. Baptista, C. P. Naveira-Cotta, T. A. Balbino
Summary: The study presents a continuous process for encapsulating mesenchymal stem cell spheroids into alginate hydrogel droplets using a glass-capillary-based microfluidic device, achieving efficient encapsulation and droplet stability. The technology demonstrates high applicability in forefront regenerative medicine strategies, such as droplet-based bioprinting, showing promising prospects in tissue engineering and other fields.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Taegyu Won, Deasung Jang, Kang Yong Lee, Sang Kug Chung
Summary: This paper presents a new type of digital microfluidic platform that combines acoustic bubble excitation and electrowetting droplet manipulation to achieve efficient droplet mixing. The use of microstreaming generated by acoustically excited bubbles significantly enhances mixing efficiency on the open surface, as demonstrated by experimental results.
JOURNAL OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Marie Hebert, Jan Huissoon, Carolyn L. Ren
Summary: Microfluidics has made significant progress as a field, but its independent use by end-users is still limited. This review aims to explore the potential of microfluidics as a tool for application-focused research and proposes a modular automated platform to lower the knowledge barrier for end-users. The analysis focuses on active microfluidics and its potential for end-users to conduct independent research in areas such as cell assays, biochemistry, materials, and environmental factors monitoring.
JOURNAL OF MICROMECHANICS AND MICROENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor Dal Posolo Cinel, Thiago Bezerra Taketa, Bruna Gregatti de Carvalho, Lucimara Gaziola de la Torre, Lucas Rodrigues de Mello, Emerson Rodrigo da Silva, Sang Won Han
Summary: Efficient delivery of nanometric vectors complexed with nanoparticles to target tissues is crucial for gene therapy, and one possible solution is to confine these vectors within microgels for slow and local release. Alginate microgels with high encapsulation efficiency and continuous release of nanoparticles over time are considered valuable for gene therapy research.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Marieke Scheffen, Daniel G. Marchal, Thomas Beneyton, Sandra K. Schuller, Melanie Klose, Christoph Diehl, Jessica Lehmann, Pascal Pfister, Martina Carrillo, Hai He, Selcuk Aslan, Nina S. Cortina, Peter Claus, Daniel Bollschweiler, Jean-Christophe Baret, Jan M. Schuller, Jan Zarzycki, Arren Bar-Even, Tobias J. Erb
Summary: The development of a new enzyme GCC with improved catalytic efficiency is a key step towards enhancing carbon efficiency in various processes. By combining active-site design and engineering of other enzymes, a carboxylation module was created, which can be interfaced with natural metabolism and CO2 fixation, providing new opportunities for biotechnology and agriculture.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Remi Merindol, Nicolas Martin, Thomas Beneyton, Jean-Christophe Baret, Serge Ravaine
Summary: This study addresses the challenges of controlling the size of DNA microstructures and embedding them with fast responsiveness by combining arrested phase separation and microfluidic confinement to produce monodisperse DNA particles and implementing a light-controlled coil-globule transition of the microgel DNA network. The assembly of light-responsive microgel superstructures is demonstrated as proof-of-concept hierarchical all-DNA materials.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Mathias Girault, Raffaele Siano, Claire Labry, Marie Latimier, Cecile Jauzein, Thomas Beneyton, Lionel Buisson, Yolanda Del Amo, Jean-Christophe Baret
Summary: By comparing alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) in two different dinoflagellate species revived from sediment samples dating back to the 1940s and 1990s, this study reveals both inter and intraspecific variabilities in APA. The results suggest that these dinoflagellates may have undergone similar adaptive evolution over a half-century timescale to face environmental changes and gain ecological advantages.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anna Schepers, Charlotta Lorenz, Peter Nietmann, Andreas Janshoff, Stefan Klumpp, Sarah Koster
Summary: The mechanical properties of cells are largely determined by the cytoskeleton, with the intermediate filament network being the most extensible and stress-resilient. A multiscale approach is used to analyze the contributions of single-filament mechanics, filament length, and interactions between filaments to vimentin IF network mechanics. Hydrophobic contributions primarily affect filament elongation kinetics, while electrostatics influence filament-filament interactions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura Schaedel, Charlotta Lorenz, Anna V. Schepers, Stefan Klumpp, Sarah Koester
Summary: The study demonstrates that vimentin intermediate filaments stabilize microtubules against depolymerization and support microtubule rescue through direct interactions in a reconstituted in vitro system. By measuring interaction forces and numerical simulations, insights into the physical nature of these interactions and their effects on microtubule dynamics are provided.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Andrew Wittmeier, Marten Bernhardt, Anna-Lena Robisch, Chiara Cassini, Markus Osterhoff, Tim Salditt, Sarah Koester
Summary: This study explores the use of high-resolution imaging techniques combining hard X-ray propagation-based phase contrast tomography and visible light confocal microscopy to study the structure of DNA in the cell nucleus. This method allows for quantification of nuclear material properties and spatial localization and physical characterization of different types of heterochromatin, euchromatin, pericentric heterochromatin foci, and nucleoli.
BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Anna M. Steyer, Tobias J. Buscham, Charlotta Lorenz, Sophie Huemmert, Maria A. Eichel-Vogel, Leonie C. Schadt, Julia M. Edgar, Sarah Koester, Wiebke Moebius, Klaus-Armin Nave, Hauke B. Werner
Summary: Healthy CNS myelin sheaths facilitate normal axonal diameter and shape, which are impaired when structural myelin proteins PLP or MAG are lacking, leading to axonal pathology and myelin outfoldings.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julia Kraxner, Sarah Koester
Summary: The cytoskeleton of eukaryotes is composed of actin filaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments, with the latter being prone to phosphorylation and resulting in additional charges on affected amino acids. Recent experiments using protein systems or living cells have identified that these altered charge patterns play diverse roles in cellular functions and processes, such as filament assembly, softening, network remodeling, cell migration, interactions with other proteins, and biochemical signaling.
BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Jan-Philipp Burchert, Rita Graceffa, Oliva Saldanha, Manfred Burghammer, Sarah Koester
Summary: X-ray is suitable for studying intact biological cells due to its deep penetration depth and high resolution. However, the investigation of suspended cells in flow using X-ray techniques is challenging. To address this issue, an X-ray compatible microfluidic device is developed, and it is demonstrated to be useful for studying suspended cells in continuous flow through small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis of chemically fixed bovine red blood cells.
JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Zi Lin, Thomas Beneyton, Jean-Christophe Baret, Nicolas Martin
Summary: The design and construction of synthetic cells, which mimic features of living cells, has seen a significant increase in the past decade. Coacervate droplets produced by liquid-liquid phase separation have emerged as an alternative membrane-free compartmentalization paradigm. This article discusses the dual role of coacervate droplets in synthetic cell research as surrogates of membraneless organelles and as cytosol-like templates for constructing integrated synthetic cells. The potential of coacervate droplets to assemble integrated synthetic cells capable of multiple life-inspired functions is showcased, along with future challenges in the field.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomas Moragues, Diana Arguijo, Thomas Beneyton, Cyrus Modavi, Karolis Simutis, Adam R. Abate, Jean-Christophe Baret, Andrew J. deMello, Douglas Densmore, Andrew D. Griffiths
Summary: Droplet-based microfluidic systems have the ability to generate, manipulate, and control microlitre droplets. They offer precise control over the chemical and biological contents of each droplet, and can produce thousands of droplets per second, transforming how chemists and biologists perform high-throughput or massively parallel experiments.
NATURE REVIEWS METHODS PRIMERS
(2023)
Review
Biophysics
C. Lorenz, S. Koester
Summary: Different types of biological cells respond differently to mechanical stresses, mainly governed by the cytoskeleton. Understanding the complex mechanics of cytoskeletal networks has important implications in polymer physics, materials science, synthetic cell approaches, and resolving biomedical problems.
BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Julia Kallberg, Wenjin Xiao, David Van Assche, Jean-Christophe Baret, Valerie Taly
Summary: Single cell multimodal analysis is an advanced method in single cell research, providing insights into cellular processes by analyzing the roles and functions of different cell types simultaneously. Current single cell approaches are rapidly moving towards multimodal characterizations, offering new understandings in cell fate decisions and physiological heterogeneity.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Eleonora Perego, Sarah Koester
Summary: By using a multi-layer microfluidic device and fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy, the study investigated the assembly of vimentin intermediate filaments, revealing a two-step assembly process with a quantified time scale for the first lateral step. This innovative method may have potential applications in studying fast molecular reactions in biological or soft matter systems.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Manuela Denz, Manuel Marschall, Harald Herrmann, Sarah Koester
Summary: The study reveals that different ion types and concentrations influence the assembly of vimentin intermediate filaments, with monovalent ions leading to the formation of standard filaments while divalent and multivalent ions result in thicker filaments. These findings are important for understanding the formation and stability of the cytoskeleton in cells.
