Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Beiyu Hu, Shun Ye, Dongwei Chen, Bingliang Xie, Ran Hu, Yuxin Qiao, Yanghuan Yu, Haiyan Yu, Xu Zheng, Ying Lan, Wenbin Du
Summary: Conventional picoinjectors face difficulties in eliminating cross-contamination between droplets, while stepinjection effectively increases the pressure difference by elevating the diffusional buffer zone into the main channel, successfully avoiding cross-contamination and enabling widespread use in contamination-sensitive enzymatic assays.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jinbo Li, Yuetong Wang, Lijun Cai, Luoran Shang, Yuanjin Zhao
Summary: Microgels are widely used in various industries, but mass production with uniform size and tunable components remains challenging. A novel centrifugal multi-channel rotating system is introduced for high-throughput generation of monodisperse microgels with tunable sizes, including anisotropic structures. This system also shows potential in drug delivery with the preparation of bicomponent microgels.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Simon Dumas, Mathilde Richerd, Marco Serra, Stephanie Descroix
Summary: This study presents a method using microfabricated NiFe structures, called magnetic microtweezers, to trap and extract magnetic particles from droplets and enable physical separation of single cells. The results show high extraction efficiency and applicability in capturing particles and extracting mRNA.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Mun Hong Loo, Yuta Nakagawa, Soo Hyeon Kim, Akihiro Isozaki, Keisuke Goda
Summary: Droplet microfluidics is a powerful tool for diverse applications in biomedical and industrial fields, with increasing interest in extending droplet sorting to larger droplets. However, limited sorting throughputs of large droplets have hindered their widespread adoption.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Sten ten Klooster, Claire Berton-Carabin, Karin Schroen
Summary: Microfluidic emulsification has the potential to produce emulsions with controlled droplet sizes. To support upscaling, guidelines were provided based on the performance of Upscale Partitioned EDGE (UPE) devices using rapeseed oil and whey proteins. The results showed that the choice of channel dimensions, droplet formation pressure range, and ingredients can significantly affect productivity, with the UPE devices outperforming other reported devices. These findings and design guidelines are important for the development of food emulsions prepared with microfluidics.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Le-He Jin, Yan Wei, Hui-Feng Wang, Jian-Bo Chen, Qun Fang
Summary: A simple method was developed for quantitatively metering nanoliter-scale liquids in parallel using a capillary array, achieving precise droplet generation with a relative standard deviation of 0.2%-3.5%. The system demonstrated high throughput screening capabilities and potential for large-scale analysis with different samples.
Article
Thermodynamics
Gautier Guerin, Abdel El Abed
Summary: This paper evaluates a new high throughput temperature measurement method at the micro-scale. The method is non-invasive and utilizes laser-induced fluorescence of highly monodisperse dye-doped microdroplets in microfluidic channels. Real-time temperature sensing is achieved using two thermo-responsive dyes and a single excitation with a 532 nm laser. The ratio of fluorescence intensities from the two dyes shows a-1.4% variation per degree, indicating the method's versatility for different microchannel sizes. The method is also used to evaluate the thermal evolution of microdroplets' inner temperature during cooling, enabling the study of heat exchanges at the microscale.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaotian Shen, Tiechuan Li, Zhaoxun Wang, Xianwu Ke, Sihong Shen, Haipeng Cui, Yang Yang, Wenlan Guo, Chen Sun, Xuexin Duan
Summary: A novel system was developed in this study to rapidly mix droplets using stereo micro-vortices induced by gigahertz bulk acoustic waves. Two mixing modes, omni-edge mixing mode and uni-edge mixing mode, were identified through investigating the energy transfer process of acoustic waves and the distribution of acoustic streaming, enabling controlled manipulation of droplets of various volumes.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jatin Panwar, Christoph A. A. Merten
Summary: The crosstalk between fluorescent biomarkers in multispectral fluorescence analysis is reduced using a method that modulates multiple laser beams to selectively excite the fluorophores by a single beam of a specific wavelength. The emission signals are acquired only from the fluorescence channel corresponding to the excitation wavelength in a specific time window. This method greatly reduces crosstalk contribution between channels and allows for the resolution of indistinguishable fluorescence populations in droplet analysis.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaozhi Fu, Yueying Zhang, Qiang Xu, Xiaomeng Sun, Fanda Meng
Summary: Droplet-based microfluidics has been widely used in enzyme directed evolution due to its low cost and high throughput. Various sorting methods, including labeled detections like FADS and label-free detections like ECDS, have been developed to improve the efficiency of the system. Recent advancements in microfluidic DE have led to the generation of novel enzymes and highly efficient variants. Challenges and advantages of different sorting methods have been discussed to provide insights for future applications in enzyme DE.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jingyu Wu, David A. Issadore, Daeyeon Lee
Summary: Controlling surface wetting properties of microfluidic channels is essential for reliable performance. Current patterning methods have limited spatial resolution, making them impractical. In this study, a replica mold fabrication technique inspired by soft lithography was developed to transfer channel geometry and surface wettability from a silicon wafer mold to a co-polymer network replica. This technique was successfully demonstrated in the fabrication of a PFPE-PEG-based microfluidic chip with patterned microchannels for double emulsion generation.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Evan Lammertse, Siran Li, Jude Kendall, Catherine Kim, Patrick Morris, Nissim Ranade, Dan Levy, Michael Wigler, Eric Brouzes
Summary: A simple method to magnetize hydrogel beads for automation of the split-pooling method in single-cell genomics has been developed, demonstrating increased yields and washing efficiencies. This approach opens the way to automation and improvement of single-cell genomic workflows.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marta Napiorkowska, Luzius Pestalozzi, Sven Panke, Martin Held, Steven Schmitt
Summary: A high-throughput platform for optimizing microbial protein production is described, using droplet microfluidics and flow cytometry. The platform successfully cultures several industrially relevant bacterial and yeast strains and isolates strains with superior production titers by detecting peptides or proteins released from the cell via autolysis or secretion.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Y. Y. Zhang, H. M. Xia
Summary: This study presents a method for active droplet generation using a cost-effective piezo disk actuator. By controlling the flow rates of discrete and continuous fluids, the droplet volume and spacing can be linearly adjusted, while reducing the restrictions of channel size and fluid viscosity. Furthermore, flexible modulation of the size and morphology of double-emulsion microdroplets is demonstrated using the same method.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Kaiser Parnamets, Tamas Pardy, Ants Koel, Toomas Rang, Ott Scheler, Yannick Le Moullec, Fariha Afrin
Summary: High-throughput microflow cytometry, particularly droplet microflow cytometry (DMFC), enables cell analysis by isolating each cell within a droplet as a microreactor. However, challenges arise when applying commonly used fluorometry and fluorescent microscopy techniques to this novel methodology.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jun Dong, Yan Qiu, Huimin Lv, Yue Yang, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: This study presented a real-scale alveolar chip with movable alveolar walls based on microfluidics to experimentally study particle transport in human lung alveoli under rhythmical respiratory. A new method of mixing particles in aqueous solution instead of air was proposed for visualization of particle transport in the alveoli, providing better resolution and clearer images without losing details. Tracing particle trajectories in the alveoli showed that drag force contributes to reversible particle motion, while gravity is the decisive factor for particle deposition.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Fankhauser, Apostolos Alissandratos, Mantas Liutkus, Christopher J. Easton
Summary: The development of a new cleavable chloro amino acid to replace the relatively rare amino acid methionine greatly expands the scope of producible targets, allowing for simplified peptide synthesis despite the limitations posed by the natural abundance of aliphatic amino acids in proteins.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Jun Dong, Yue Yang, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: Understanding the dynamics of airflow in alveoli and its effect on particle transport and deposition is crucial for understanding lung functions and diseases. This review discusses recent progress in the investigation of alveolar airflow behavior, including studies on lung airway structure and alveolar topology, alveolar modeling, flow behavior findings, and developments in microfluidic devices.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Wei Zhang, Jun Dong, Huimin Lv, Weitao Bai, Hongzhou Lu, Bernd R. Noack, Yonggang Zhu, Yue Yang
Summary: Understanding the transport and sedimentation of particles in the pulmonary alveolus is crucial for investigating the causes of respiratory diseases and advancing drug delivery. This study developed an experimental platform using microfluidic technique to examine particle behavior in a rhythmically expanding alveolar chip. The results revealed the irreversible nature of particle transport in the alveoli, with particles either escaping from the alveolar duct or remaining in the alveoli. The study also compared the settling rates of particles of different sizes, providing valuable data for understanding particle transport and sedimentation in the alveoli.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
F. Hafna Ahmed, Alessandro T. Caputo, Nigel G. French, Thomas S. Peat, Jason Whitfield, Andrew C. Warden, Janet Newman, Colin Scott
Summary: This study presents the high-resolution crystal structures of four open-source chromoproteins, highlighting their potential in protein engineering and synthetic biology applications.
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Bin Ran, Chaozhan Chen, Bo Liu, Minbo Lan, Huaying Chen, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: The detection of sarcosine, a biomarker for prostate cancer, is of great significance. In this study, a Ti3C2TX/Pt-Pd nanocomposite was synthesized and used in a sarcosine biosensor, exhibiting high stability and excellent electrochemical performance for sensitive sarcosine detection. The reliable response in serum samples highlights its potential in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandro Satta, Lygie Esquirol, Birgitta E. Ebert, Janet Newman, Thomas S. Peat, Manuel Plan, Gerhard Schenk, Claudia E. Vickers
Summary: This study investigated the activity of short-chain prenyltransferases (SPTs) and terpenoid synthesis in cyanobacteria. Different model cyanobacteria were found to have different catalytic products of SPTs, one of which has a functional role in tocopherol biosynthesis. Understanding native prenyl phosphate metabolism in cyanobacteria is an important step in developing approaches to engineer the production of different chain-length terpenoids.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Chaozhan Chen, Bin Ran, Bo Liu, Xiaoxuan Liu, Jing Jin, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: In this study, a bio-inspired micropillar array electrode (b mu AE) based on the microfluidic device was proposed to improve the current response of microchip-based electrochemical detection systems. The electrode was inspired by the structure of leatherback sea turtles' mouths. Numerical simulations and experimental measurements were conducted to characterize the performance of b mu AE. The results showed that the rearrangement of micropillars on the microchannel significantly increased the contact area and improved the current response. This study provides a new perspective on the efficient configuration of microarray electrodes and has great potential for highly sensitive electrochemical detection.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Bo Liu, Bin Ran, Chaozhan Chen, Liuyong Shi, Jing Jin, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: Nanoparticle-functionalized transition-metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) have attracted extensive attention in electrochemical detection due to their excellent catalytic performance. In this study, a high-throughput and continuous microfluidic platform was developed for preparing a functional MXene (Ti3C2Tx) with bimetallic nanoparticles (Pt-Pd NPs) at room temperature. The platform integrated 3D micromixers to prevent aggregation of NPs and achieve a homogeneous distribution, allowing easy control of Pt-Pd NP size. The optimized Ti3C2Tx/Pt-Pd showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen peroxide detection.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Huizhu Yang, Yue Yang, Binjian Ma, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: This paper studied a chemical process for creating a superhydrophilic surface on copper foams, found the best way to achieve optimal wicking ability, and is important for understanding flow transport in porous materials.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Huaying Chen, Haixu Meng, Zhenlin Chen, Tong Wang, Chuanpin Chen, Yonggang Zhu, Jing Jin
Summary: This paper presents a microfluidic device for size sorting and in situ clonal culture of single cells. Experimental results show that the device can successfully sort the cells into different size ranges and perform time-lapse imaging during in situ culture.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yang Liu, Shiyu Wang, Menghua Lyu, Run Xie, Weijin Guo, Ying He, Xuyang Shi, Yang Wang, Jingyu Qi, Qianqian Zhu, Hui Zhang, Tao Luo, Huaying Chen, Yonggang Zhu, Xuan Dong, Zida Li, Ying Gu, Longqi Liu, Xun Xu, Ya Liu
Summary: The rapid advancement of single-cell omics technology is crucial for addressing challenges in precision medicine, with the development of an all-in-droplet method proving to be a labor-saving approach for monitoring TCR-T cells.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jiaming Shi, Wenqiang Tong, Zhihang Yu, Lei Tong, Huaying Chen, Jing Jin, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: Cell metabolite detection is crucial for cell analysis. This paper presents a microfluidic chip with a backflow prevention channel for cell culture and lactate detection. It effectively separates the culture chamber and detection zone, preventing cell contamination caused by backflow. The chip allows for lactate concentration analysis without cell contamination, and has been successfully demonstrated in measuring lactate production in HUVEC cells. The chip shows stability in quick detection and has potential applications in cell analysis, drug screening, and disease diagnosis.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bo Liu, Bin Ran, Chaozhan Chen, Liuyong Shi, Ya Liu, Huaying Chen, Yonggang Zhu
Summary: This study developed a high-performance 3D micromixer using low-cost 3D printing technology. The micromixer demonstrated excellent mixing performance over a wide range of flow rates and viscosities. The experimental results showed a mixing efficiency of over 96.5% for water and over 85.1% for solutions with viscosities nearly 13 times that of water. The micromixer also achieved rapid mixing with a mixing time of 883.7 mu s for aqueous solutions.
REACTION CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chang Chen, Yonggang Zhu, Joshua W. K. Ho, Huaying Chen
Summary: This paper presents a method for developing a microfluidic chip integrating pneumatic microvalves to print single cells with appropriate size into standard well plates, and provides essential guidelines for chip manufacturing, control of cell size, and printing of single cells.
