A microchip-based multianalyte assay system for the assessment of cardiac risk

The development of a novel chip-based multianalyte detection system with a cardiac theme is reported. This work follows the initial reports of "electronic taste chips" whereby multiple solution-phase analytes such as acids, bases, metal cations, and biological cofactors were detected and quantitated. The newly fashioned "cardiac chip" exploits a geometry that allows for isolation and entrapment of single polymeric spheres in micromachined pits while providing to each bead the rapid introduction of a series of reagents/washes through microfluidic structures. The combination of these miniaturized components fosters the completion of complex assays with short analysis times using small sample volumes. Optical signals derived from single beads are used to complete immunological tests that yield outstanding assay characteristics. The power and utility of this new methodology is demonstrated here for the simultaneous detection of the cardiac risk factors, C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, in human serum samples. This demonstration represents the first important step toward the development of a useful cardiac chip that targets numerous risk factors concurrently and one that can be customized readily for specific clinical settings.