Chitosan-mediated in situ biomolecule assembly in completely packaged microfluidic devices

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Microfluidics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Microfluidic devices require precise assembly of biomolecules for advanced applications.
• Existing methods often face challenges in preserving biomolecule activity and achieving site-specific assembly.
• Developing facile and generic strategies for in situ biomolecule assembly is crucial for microfluidic device development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile in situ biomolecule assembly method within microfluidic channels.
• To utilize the properties of chitosan for electric signal-guided biomolecule assembly.
• To demonstrate a simple and generic approach for integrating biological components into fabricated microfluidic devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized aminopolysaccharide chitosan for its pH-responsive and reactive properties.
• Employed electric signal-guided assembly onto conductive gold electrode sites within microfluidic channels.
• Used a transparent, nonpermanently packaged microfluidic device for in situ and ex situ monitoring.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated facile in situ biomolecule assembly using chitosan.
• Confirmed chitosan-mediated assembly through in situ fluorescence and ex situ profilometry.
• Achieved preservation of biomolecule activity in an aqueous environment during assembly.

Conclusions:

• The developed strategy offers a simple and generic approach for biomolecule assembly in microfluidic devices.
• This method facilitates the integration of biological components into fully fabricated devices.
• The technique holds significant potential for complex biomolecular analyses, biosensing, and lab-on-a-chip systems.