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Microfluidic Buffer Exchange for Interference-free Micro/Nanoparticle Cell Engineering
Published on: July 10, 2016
Crossing microfluidic streamlines to lyse, label and wash cells
Keith J Morton1, Kevin Loutherback, David W Inglis
1Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton University, NJ, USA.
Lab on a Chip
|September 27, 2008
Summary
This study introduces a microfluidic method for sequential on-chip biological processing. It enables efficient cell treatments and sample preparation by moving particles across chemical streams without cross-contamination.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microfluidics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Continuous-flow systems are essential for efficient biological processing.
- On-chip methods offer advantages in miniaturization and automation.
- Sequential chemical operations on biological samples are challenging due to cross-contamination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a versatile method for continuous-flow, on-chip biological processing.
- To enable sequential chemical operations on cells, bio-particles, and beads.
- To demonstrate on-chip cell treatments and sample preparation techniques.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an asymmetric post array in pressure-driven microfluidic flow.
- Developed a system for moving particles across multiple, independent chemical streams.
- Implemented sequential on-chip cell labeling, washing, bacterial lysis, and chromosomal extraction.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated precise control over particle movement within microfluidic channels.
- Successfully performed sequential cell treatments including labeling and washing.
- Achieved efficient bacterial lysis and chromosomal extraction on-chip.
- Showcased effective reagent isolation, preventing cross-contamination during cascaded procedures.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic method is versatile for various on-chip biological processing tasks.
- This technique allows for cascaded analytical or treatment procedures on a single device.
- The method effectively isolates reagents, overcoming cross-contamination issues in multi-step processes.
