Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Co-enrichment of proteins in extracellular vesicles.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Lipidome Analysis of Cancer Cells and Their Extracellular Vesicles Reveals Cancer-Type-Specific Lipid Signatures and Enables the Design of EV-Mimetic Liposomes.

Journal of extracellular vesicles·2026

Same author

Validation of a Lateral Flow Assay for the Qualitative Detection of Domoic Acid in Shellfish.

Journal of AOAC International·2026

Same author

Pure Chitosan Microfluidic Spinning Affords Modular Core-Sheath Fibers and Hand-Crafted Scaffolds with Enhanced Fibroblast Compatibility.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026

Same author

Deterministic droplet-based co-encapsulation of single cells through inertial and hydrodynamic focusing.

The Analyst·2026

Same author

nELISA: a high-throughput, high-plex platform enables quantitative profiling of the inflammatory secretome.

Nature methods·2025

Same journal

Controlled encapsulation and droplet size prediction in two-step microfluidic double emulsions.

Lab on a chip·2026

Same journal

A particulate blood-mimicking fluid with physiological biconcave geometry for microscale hemorheology.

Lab on a chip·2026

Same journal

Multicellular sensor arrays fabricated by capillary stamping for pattern-based odor discrimination.

Lab on a chip·2026

Same journal

A real-time microfluidic surveillance system for multiplex detection of heavy metal contamination in wastewater.

Lab on a chip·2026

Same journal

Vision-guided parallel manipulation of cells with optoelectronic tweezers.

Lab on a chip·2026

Same journal

Review of nanofluidic mass transport systems: engineering through physicochemical fields and interfacial properties.

Lab on a chip·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays

Published on: October 1, 2007

Capillarics: pre-programmed, self-powered microfluidic circuits built from capillary elements.

Roozbeh Safavieh¹, David Juncker

¹Biomedical Engineering Department, McGill University, 740 Dr Penfield Avenue, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada. david.juncker@mcgill.ca.

|August 28, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed complex microfluidic capillary circuits called "capillarics" using novel valves. These systems enable autonomous, sequential delivery of multiple chemicals for applications like C-reactive protein measurement.

More Related Videos

High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods

High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods

Published on: December 23, 2013

Capillary-based Centrifugal Microfluidic Device for Size-controllable Formation of Monodisperse Microdroplets

Capillary-based Centrifugal Microfluidic Device for Size-controllable Formation of Monodisperse Microdroplets

Published on: February 22, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays

Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays

Published on: October 1, 2007

High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods

High Throughput Microfluidic Rapid and Low Cost Prototyping Packaging Methods

Published on: December 23, 2013

Capillary-based Centrifugal Microfluidic Device for Size-controllable Formation of Monodisperse Microdroplets

Capillary-based Centrifugal Microfluidic Device for Size-controllable Formation of Monodisperse Microdroplets

Published on: February 22, 2016

Area of Science:

Microfluidics
Biotechnology
Chemical Engineering

Background:

Microfluidic capillary systems use surface tension for self-powered liquid manipulation.
Current capillary systems are limited to simple fluidic operations.
Complex liquid handling requires advanced microfluidic control.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce complex capillary flow circuits (
capillarics
) for sequential multi-liquid delivery.
To develop novel microfluidic capillary elements for advanced fluidic control.
To demonstrate autonomous chemical delivery for biological assays.

Main Methods:

Introduction of two novel microfluidic capillary elements: retention burst valves and low aspect ratio trigger valves.
Integration of these elements with existing components (flow resistors, retention valves, pumps, reservoirs) to form complex circuits.
Design and fabrication of capillary circuits for autonomous, sequential chemical delivery based on programmed flow rates and timing.

Main Results:

Successfully designed and demonstrated complex capillary circuits capable of sequential flow of multiple liquids with distinct flow rates and flow reversal.
Developed novel retention burst valves and robust low aspect ratio trigger valves enabling advanced fluidic control.
Validated the circuit's capability by autonomously measuring C-reactive protein concentration.

Conclusions:

Complex capillary circuits ('capillarics') can be constructed by combining simple capillary elements, analogous to electronic circuits.
The developed 'capillarics' enable precise, autonomous sequential delivery of multiple chemicals.
Expansion of the building element library and design rules will facilitate even more complex capillary systems.