A versatile snap chip for high-density sub-nanoliter chip-to-chip reagent transfer

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Microfluidics
• Assay Development

Background:

• Coordinated reagent delivery is crucial for microfluidics and microarrays.
• Existing methods rely on advanced equipment and face limitations in array density due to misalignment.
• Previous snap chip development enabled fluidic operations using microscope slides but had spacing limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel double transfer method for high-density reagent transfer using the snap chip.
• To improve precision and reduce misalignment in reagent spotting.
• To demonstrate the versatility and high-throughput capabilities of the enhanced snap chip system.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel double transfer technique for reagent spotting.
• Manufacturing of a user-friendly snapping system for simplified liquid handling.
• Utilizing the enhanced snap chip for simultaneous protein quantification and enzyme inhibition assays.

Main Results:

• Achieved a spot density of 625 spots cm(-2), enabling over 10,000 spots per slide.
• Reduced misalignment from 150-250 μm to <40 μm.
• Quantified 50 proteins in 16 samples with limits of detection in the pg/mL range for 35 proteins.
• Successfully performed a 4-plex homogenous enzyme inhibition assay for 128 conditions.

Conclusions:

• The double transfer method significantly enhances snap chip capabilities for high-density, precise reagent transfer.
• The user-friendly system and high throughput are suitable for diverse applications in microfluidics and assay development.
• This technology facilitates the development of advanced, high-throughput reagent transfer protocols.