Blood Plasma Self-Separation Technologies during the Self-Driven Flow in Microfluidic Platforms

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microfluidics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Blood plasma is crucial for disease diagnostics, containing vital biomarkers.
• Current plasma separation methods like centrifugation are time-consuming and off-chip.
• Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) platforms offer potential for efficient, on-chip plasma separation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review mechanisms of passive self-separation technologies for blood plasma.
• To enumerate experimental details and devices utilizing these passive effects.
• To compare performances, limitations, and challenges of passive plasma separation.

Main Methods:

• Focus on passive self-separation techniques relying on microchannel geometry and hydrodynamic forces.
• Discuss devices driven by capillary flow generated by channel surface interactions.
• Review literature on various passive plasma separation approaches.

Main Results:

• Passive self-separation leverages microchannel design and fluid dynamics for plasma isolation.
• Capillary flow is a key driver in these microfluidic systems.
• These methods are advantageous due to ease of fabrication, portability, and user-friendliness.

Conclusions:

• Passive self-separation is a promising technology for on-chip blood plasma isolation.
• Further research is needed to address limitations and challenges for broader application.
• This review provides a comprehensive overview for researchers in the field.