Experimental Investigation of Microfluidic Device for Platelet Activation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy accelerates wound healing through released growth factors.
• Current PRP activation often relies on chemical stimulants, potentially causing immune reactions.
• Stimulating platelets mechanically offers an alternative to chemical activators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate mechanical methods for platelet activation.
• To stimulate platelets without using chemical agents for enhanced PRP therapy.
• To investigate microfluidic and ultrasound-assisted devices for platelet activation.

Main Methods:

• Designed microfluidic chips utilizing shear-induced platelet activation (8-nodes, 40-nodes, pillar-shaped).
• Employed a piezo-based ultrasound-assisted device (0.55 and 1.1 MHz) for platelet stimulation.
• Quantified platelet activation using CD62P (P-Selectin) expression.

Main Results:

• The 8-node microfluidic chip achieved the highest platelet activation rate (72.7%).
• The ultrasound device yielded a 32.4% activation rate at 0.55 MHz and 10 Vp-p.
• Both mechanical methods significantly surpassed spontaneous platelet activation (8.5%).

Conclusions:

• Mechanical platelet activation using microfluidic devices and ultrasound is effective.
• These methods enhance PRP treatment efficacy and may reduce adverse immune responses.
• Developed devices are fast-response, low-cost, and user-friendly for PRP applications.