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Recent advances in integrated microfluidics for liquid biopsies and future directions
Jianjian Zhuang1, Liping Xia2, Zheyu Zou2
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Cancer Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, China.
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
|September 29, 2022
Summary
Liquid biopsies offer non-invasive tumor detection. Microfluidic technology enhances the detection of biomarkers like circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and ctDNA, addressing challenges for personalized cancer care.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Oncology
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Liquid biopsies are gaining traction for cancer diagnosis due to their non-invasive nature, high sensitivity, and convenience.
- Advances in microfluidic technology enable high-throughput, sensitive, and controlled detection of biomarkers in biological fluids.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review state-of-the-art microfluidic designs and fabrication techniques for liquid biopsies.
- To discuss the application of microfluidics in detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs), exosomes, and circulating cell-free DNA (ctDNA).
- To identify current challenges and future directions for microfluidic technology in liquid biomarker detection.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on microfluidic devices for biological sample processing.
- Analysis of microfluidic applications in the separation, purification, and detection of key liquid biopsy analytes.
- Discussion of technological advancements and their impact on clinical utility.
Main Results:
- Microfluidics significantly enhances the sensitivity and throughput of liquid biopsy analysis.
- Current microfluidic platforms are effective for detecting CTCs, exosomes, and ctDNA.
- Integration of multiple functions (separation, purification, detection) on-chip is a key advancement.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic technology is pivotal for advancing liquid biopsy applications in oncology.
- Addressing challenges in microfluidic design and detection sensitivity is crucial for personalized cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Future research should focus on improving multiplexed detection and clinical translation of microfluidic liquid biopsy platforms.
