A Facile Surface Modification Strategy for Antibody Immobilization on 3D-Printed Surfaces.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• 3D-printed microdevices are crucial for point-of-care (POC) immunoassays.
• Limitations exist in 3D-printed resin adsorption for immunorecognition, hindering ELISA development.
• Novel surface modification is needed to optimize 3D-printed platforms for immunoassays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile surface modification protocol for 3D-printed resins to improve ELISA performance.
• To enable direct ELISA execution on 3D-printed microdevices.
• To demonstrate broad compatibility and enhanced assay sensitivity.

Main Methods:

• Surface activation of 3D-printed resins using air plasma.
• One-step incubation with GLYMO-labeled streptavidin for surface functionalization.
• Immobilization of biotinylated antibodies and subsequent ELISA protocol execution on 3D-printed surfaces.

Main Results:

• The protocol significantly improved ELISA performance compared to passive adsorption on 3D-printed surfaces.
• The method demonstrated compatibility with various commercial photocurable resins and microdevice formats (microwells, microchannels).
• The developed 3D-printed ELISA achieved a limit of detection comparable to commercial microwell-based ELISAs.

Conclusions:

• The simple, broadly compatible surface modification strategy enhances 3D-printed devices for POC immunoassays.
• This approach facilitates the development of advanced 3D-printed point-of-care ELISA devices.
• The method offers a promising solution for improving immunorecognition on 3D-printed platforms.