Physical Intracellular Delivery Based on Microfluidic Technology

Intracellular delivery of biomolecules is now a pivotal strategy across various fields, including intracellular biomarker detection and cellular immunotherapies. Effective delivery of exogenous biomolecules into cells is essential for advancing precision medicine, enhancing cell-based therapies, and exploring complex biological processes. Methods for biomolecule delivery are classified as carrier-based or membrane disruption-based. In contrast to the limitations of carrier-based intracellular delivery, which is constrained by the specific cell type, and the cell damage associated with intracellular delivery based on chemical membrane disruption, physical membrane disruption approaches emerge as a promising alternative. Traditional physical membrane disruption approaches, such as microneedles and electroporation, are commonly utilized. However, it is difficult to balance cell damage and delivery efficiency. Strikingly, the emergent microfluidic chip offers precise control and high throughput, showing great promise in addressing these challenges. This review systematically examines microfluidic chip-based physical intracellular delivery methods, emphasizing mechanisms, specific approaches, applications, advantages, and limitations. The prospects of next-generation strategies are also discussed.