Royal Society of Chemistry: Lab On A Chip

RSC - Lab Chip latest articles

• A microfluidic approach for in vitro assessment of interorgan interactions in drug metabolism using intestinal and liver slices
  This paper describes the single and co-incubation of precision-cut liver and intestinal slices. This new system mimics the first-pass metabolism in the body, and it will increase our insight into interorgan interactions.
  
  
• Non-contact fluorescent bleaching-independent method for temperature measurement in microfluidic systems based on DNA melting curves
  We present a non-contact bleaching independent method to measure temperature in microfluidic systems, based on the analysis of the fluorescence from an intercalator during DNA melting. This technique also determines the heat transfer rates, and spatial temperature non-uniformities in the sample.
  
  
• Fluidic microstructuring of alginate hydrogels for the single cell niche
  Engineering the single cell niche with sub-micrometre resolution by microfluidic layer-by-layer deposition of chemically distinct alginates.
  
  
• Multiplexed protein detection using antibody-conjugated microbead arrays in a microfabricated electrophoretic device
  We describe a microfluidic device for assembling high-density arrays of antibody-conjugated microbeads for multiplexed protein detection. Using both spatial and fluorescence encoding strategies, we have demonstrated that the antibody-conjugated microbeads can be encoded and used to perform sensitive on-chip immunoassays.
  
  
• High-speed RNA microextraction technology using magnetic oligo-dT beads and lateral magnetophoresis
  Magnetic beads with bound RNA are laterally migrated and separated from a blood lysate, passing over an inlaid ferromagnetic wire array, by a high-speed RNA microseparator.
  
  
• Matrix density mediates polarization and lumen formation of endothelial sprouts in VEGF gradients
  A microfluidic platform was developed that independently controls soluble growth factor gradients and 3D matrix density in order to study the coordinated development of multi-cellular structures such as nascent blood vessels.
  
  
• An automated microfluidic platform for calcium imaging of chemosensory neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans
  Here, we describe the development of an automated microfluidic-based platform for performing automated neuronal functional (calcium) imaging in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. We believe that such a technology will be an essential tool for obtaining repeatable and accurate functional imaging data from a large population of worms, in order to minimize stochastic biological noise and identify statistically significant trends.
  
  
• Research Highlights
  Petra Dittrich reviews the current literature in miniaturisation and related technologies.
  
  
• Surface-modified microprojection arrays for intradermal biomarker capture, with low non-specific protein binding
  Herein we describe a novel microprojection array which samples specific circulating biomarkers in the skin epithelia in a minimally invasive manner.
  
  
• Development of a MEMS based dynamic rheometer
  We describe a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) approach to measure the dynamic rheology of soft matter, which is capable of measuring moduli from 50 Pa to 10 kPa over a range of 3 to 3000 rad s-1 using less than 5 nL of sample. This device provides a new way to characterize dynamic microrheology of novel materials that will prove useful in many areas including biorheology, microfluidics and polymer thin films.
  
  
• Ultrasound-controlled cell aggregation in a multi-well chip
  We demonstrate a microplate platform for parallelized aggregation and positioning of cells, based on frequency-modulated ultrasonic actuation. The method is biocompatible over more than 12 hours and will enable dynamic studies of cell-cell interactions by high-resolution optical microscopy.
  
  
• Electro-thermally induced structural failure actuator (ETISFA) for implantable controlled drug delivery devices based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems
  Thermally induced structural failure was demonstrated as a feasible activation mechanism that holds great promise for controlled release in biomedical microdevices.
  
  
• Quantitative analysis of protein translocations by microfluidic total internal reflection fluorescence flow cytometry
  Total internal reflection fluorescence flow cytometry was used to study both cytosol to plasma membrane and cytosol to nucleus translocations.
  
  
• Optically addressable single-use microfluidic valves by laser printer lithography
  Novel optofluidic valves are fabricated by laser printing toner spots onto a plastic foil that isolates fluidic components. The valves open using a light pulse from a CD/DVD-type laser.
  
  
• Development of a multi-layer microfluidic array chip to culture and replate uniform-sized embryoid bodies without manual cell retrieval
  A multilayer microfluidic array chip to culture and replate embryoid bodies.
  
  
• Exploitation of surface acoustic waves to drive size-dependent microparticle concentration within a droplet
  Ultrafast microcentrifugation driven by surface acoustic waves can be used to discriminate and hence partition microparticles in a droplet based on their size due to the specific scaling of the drag and acoustic force on the particle with respect to the particle dimension.
  
  
• Protein synthesis in a device with nanoporous membranes and microchannels
  Cell-free protein synthesis was implemented in an array device consisting of inner wells and outer wells. A nanoporous membrane and a microchannel were integrated for supplying nutrients from the outer wells to the inner wells where reactions took place.
  
  
• Effect of diffusion on impedance measurements in a hydrodynamic flow focusing sensor
  Hydrodynamic focusing in 2D confined a conducting stream within a nonconducting sheath. Confining the stream to maximize sensitivity for detection of captured bacteria required interactive optimization of both Re and flow-rate ratio.
  
  
• Intimidating yet Inspiring: Emerging Investigators special issue
  Aaron Wheeler and Amy Herr introduce the 2010 Emerging Investigators issue of Lab on a Chip.
  
  
• On-demand generation of monodisperse femtolitre droplets by shape-induced shear
  A new method is described for creating individual femtolitre-scale aqueous droplets on demand at a microfabricated junction, based solely on a local increase in channel height at the junction.
  
  
• High performance magnetically controllable microturbines
  High performance magnetically controllable microturbines with improved surface smoothness are successfully fabricated through two-photon photopolymerization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles doped photoresists towards microchannel functionalization.
  
  
• Microfluidic perfusion system for maintaining viable heart tissue with real-time electrochemical monitoring of reactive oxygen species
  A microfluidic device has been developed to maintain viable heart tissue samples in a biomimetic microenvironment. Real-time electrochemical assessment of total reactive oxygen species gave complementary results to conventional, off-chip, assay.
  
  
• A modular approach for the generation, storage, mixing, and detection of droplet libraries for high throughput screening
  We apply a modular approach to droplet-based fluidics, utilizing commercially available components for unit operations. Three protocols are demonstrated: the mix and read assay, microfractionation in droplets, and in situ cell encapsulation and culture.
  
  
• Measurement of the volume growth rate of single budding yeast with the MOSFET-based microfluidic Coulter counter
  Schematic diagrams and microscopic images of a single yeast cell moved back and forth through the sensing channel by switching the applied electrical voltage. Using the MOSFET-based resistive-pulse sensing scheme, the volume growth rate of single yeast cells can be measured.
  
  
• Fabrication of membrane-type microvalves in rectangular microfluidic channels via seal photopolymerization
  We present a polymer sealing method to fabricate PDMS membrane-type microvalves for rectangular microchannels.
  
  
• Passive self-synchronized two-droplet generation
  We describe the use of two passive components to achieve controllable and alternating droplet generation in a microfluidic device. The approach overcomes the problems associated with irregularities in channel dimensions and fluid flow rates, and allows precise pairing of alternating droplets in a high-throughput manner. We study droplet generation and self-synchronization in a quantitative fashion by using high-speed image analysis.
  
  
• Solving problems
  George Whitesides considers the lack of commercial development of lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic technologies.
  
  
• Contributors to the Emerging Investigators issue
  Lab on a Chip profiles the contributors to the Emerging Investigators issue.
  
  
• On-chip immunoprecipitation for protein purification
  We describe an antibody functionalised microcolumn and an optimised method for performing on-chip immunoprecipitation on microlitre sample volumes, applying it to the enrichment of proteins from cellular lysates.
  
  
• Observing photophysical properties of quantum dots in air at the single molecule level: advantages in microarray applications
  Photo characteristic differences of single quantum dot in solution with that in air are demonstrated. QDs in air show valuable photo properties such as antiphotobleaching, antioxidation and blinking suppression.
  
  
• High-throughput sample introduction for droplet-based screening with an on-chip integrated sampling probe and slotted-vial array
  We developed a droplet-based microfluidic screening system with ultra-high sampling throughput up to 6000 h-1 based on an on-chip sampling probe integrating multi-channels for sample introduction, reagent merging and nanolitre-scale droplet generation, and a slotted-vial array sample presenting system.
  
  
• Miniaturized multiple Fourier-horn ultrasonic droplet generators for biomedical applications
  MEMS-based miniaturized silicon ultrasonic nozzles of a simple architecture with multiple Fourier horns excite MHz Faraday waves and produce monodisperse droplets of diameter 2.2-4.6 [small mu]m at high throughput and very low electrical drive power.
  
  
• Micropillar array chips toward new immunodiagnosis
  In this paper, we demonstrate the possibility to use a micropillar array (45 [small mu]m in height, 100 [times] 100 [small mu]m square cross section) to perform molecular immunodiagnosis.
  
  
• Biomolecular-motor-based autonomous delivery of lipid vesicles as nano- or microscale reactors on a chip
  This article presents the first demonstration of selective, autonomous, and parallel loading, transport, and unloading of lipid vesicles (liposomes) as nano- or microscale reactors using biomolecular-motor-based motility and DNA hybridization.
  
  
• Reagent-release capillary array-isoelectric focusing device as a rapid screening device for IEF condition optimization
  A simple and disposable capillary array isoelectric focusing (cIEF) device allowing rapid screening of cIEF conditions is described.
  
  
• Microfluidic perfusion system for culturing and imaging yeast cell microarrays and rapidly exchanging media
  We present a microfluidic perfusion system that is compatible with high resolution, real time observation of arrays of cells and can be operated using a conventional micropipette and a paper wick, without need for complex peripherals.
  
  
• Separation and metrology of nanoparticles by nanofluidic size exclusion
  The integrated size separation and measurement of a mixture of nanoparticles by three-dimensional nanofluidic size exclusion are demonstrated.