Biomicrofluidics最新文献

According to the third international consensus definition (sepsis-3), sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from an uncontrolled host response to infection. Sepsis remains a leading cause of global mortality, largely due to the difficulty of achieving a timely diagnosis. The conventional diagnostic approaches for sepsis often face limitations in speed, portability, sensitivity, and specificity, which can lead to delayed or missed diagnoses. In response, microfluidic devices have emerged as powerful tools for point-of-care precise sample handling and preparation, enabling efficient isolation and detection of sepsis-causing bacteria and biomarkers. Fabrication techniques of these microfluidic devices, ranging from photolithography to xurography, have significantly advanced and paved the way for complex designs and improved functionality. Microfluidic platforms offer various benefits in sepsis diagnosis and prognosis. They facilitate rapid and automated sample processing, enhancing turnaround times and reducing the risk of contamination. Moreover, the integration of microfluidic systems with advanced detection methods enables the simultaneous analysis of multiple biomarkers, thereby enhancing diagnostic accuracy and prognostic capabilities. This review explores the evolution of sepsis diagnosis from traditional lab based methods to the use of microfluidic technology that can facilitate point of care diagnostics and discusses emerging trends in this field.

Organs-on-a-chip (OoCs) are considered key tools for life science, medicine, and pharmaceutical research and can provide great insights into pathophysiologies of human organs. However, experimental studies of OoCs are commonly limited by their reliable geometrical design, realistic experimental parameter settings, biosensor measurement positions, and the rarity of cells available for particular diseases. In this paper, a review of 124 research articles published between 2000 and 2024 on OoCs and various numerical models applicable to them have been carried out. This article systematically reviews the development and application of mathematical models for the simulation of various OoCs for organs such as the gut, liver, and heart. The review also covered the evaluation of the accuracies of the momentum transport, mass transfer, and energy transfer in the mathematical models applicable to various OoCs. Analysis of the theoretical and experimental results from the reviewed articles on optimization of the OoC structure and parameter settings have also been carried out. From the review, numerical simulations were found to show great potential for optimizing the OoC structure, help minimize experimental times, provide good prediction of the experimental results, as well as offer insights into the interaction between different OoC types. Overall, this review establishes a theoretical foundation for the future organ-on-a-chip design, beneficial for biological experiments, as well as drug performance analysis.

Larval zebrafish are an appropriate animal and laboratory model for exploring the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive abilities, especially concerning their applicability to human cognition. To replicate the natural habitats of such organisms at the laboratory level, microfluidic platforms are employed as a valuable tool in mimicking the intricate spatiotemporal stimuli together with high-throughput screening. This work investigated the memory capabilities of zebrafish larvae across different developmental stages (5-9 days post-fertilization) by employing sound stimuli within the microfluidic environment. Notably, the sound signal with 1200 Hz frequency was observed to be significantly sensitive among all the considered developmental stages in stimulating the responses. In addition, the impact of the memory enhancer drug methylene blue (MB) was tested, revealing a significant enhancement in cognitive performance compared to controls. Specifically, learning (training) and memory (post-training) were observed to exhibit 2-fold and 20-fold increases, respectively, in MB-exposed larvae. In addition to sound stimuli and memory enhancer drugs, the impact of environmental complexity on cognitive abilities was examined by employing different designs of microchannels, such as series, parallel, and combined configurations. The presented experimental paradigm provides a robust framework for various zebrafish studies, including sensory processing mechanisms, learning capabilities, and potential therapeutic interventions.

Acoustofluidics, offering contact-free and precise manipulation of micro-objects, has emerged as a transformative tool for various biological and medical applications. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in droplet manipulation using acoustic waves. This review provides an in-depth exploration of acoustofluidic techniques for droplet manipulation, presenting a balanced perspective on the role of this versatile platform across diverse applications. The paper begins by introducing the underlying mechanism of acoustic forces acting on the droplets, followed by a comprehensive discussion of acoustofluidic techniques tailored for essential unit operations, such as droplet generation, separation, merging, splitting, steering, trapping, in-droplet sample manipulation, sample control within sessile droplets, and digital acoustofluidics. Finally, the prospects and limitations of acoustofluidics for droplet manipulations are also discussed, suggesting the future direction of droplet acoustofluidics research.

With the transport of soft and multiphase systems such as droplets and vesicles, the controlled movement of these systems could be regulated in microfluidic channels using an external electrical field is a convenient method for further studying and even tuning micro-transport behaviors. The electric field induces complex electrohydrodynamic behaviors in such systems with considerable impact on their deformation, motion, and interaction with the surrounding fluid. Introducing an electric field exerts stresses at the interface of these fluids, which ensures precise control over their deformation and motion with the features of droplets or vesicles that are vital for their subsequent manipulation inside confined microchannels. Here, electrically modulated transport dynamics in soft multiphase systems, specifically droplets and vesicles, in microfluidic systems are studied meticulously. In this review work, we study how the electric field strength, fluid properties, and membrane characteristics, all of which are important to the directed motion of these systems, are coupled to one another. It also notes that vesicles, with their bilayer lipid membranes, have unique dynamics-such as the formation of membrane tensions and bending rigidity-that affect their electrohydrodynamic behaviors, unlike simple droplets. Studying the electrically driven dynamics of the soft matter, this review offers useful perspectives on the creation of next-generation microfluidics devices, ranging from drug delivery to synthetic biology and materials manufacturing. The effects of the field strength, frequency, and geometry on the transport properties of the droplets and vesicles and highlighting the rich interplay between the electrostatic forces and the inherent properties of soft matter are studied systematically. Recent advances in experimental methods (such as high-precision imaging, micro-manipulation, and sophisticated computational modeling) have also taken our understanding of these electrohydrodynamic processes to new heights. This review further explores potential applications of these technologies in lab-on-a-chip platforms, drug delivery systems, and bioanalytical tools and highlights challenges, including stability, scalability, and reproducibility. The conclusion includes proposed directions for future research aimed at enhancing the localization, control, and efficiency of electrokinetic manipulation in soft matter-based microfluidic systems.

Microfluidic biochips (MBs) are transforming diagnostics, healthcare, and biomedical research. However, their rapid deployment has exposed them to diverse security threats, including structural tampering, material degradation, sample-level interference, and intellectual property (IP) theft, such as counterfeiting, overbuilding, and piracy. This perspective highlights emerging attack vectors and countermeasures aimed at mitigating these risks. Structural attacks, such as stealthy design code modifications, can result in faulty diagnostics. To address this, deep learning -based anomaly detection leverages microstructural changes, including optical changes such as shadows or reflections, to identify and resolve faults. Material-level countermeasures, including mechano-responsive dyes and spectrometric watermarking, safeguard against subtle chemical alterations during fabrication. Sample-level protections, such as molecular barcoding, ensure bio-sample integrity by embedding unique DNA sequences for authentication. At the IP level, techniques like watermarking, physically unclonable functions, fingerprinting, and obfuscation schemes provide robust defenses against reverse engineering and counterfeiting. Together, these approaches offer a multi-layered security framework to protect MBs, ensuring their reliability, safety, and trustworthiness in critical applications.

Paper-based microfluidic devices are widely used in point-of-care diagnostics, yet the fundamental mechanisms governing analyte transport under partially saturated conditions remain insufficiently characterized. Here, we systematically investigate the concentration-dependent imbibition dynamics and particle trapping behavior of analyte/colloid-laden fluids in porous paper substrates. Using model food-dye colloids of varying particle sizes (∼0.3-4.5 μm) and concentrations (0.5-2 mg/ml), we quantify key saturation-dependent parameters and reveal their strong influence on wicking length and analyte retention. A semiempirical numerical model incorporating experimentally derived van Genuchten and Brooks-Corey parameters is developed to predict analyte flow under varying conditions. Our study demonstrates that particle size, concentration, and paper properties critically modulate transport behavior, with implications for reproducibility and sensitivity in lateral flow assays. Furthermore, through Damköhler number analysis, we propose practical design guidelines for optimal test line placement based on flow and reaction dynamics. This combined experimental and modeling framework offers new insights for the rational design and optimization of paper-based diagnostic platforms.