Porous microneedle-based wearable device for monitoring of transepidermal potential

Quantitative evaluation of accelerated transdermal drug delivery by electroosmosis via frustoconical porous microneedles

Electroosmosis-based transdermal drug delivery via frustoconical porous microneedles (F-PMNs) is studied by quantitative fluorescence analysis of the drug models penetrated into excised pig skin. An array of 300 μm height F-PMN made of poly-glycidyl methacrylate is modified by a grafted thin film of anionic poly (2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) or a cationic poly-(3-acrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium) (PAPTAC) to generate electroosmotic flow (EOF) upon application of current through the needles. Owing to the synergy of the EOF-promoted transport and the expansion of the stratum corneum with the frustoconical protrusions, the penetration rates of rhodamine B (479 Da) and FITC-dextran (4 kDa and 10 kDa) are found to be accelerated by more than 10 times. In addition, the F-PMNs modified with PAMPS and PAPTAC show similar delivery rates in opposite directions, enabling the possible dual-mode delivery from both anode and cathode in an integrated iontophoresis device.

Recent advances in iontophoresis-assisted microneedle devices for transdermal biosensing and drug delivery

Integrating advanced manufacturing techniques and nanotechnology with cutting-edge materials has driven significant progress in global healthcare. Microneedles, recognized for their minimally invasive approach to transdermal sensing and drug delivery, achieve enhanced functionality when combined with iontophoresis. Iontophoresis-assisted microneedles have emerged as an innovative solution, enabling real-time biosensing and precise drug delivery within closed-loop systems. These integrated platforms represent a major advancement in personalized medicine, allowing dynamic therapeutic adjustments based on continuous feedback. This review highlights the latest developments in iontophoresis-assisted microneedles for transdermal biosensing, drug delivery, and closed-loop applications. It delves into the mechanisms of iontophoresis, assesses its advantages and limitations, and explores future directions for these transformative technologies.

Engineering the Functional Expansion of Microneedles

Microneedles (MNs), composed of an array of micro-sized needles and a supporting base, have transcended their initial use to replace hypodermic needles in drug delivery and fluid collection, advancing toward multifunctional platforms. In this review, four major areas are summarized in interdisciplinary engineering approaches combined with MNs technology. First, electronics engineering, the most extensively researched field, enables applications in biomonitoring, electrical stimulation, and closed-loop theranostics through the generation, transmission, and transformation of electrical signals. Second, in electromagnetic engineering, the responsiveness of electromagnetic induction offers prospects for remote and programmable therapeutic applications. Third, photonic engineering endows MNs with novel functionalities, such as waveguiding and photonic manipulation to enhance optical therapeutic capabilities and facilitate the visualization of disease progression and treatment processes. Lastly, it reviewed the role of mechanical engineering in conferring shape adaptability and programmable motion features necessary for various MNs applications. This review focuses on the functionalities that emerge from the intersection of MNs with complementary engineering technologies, aiming to inspire further research and innovation in microneedle technology for biomedical applications.

Transdermal drug delivery using a porous microneedle device driven by a hydrogel electroosmotic pump

Integrating a hydrogel electroosmotic pump with a parylene C-coated porous microneedle (PMN) is developed for transdermal drug delivery applications. The hydrogel pump is fabricated by combining an anionic and a cationic hydrogel to generate enhanced electroosmosis flow (EOF) to drive the transportation of molecules via PMN.

Frustoconical porous microneedle for electroosmotic transdermal drug delivery

A truncated cone-shaped porous microneedle (PMN) made of poly-glycidyl methacrylate was studied as a minimally invasive tool for transdermal drug delivery. The transdermal electrical resistance of a pig skin was evaluated during the indentation of the PMNs, revealing that the frustoconical PMN (300 μm height) significantly reduced the resistance of the skin by expanding the stratum corneum without penetrating into the skin. A thin film of poly (2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) was grafted onto the inner wall of the microchannels of the frustoconical PMN to generate electroosmotic flow (EOF) upon current application in the direction of injection of the drug into the skin. Owing to the synergy of the expansion of the stratum corneum and the EOF-promotion, the PAMPS-modified frustoconical PMN effectively enhances the penetration of larger (over 500 Da) molecules, such as dextran (∼10 kDa).

Where Microneedle Meets Biomarkers: Futuristic Application for Diagnosing and Monitoring Localized External Organ Diseases

Extracellular tissue fluids are interesting biomatrices that have recently attracted scientists' interest. Many significant biomarkers for localized external organ diseases have been isolated from this biofluid. In the diagnostic and disease monitoring context, measuring biochemical entities from the fluids surrounding the diseased tissues may give more important clinical value than measuring them at a systemic level. Despite all these facts, pushing tissue fluid-based diagnosis and monitoring forward to clinical settings faces one major problem: its accessibility. Most extracellular tissue fluid, such as interstitial fluid (ISF), is abundant but hard to collect, and the currently available technologies are invasive and expensive. This is where novel microneedle technology can help tackle this significant obstacle. The ability of microneedle technology to minimally invasively access tissue fluid-containing biomarkers will enable ISF and other tissue fluid utilization in the clinical diagnosis and monitoring of localized diseases. This review attempts to present the current pursuit of the application of microneedle systems as a diagnostic and monitoring platform, along with the recent progress of biomarker detection in diagnosing and monitoring localized external organ diseases. Then, the potential use of various microneedles in future clinical diagnostics and monitoring of localized diseases is discussed by presenting the currently studied cases.

Bioelectric Signaling: Role of Bioelectricity in Directional Cell Migration in Wound Healing

In wound healing, individual cells' behaviors coordinate movement toward the wound center to restore small or large barrier defects. The migration of epithelial cells as a continuous sheet structure is one of the most important processes by which the skin barrier is restored. How such multicellular and tissue level movement is initiated upon injury, coordinated during healing, and stopped when wounds healed has been a research focus for decades. When skin is wounded, the compromised epithelial barrier generates endogenous electric fields (EFs), produced by ion channels and maintained by cell junctions. These EFs are present across wounds, with the cathodal pole at the wound center. Epithelial cells detect minute EFs and migrate directionally in response to electrical signals. It has long been postulated that the naturally occurring EFs facilitate wound healing by guiding cell migration. It is not until recently that experimental evidence has shown that large epithelial sheets of keratinocytes or corneal epithelial cells respond to applied EFs by collective directional migration. Although some of the mechanisms of the collective cell migration are similar to those used by isolated cells, there are unique mechanisms that govern the coordinated movement of the cohesive sheet. We will review the understanding of wound EFs and how epithelial cells and other cells important to wound healing respond to the electric signals individually as well as collectively. Mounting evidence suggests that wound bioelectrical signaling is an important mechanism in healing. Critical understanding and proper exploitation of this mechanism will be important for better wound healing and regeneration.

Electrical aspects of skin as a pathway to engineering skin devices

Skin is one of the indispensable organs for life. The epidermis at the outermost surface provides a permeability barrier to infectious agents, chemicals, and excessive loss of water, while the dermis and subcutaneous tissue mechanically support the structure of the skin and appendages, including hairs and secretory glands. The integrity of the integumentary system is a key for general health, and many techniques have been developed to measure and control this protective function. In contrast, the effective skin barrier is the major obstacle for transdermal delivery and detection. Changes in the electrical properties of skin, such as impedance and ionic activity, is a practical indicator that reflects the structures and functions of the skin. For example, the impedance that reflects the hydration of the skin is measured for quantitative assessment in skincare, and the current generated across a wound is used for the evaluation and control of wound healing. Furthermore, the electrically charged structure of the skin enables transdermal drug delivery and chemical extraction. This paper provides an overview of the electrical aspects of the skin and summarizes current advances in the development of devices based on these features.