Enhanced molecular recognition on Microfluidic affinity interfaces

A Concise Review of the Control and Assessment of Magnetic Affinity Particle Assembly for Live Cell Analyses: State of the Art and Challenges

Magnetic particles have gained prominence in biomedical analyses due to their unique properties, originating from the high surface area-to-volume ratio, ease of functionalization, and their ability to respond to an external magnetic field. Despite its impact in affinity-based biosensing, magnetic particle cluster formation is a largely underrepresented topic at the border of materials sciences, engineering, and biology. This mini-review examines the recent literature demonstrating novel assays based on the assembly of magnetic affinity particles and target live cells, fostering biomedical analyses. It highlights the biosensing opportunities of lab-on-a-chip characterization methods for immunomagnetic clusters and novel approaches for improving affinity capture. It critically discusses the specific means for the on-off control of particle-based immune clusters towards rapid, quantitative tools in live cell detection and analysis of their relevance for biomedical applications involving rare cells in patient samples, such as circulating tumor cells (CTC) and sepsis-related microorganisms. The review aims at encouraging research in magnetic affinity clustering control for biosensing and provides an inter-disciplinary perspective on this high-impact field.

Revolutionizing targeting precision: microfluidics-enabled smart microcapsules for tailored delivery and controlled release

As promising delivery systems, smart microcapsules have garnered significant attention owing to their targeted delivery loaded with diverse active materials. By precisely manipulating fluids on the micrometer scale, microfluidic has emerged as a powerful tool for tailoring delivery systems based on potential applications. The desirable characteristics of smart microcapsules are associated with encapsulation capacity, targeted delivery capability, and controlled release of encapsulants. In this review, we briefly describe the principles of droplet-based microfluidics for smart microcapsules. Subsequently, we summarize smart microcapsules as delivery systems for efficient encapsulation and focus on target delivery patterns, including passive targets, active targets, and microfluidics-assisted targets. Additionally, based on release mechanisms, we review controlled release modes adjusted by smart membranes and on/off gates. Finally, we discuss existing challenges and potential implications associated with smart microcapsules.