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Lou C, Yang H, Hou Y, Huang H, Qiu J, Wang C, Sang Y, Liu H, Han L. Microfluidic Platforms for Real-Time In Situ Monitoring of Biomarkers for Cellular Processes. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2307051. [PMID: 37844125 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202307051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Cellular processes are mechanisms carried out at the cellular level that are aimed at guaranteeing the stability of the organism they comprise. The investigation of cellular processes is key to understanding cell fate, understanding pathogenic mechanisms, and developing new therapeutic technologies. Microfluidic platforms are thought to be the most powerful tools among all methodologies for investigating cellular processes because they can integrate almost all types of the existing intracellular and extracellular biomarker-sensing methods and observation approaches for cell behavior, combined with precisely controlled cell culture, manipulation, stimulation, and analysis. Most importantly, microfluidic platforms can realize real-time in situ detection of secreted proteins, exosomes, and other biomarkers produced during cell physiological processes, thereby providing the possibility to draw the whole picture for a cellular process. Owing to their advantages of high throughput, low sample consumption, and precise cell control, microfluidic platforms with real-time in situ monitoring characteristics are widely being used in cell analysis, disease diagnosis, pharmaceutical research, and biological production. This review focuses on the basic concepts, recent progress, and application prospects of microfluidic platforms for real-time in situ monitoring of biomarkers in cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengming Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, P. R. China
| | - Hongru Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, P. R. China
| | - Ying Hou
- Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research (IAIR), University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Haina Huang
- Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research (IAIR), University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Jichuan Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, P. R. China
| | - Chunhua Wang
- Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research (IAIR), University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Yuanhua Sang
- State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, P. R. China
| | - Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, P. R. China
- Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research (IAIR), University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, P. R. China
| | - Lin Han
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, P. R. China
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Shen H, Dong L, Gao Y, Wang X, Dai X. Integrated Microwell Array-Based Microfluidic Chip with a Hand-Held Smartphone-Controlled Device for Nucleic Acid Detection. Anal Chem 2023; 95:15394-15399. [PMID: 37787984 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we designed a highly integrated microfluidic chip for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection. Magnetic beads, which are used to capture nucleic acids on the chip, are trapped in the microwell arrays in a one-well-one-bead manner after local surface modification of the inner faces of the microwells. On-chip liquid introduction, delivery, and mixing are all carried out manually with one syringe and no other equipment. A hand-held device with precise temperature control and high-quality imaging is developed, which is only 2.3 cubic decimeters in volume and 1.2 kg in weight. Via the use of the Internet for wireless communication, the experiment and data analysis after inserting the chip into the device can be conducted by a smartphone anywhere there is an Internet connection. We carried out reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) on the chip with the hand-held device. SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses are extracted, reverse transcribed, amplified, and detected on the chip with the hand-held device with satisfactory results. Thus, a highly integrated, easy-to-operate, and rapid nucleic acid detection microfluidic chip with a hand-held smartphone-controlled device is proposed, and this new platform for nucleic acid detection shows great potential for mobile point-of-care testing (POCT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiying Shen
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Lianhua Dong
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunhua Gao
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xia Wang
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinhua Dai
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
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Jiang L, Yang H, Cheng W, Ni Z, Xiang N. Droplet microfluidics for CTC-based liquid biopsy: a review. Analyst 2023; 148:203-221. [PMID: 36508171 DOI: 10.1039/d2an01747d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important biomarkers of liquid biopsy. The number and heterogeneity of CTCs play an important role in cancer diagnosis and personalized medicine. However, owing to the low-abundance biomarkers of CTCs, conventional assays are only able to detect CTCs at the population level. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a highly sensitive method to analyze CTCs at the single-cell level. As an important branch of microfluidics, droplet microfluidics is a high-throughput and sensitive single-cell analysis platform for the quantitative detection and heterogeneity analysis of CTCs. In this review, we focus on the quantitative detection and heterogeneity analysis of CTCs using droplet microfluidics. Technologies that enable droplet microfluidics, particularly high-throughput droplet generation and high-efficiency droplet manipulation, are first discussed. Then, recent advances in detecting and analyzing CTCs using droplet microfluidics from the different aspects of nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites are introduced. The purpose of this review is to provide guidance for the continued study of droplet microfluidics for CTC-based liquid biopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Hang Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Weiqi Cheng
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China.
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Wang J, Koo KM, Trau M. Tetraplex Immunophenotyping of Cell Surface Proteomes via Synthesized Plasmonic Nanotags and Portable Raman Spectroscopy. Anal Chem 2022; 94:14906-14916. [PMID: 36256869 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Multiplex immunophenotyping of cell surface proteomes is useful for cell characterization as well as providing valuable information on a patient's physiological or pathological state. Current methods for multiplex immunophenotyping of cell surface proteomes still have associated technical pitfalls in terms of limited multiplexing capability, challenging result interpretation, and large equipment footprint limited to use in a laboratory setting. Herein, we presented a portable surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) assay for multiplex cell surface immunophenotyping. We synthesized and functionalized customizable SERS nanotags for cell labeling and subsequent signal measurement using a portable Raman spectrometer. We extensively evaluated and validated the analytical assay performance of the portable SERS immunophenotyping assay in two different cellular models (red blood cells and breast cancer cells). In terms of analytical specificity, the cell surface immunophenotyping of both red blood cells and breast cancer cells correlated well with flow cytometry. The portable SERS immunophenotyping assay also has comparable analytical repeatability to flow cytometry, with coefficient of variation values of 21.89-23.33% and 6.88-17.32% for detecting red blood cells and breast cancer cells, respectively. The analytical detection limits were 77 cells/mL for red blood cells and 1-17 cells/mL for breast cancer cells. As an alternative to flow cytometry, the portable SERS immunophenotyping assay demonstrated excellent analytical assay performance and possessed advantages such as quick sample-to-result turnaround time, multiplexing capability, and small equipment footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, P. R. China.,Centre for Personalized Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Kevin M Koo
- XING Applied Research & Assay Development (XARAD) Division, XING Technologies Pty Ltd, Sinnamon Park, QLD 4073, Australia.,The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Herston, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Matt Trau
- Centre for Personalized Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.,School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Wang Y, Fang Y, Zhu Y, Bi S, Liu Y, Ju H. Single cell multi-miRNAs quantification with hydrogel microbeads for liver cancer cell subtypes discrimination. Chem Sci 2022; 13:2062-2070. [PMID: 35308856 PMCID: PMC8848760 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc05304c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The simultaneous quantification of multi-miRNAs in single cells reveals cellular heterogeneity, and benefits the subtypes discrimination of cancer cells . Though micro-droplet techniques enable successful single cell encapsulation, the isolated and restricted reaction space of microdroplets causes cross-reactions and inaccuracy for simultaneous multi-miRNAs quantification. Herein, we develop a hydrogel microbead based strategy for the simultaneous sensitive quantification of miRNA-21, 122 and 222 in single cells. Single cells are encapsulated and undergo cytolysis in hydrogel microbeads. The three target miRNAs are retained in the microbead by pre-immobilized capture probes, and activate rolling circle amplification (RCA) reactions. The RCA products are hybridized with corresponding dye labelled DNA reporters, and the respective fluorescence intensities are recorded for multi-miRNA quantification. The porous structure of the hydrogel microbeads allows the free diffusion of reactants and easy removal of unreacted DNA strands, which effectively avoids nonspecific cross-reactions. Clear differentiation of cellular heterogeneity and subpopulation discrimination are achieved for three kinds of liver cancer cells and one normal liver cell. A single cell multi-miRNAs quantification strategy is reported. Single cells are encapsulated and undergo cytolysis in hydrogel microbeads, then the quantitative analysis of three miRNAs is used to achieve sub-populations discrimination for liver cells.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingfei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Yanyun Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Yu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Shiyi Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China.,Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China
| | - Huangxian Ju
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 PR China
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Cao Y, Yu X, Han B, Dong L, Xu J, Dai Y, Li G, Zhao J. In Situ Programmable DNA Circuit-Promoted Electrochemical Characterization of Stemlike Phenotype in Breast Cancer. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:16078-16086. [PMID: 34495654 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c06436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases among women worldwide, and the existence of breast cancer stem cells is closely associated with poor outcomes. Herein, we report an electrochemical phenotyping method to characterize the stemlike phenotype in breast cancer, offering a low-cost but robust choice other than the highly expensive and experience-dependent flow cytometry. Specially, after immune-magnetic beads-assisted enrichment, an in situ programmable DNA circuit is designed using capture probes to bring in the toeholds for DNA assembly and effector probes to accelerate the removal of background signals. The electrochemical phenotyping method could sensitively determine breast cancer stem cells in a wide linear range and exhibit desirable accuracy and reliability. The method can not only monitor the phenotypic transition of breast cancer cells and the drug-reversed effect but also determinate stemlike phenotype in the mice bearing breast cancer xenograft tumor. Overall, the electrochemical phenotyping method may provide promising technical support for precise management of breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Cao
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Xiaomeng Yu
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
| | - Bing Han
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
| | - Langjian Dong
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
| | - Jingjing Xu
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
| | - Yuhao Dai
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
| | - Genxi Li
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
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Shi H, Wang M, Gong Y, Huang Y, Ning L, Xiang Y, Yin Y, Li G. Rapid Naked-Eye Tracking of On-Cell Phenotype Based on Dual-Aptamer-Weaved Cascade Assembly of Nanostructures. Anal Chem 2021; 93:11159-11166. [PMID: 34347435 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c01668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity is an emerging paradigm for providing biological and clinical insights into cancer initiation, progression, and resistance to therapy. However, it is a great challenge to track phenotypic information on live cells with high levels of sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity, when a specific cancer-cell subset is being targeted. In this work, we have successfully achieved cascade assembly of nanoparticles on the surface of specific cancer cells by designing a dual-aptamer-weaved molecular AND logic system. Taking advantage of spatial addressability, precise controllability, and targeting recognition of the nanostructure assemblies, we can precisely label the target-cell subset in a large population of similar cells and rapidly obtain phenotypic information in response to the surface changes of captured cancer cells. Without sophisticated instruments, we can know the phenotypic information on HepG2 cells in whole blood with a high level of sensitivity and rapid naked-eye tracking of on-cell phenotype changes of HepG2 cells undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Mengjiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Youjing Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yue Huang
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Limin Ning
- College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yang Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yongmei Yin
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, P. R. China
| | - Genxi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China.,Center for Molecular Recognition and Biosensing, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China
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Li M, Liu H, Zhuang S, Goda K. Droplet flow cytometry for single-cell analysis. RSC Adv 2021; 11:20944-20960. [PMID: 35479393 PMCID: PMC9034116 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra02636d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The interrogation of single cells has revolutionised biology and medicine by providing crucial unparalleled insights into cell-to-cell heterogeneity. Flow cytometry (including fluorescence-activated cell sorting) is one of the most versatile and high-throughput approaches for single-cell analysis by detecting multiple fluorescence parameters of individual cells in aqueous suspension as they flow past through a focus of excitation lasers. However, this approach relies on the expression of cell surface and intracellular biomarkers, which inevitably lacks spatial and temporal phenotypes and activities of cells, such as secreted proteins, extracellular metabolite production, and proliferation. Droplet microfluidics has recently emerged as a powerful tool for the encapsulation and manipulation of thousands to millions of individual cells within pico-litre microdroplets. Integrating flow cytometry with microdroplet architectures surrounded by aqueous solutions (e.g., water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsion and hydrogel droplets) opens avenues for new cellular assays linking cell phenotypes to genotypes at the single-cell level. In this review, we discuss the capabilities and applications of droplet flow cytometry (DFC). This unique technique uses standard commercially available flow cytometry instruments to characterise or select individual microdroplets containing single cells of interest. We explore current challenges associated with DFC and present our visions for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
- Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Hangrui Liu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Siyuan Zhuang
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | - Keisuke Goda
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
- Institute of Technological Sciences, Wuhan University 430072 Hubei PR China
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
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