1
|
Huang G, Lin L, Liu Q, Wu S, Chen J, Zhu R, You H, Sun C. Three-dimensional array of microbubbles sonoporation of cells in microfluidics. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1353333. [PMID: 38419723 PMCID: PMC10899490 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1353333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Sonoporation is a popular membrane disruption technique widely applicable in various fields, including cell therapy, drug delivery, and biomanufacturing. In recent years, there has been significant progress in achieving controlled, high-viability, and high-efficiency cell sonoporation in microfluidics. If the microchannels are too small, especially when scaled down to the cellular level, it still remains a challenge to overcome microchannel clogging, and low throughput. Here, we presented a microfluidic device capable of modulating membrane permeability through oscillating three-dimensional array of microbubbles. Simulations were performed to analyze the effective range of action of the oscillating microbubbles to obtain the optimal microchannel size. Utilizing a high-precision light curing 3D printer to fabricate uniformly sized microstructures in a one-step on both the side walls and the top surface for the generation of microbubbles. These microbubbles oscillated with nearly identical amplitudes and frequencies, ensuring efficient and stable sonoporation within the system. Cells were captured and trapped on the bubble surface by the acoustic streaming and secondary acoustic radiation forces induced by the oscillating microbubbles. At a driving voltage of 30 Vpp, the sonoporation efficiency of cells reached 93.9% ± 2.4%.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guangyong Huang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China
| | - Lin Lin
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Quanhui Liu
- Animal Science and Technology College, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Shixiong Wu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiapeng Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Rongxing Zhu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Hui You
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Cuimin Sun
- School of Computer, Electronics and Information, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cao HX, Nguyen VD, Park JO, Choi E, Kang B. Acoustic Actuators for the Manipulation of Micro/Nanorobots: State-of-the-Art and Future Outlooks. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:186. [PMID: 38398914 PMCID: PMC10890471 DOI: 10.3390/mi15020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Compared to other actuating methods, acoustic actuators offer the distinctive capability of the contactless manipulation of small objects, such as microscale and nanoscale robots. Furthermore, they have the ability to penetrate the skin, allowing for the trapping and manipulation of micro/nanorobots that carry therapeutic agents in diverse media. In this review, we summarize the current progress in using acoustic actuators for the manipulation of micro/nanorobots used in various biomedical applications. First, we introduce the actuating method of using acoustic waves to manipulate objects, including the principle of operation and different types of acoustic actuators that are usually employed. Then, applications involving manipulating different types of devices are reviewed, including bubble-based microrobots, bubble-free robots, biohybrid microrobots, and nanorobots. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future perspectives for the development of the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiep Xuan Cao
- Robot Research Initiative, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (H.X.C.); (E.C.)
- Korea Institute of Medical Microrobotics, Gwangju 61011, Republic of Korea;
| | - Van Du Nguyen
- Robot Research Initiative, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (H.X.C.); (E.C.)
- Korea Institute of Medical Microrobotics, Gwangju 61011, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jong-Oh Park
- Korea Institute of Medical Microrobotics, Gwangju 61011, Republic of Korea;
| | - Eunpyo Choi
- Robot Research Initiative, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (H.X.C.); (E.C.)
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Byungjeon Kang
- Robot Research Initiative, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea; (H.X.C.); (E.C.)
- Graduate School of Data Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
- College of AI Convergence, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sato T, Kaneko K, Hayakawa T, Suzuki H. Pneumatic Microballoons for Active Control of the Vibration-Induced Flow. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:2010. [PMID: 38004868 PMCID: PMC10673574 DOI: 10.3390/mi14112010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Vibration-induced flow (VIF), in which a mean flow is induced around a microstructure by applying periodic vibrations, is increasingly used as an active flow-control technique at the microscale. In this study, we have developed a microdevice that actively controls the VIF patterns using elastic membrane protrusions (microballoons) actuated by pneumatic pressure. This device enables on-demand spatial and temporal fluid manipulation using a single device that cannot be achieved using a conventional fixed-structure arrangement. We successfully demonstrated that the device achieved displacements of up to 38 µm using the device within a pressure range of 0 to 30 kPa, indicating the suitability of the device for microfluidic applications. Using this active microballoon array, we demonstrated that the device can actively manipulate the flow field and induce swirling flows. Furthermore, we achieved selective actuation of the microballoon using this system. By applying air pressure from a multi-input channel system through a connection tube, the microballoons corresponding to each air channel can be selectively actuated. This enabled precise control of the flow field and periodic switching of the flow patterns using a single chip. In summary, the proposed microdevice provides active control of VIF patterns and has potential applications in advanced microfluidics, such as fluid mixing and particle manipulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hiroaki Suzuki
- Department of Precision Mechanics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan; (T.S.); (K.K.); (T.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gong L, Cretella A, Lin Y. Microfluidic systems for particle capture and release: A review. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 236:115426. [PMID: 37276636 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic technology has emerged as a promising tool in various applications, including biosensing, disease diagnosis, and environmental monitoring. One of the notable features of microfluidic devices is their ability to selectively capture and release specific cells, biomolecules, bacteria, and particles. Compared to traditional bulk analysis instruments, microfluidic capture-and-release platforms offer several advantages, such as contactless operation, label-free detection, high accuracy, good sensitivity, and minimal reagent requirements. However, despite significant efforts dedicated to developing innovative capture mechanisms in the past, the release and recovery efficiency of trapped particles have often been overlooked. Many previous studies have focused primarily on particle capture techniques and their efficiency, disregarding the crucial role of successful particle release for subsequent analysis. In reality, the ability to effectively release trapped particles is particularly essential to ensure ongoing, high-throughput analysis. To address this gap, this review aims to highlight the importance of both capture and release mechanisms in microfluidic systems and assess their effectiveness. The methods are classified into two categories: those based on physical principles and those using biochemical approaches. Furthermore, the review offers a comprehensive summary of recent applications of microfluidic platforms specifically designed for particle capture and release. It outlines the designs and performance of these devices, highlighting their advantages and limitations in various target applications and purposes. Finally, the review concludes with discussions on the current challenges faced in the field and presents potential future directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liyuan Gong
- Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Andrew Cretella
- Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Yang Lin
- Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hu Q, Hu X, Shi Y, Liang L, Zhu J, Zhao S, Wang Y, Wu Z, Wang F, Zhou F, Yang Y. Heterogeneous tissue construction by on-demand bubble-assisted acoustic patterning. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:2206-2216. [PMID: 37006165 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00122a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Highly heterogeneous structures are closely related to the realization of the tissue functions of living organisms. However, precisely controlling the assembly of heterogeneous structures is still a crucial challenge. This work presents an on-demand bubble-assisted acoustic method for active cell patterning to achieve high-precision heterogeneous structures. Active cell patterning is achieved by the combined effect of acoustic radiation forces and microstreaming around oscillating bubble arrays. On-demand bubble arrays allow flexible construction of cell patterns with a precision of up to 45 μm. As a typical example, the in vitro model of hepatic lobules, composed of patterned endothelial cells and hepatic parenchymal cells, was constructed and cultured for 5 days. The good performance of urea and albumin secretion, enzymatic activity and good proliferation of both cells prove the feasibility of this technique. Overall, this bubble-assisted acoustic approach provides a simple and efficient strategy for on-demand large-area tissue construction, with considerable potential for different tissue model fabrication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qinghao Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics & Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuejia Hu
- Department of Electronic Engineering, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Shi
- Institute of Nanophotonics, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Li Liang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics & Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaomeng Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics & Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Shukun Zhao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics & Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics & Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zezheng Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics & Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fubing Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Fuling Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics & Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Xu W, Liu Y, Bai J, Li Y, Qu S. Optical fiber inclinometer with dynamically controllable excitation length of quantum dots liquid-core waveguide based on a photo-controlled bubble. OPTICS LETTERS 2023; 48:1403-1406. [PMID: 36946938 DOI: 10.1364/ol.483220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
An ultracompact fiber inclinometer based on a bubble controlled by Marangoni force is proposed in this Letter. By coupling a 980-nm laser, the bubble can suspend in a quantum dots (QDs) liquid-core waveguide (LCW) due to the Marangoni effect. Under the excitation of a 405-nm laser, QDs LCW exhibit green emissions centered at 523 nm. When the tilt angle changes, the position of the bubble changes as well, which causes the variation of the 523-nm fluorescence intensity. The experimental results show that the sensitivity based on the peak intensity ratio (PIR) reaches 0.22/° with a linearity of 0.979 from 0° to 35°. Furthermore, the sensor has excellent stability and repeatability.
Collapse
|
7
|
Rasouli R, Villegas KM, Tabrizian M. Acoustofluidics - changing paradigm in tissue engineering, therapeutics development, and biosensing. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1300-1338. [PMID: 36806847 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00439a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
For more than 70 years, acoustic waves have been used to screen, diagnose, and treat patients in hundreds of medical devices. The biocompatible nature of acoustic waves, their non-invasive and contactless operation, and their compatibility with wide visualization techniques are just a few of the many features that lead to the clinical success of sound-powered devices. The development of microelectromechanical systems and fabrication technologies in the past two decades reignited the spark of acoustics in the discovery of unique microscale bio applications. Acoustofluidics, the combination of acoustic waves and fluid mechanics in the nano and micro-realm, allowed researchers to access high-resolution and controllable manipulation and sensing tools for particle separation, isolation and enrichment, patterning of cells and bioparticles, fluid handling, and point of care biosensing strategies. This versatility and attractiveness of acoustofluidics have led to the rapid expansion of platforms and methods, making it also challenging for users to select the best acoustic technology. Depending on the setup, acoustic devices can offer a diverse level of biocompatibility, throughput, versatility, and sensitivity, where each of these considerations can become the design priority based on the application. In this paper, we aim to overview the recent advancements of acoustofluidics in the multifaceted fields of regenerative medicine, therapeutic development, and diagnosis and provide researchers with the necessary information needed to choose the best-suited acoustic technology for their application. Moreover, the effect of acoustofluidic systems on phenotypic behavior of living organisms are investigated. The review starts with a brief explanation of acoustofluidic principles, the different working mechanisms, and the advantages or challenges of commonly used platforms based on the state-of-the-art design features of acoustofluidic technologies. Finally, we present an outlook of potential trends, the areas to be explored, and the challenges that need to be overcome in developing acoustofluidic platforms that can echo the clinical success of conventional ultrasound-based devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reza Rasouli
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Karina Martinez Villegas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Maryam Tabrizian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Alhamli MK, Sadhal SS. Boundary effects on the streaming flow around a bubble located at the velocity antinode of a standing wave. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 153:1637. [PMID: 37002098 DOI: 10.1121/10.0017456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
This study uses the singular perturbation method to analyze the streaming flow around a pulsating bubble at the velocity antinode of a standing wave. The bubble radially and laterally oscillates with small nondimensional amplitudes of ε` and ε, respectively. The momentum equation is expanded using ε. The frequency parameter M, which is the ratio of the bubble radius to the viscous length, is included in the expanded equations as OM-1. Four boundary conditions are solved: non-pulsating and pulsating assuming no-slip and shear-free boundaries. For the non-pulsating bubble, the streaming is on the order of OM-1 for the shear-free boundary. The flow has a quadrupole pattern, with direction from the equator to the poles. However, for the non-pulsating bubble with the no-slip boundary, the flow pattern is from the poles to the equator and the direction reverses after a critical value of M=13.3. When bubble pulsation is introduced, the intensity of the streaming increases and is proportional to M. The flow pattern is dipole with a direction from the south to the north pole for the shear-free boundary. For the non-slip boundary, the flow is quadrupole for small values of M and varies with the phase shift ϕ. As M increases, the flow intensifies and becomes dipole. For both cases, the maximum velocity is at the phase shift angle ϕ=135° and M=10.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad K Alhamli
- College of Technological Studies, Mechanical Engineering (Power), P.O. Box 42325, Shuwaikh 70654, Kuwait
| | - Satwindar Singh Sadhal
- Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Olin Hall, OHE 430, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Conde AJ, Keraite I, Leslie NR, Kersaudy-Kerhoas M. Microfluidic Acoustic Method for High Yield Extraction of Cell-Free DNA in Low-Volume Plasma Samples. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2679:163-180. [PMID: 37300615 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3271-0_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cell-free DNA has many applications in clinical medicine, in particular in cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment monitoring. Microfluidic-based solutions could provide solutions for rapid, cheaper, decentralized detection of cell-free tumoral DNA from a simple blood draw, or liquid biopsies, replacing invasive procedures or expensive scans. In this method, we present a simple microfluidic system for the extraction of cell-free DNA from low volume of plasma samples (≤500 μL). The technique is suitable for either static or continuous flow systems and can be used as a stand-alone module or integrated within a lab-on-chip system. The system relies on a simple yet highly versatile bubble-based micromixer module whose custom components can be fabricated with a combination of low-cost rapid prototyping techniques or ordered via widely available 3D-printing services. This system is capable of performing cell-free DNA extractions from small volumes of blood plasma with up to a tenfold increase in capture efficiency when compared to control methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro J Conde
- Micronit B.V., Enschede, Netherlands
- Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ieva Keraite
- Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Maïwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas
- Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- University of Edinburgh, Infection Medicine, Edinburgh, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Acoustic bubble array-induced jet flow for cleaning particulate contaminants on semiconductor wafers. KOREAN J CHEM ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11814-022-1214-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
11
|
Fan Y, Wang X, Ren J, Lin F, Wu J. Recent advances in acoustofluidic separation technology in biology. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2022; 8:94. [PMID: 36060525 PMCID: PMC9434534 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-022-00435-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Acoustofluidic separation of cells and particles is an emerging technology that integrates acoustics and microfluidics. In the last decade, this technology has attracted significant attention due to its biocompatible, contactless, and label-free nature. It has been widely validated in the separation of cells and submicron bioparticles and shows great potential in different biological and biomedical applications. This review first introduces the theories and mechanisms of acoustofluidic separation. Then, various applications of this technology in the separation of biological particles such as cells, viruses, biomolecules, and exosomes are summarized. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future prospects of this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Fan
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
| | - Xuan Wang
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093 China
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Jiaqi Ren
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| | - Francis Lin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
| | - Jiandong Wu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055 China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Maksymov IS, Huy Nguyen BQ, Suslov SA. Biomechanical Sensing Using Gas Bubbles Oscillations in Liquids and Adjacent Technologies: Theory and Practical Applications. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:624. [PMID: 36005019 PMCID: PMC9406219 DOI: 10.3390/bios12080624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Gas bubbles present in liquids underpin many natural phenomena and human-developed technologies that improve the quality of life. Since all living organisms are predominantly made of water, they may also contain bubbles-introduced both naturally and artificially-that can serve as biomechanical sensors operating in hard-to-reach places inside a living body and emitting signals that can be detected by common equipment used in ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging procedures. This kind of biosensor is the focus of the present article, where we critically review the emergent sensing technologies based on acoustically driven oscillations of bubbles in liquids and bodily fluids. This review is intended for a broad biosensing community and transdisciplinary researchers translating novel ideas from theory to experiment and then to practice. To this end, all discussions in this review are written in a language that is accessible to non-experts in specific fields of acoustics, fluid dynamics and acousto-optics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan S. Maksymov
- Optical Sciences Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
| | - Bui Quoc Huy Nguyen
- Optical Sciences Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
| | - Sergey A. Suslov
- Department of Mathematics, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Holographic Acoustic Tweezers for 5-DoF Manipulation of Nanocarrier Clusters toward Targeted Drug Delivery. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14071490. [PMID: 35890382 PMCID: PMC9317593 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14071490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic tweezers provide unique capabilities in medical applications, such as contactless manipulation of small objects (e.g., cells, compounds or living things), from nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles to centimeter-scale structures. Additionally, they are capable of being transmitted through the skin to trap and manipulate drug carriers in various media. However, these capabilities are hindered by the limitation of controllable degrees of freedom (DoFs) or are limited maneuverability. In this study, we explore the potential application of acoustical tweezers by presenting a five-DoF contactless manipulation acoustic system (AcoMan). The system has 30 ultrasound transducers (UTs) with single-side arrangement that generates active traveling waves to control the position and orientation of a fully untethered nanocarrier clusters (NCs) in a spherical workspace in water capable of three DoFs translation and two DoFs rotation. In this method, we use a phase modulation algorithm to independently control the phase signal for 30 UTs and manipulate the NCs’ positions. Phase modulation and switching power supply for each UT are employed to rotate the NCs in the horizontal plane and control the amplitude of power supply to each UT to rotate the NCs in the vertical plane. The feasibility of the method is demonstrated by in vitro and ex vivo experiments using porcine ribs. A significant portion of this study could advance the therapeutic application such a system as targeted drug delivery.
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhou Y, Dai L, Jiao N. Review of Bubble Applications in Microrobotics: Propulsion, Manipulation, and Assembly. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1068. [PMID: 35888885 PMCID: PMC9324494 DOI: 10.3390/mi13071068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, microbubbles have been widely used in the field of microrobots due to their unique properties. Microbubbles can be easily produced and used as power sources or tools of microrobots, and the bubbles can even serve as microrobots themselves. As a power source, bubbles can propel microrobots to swim in liquid under low-Reynolds-number conditions. As a manipulation tool, microbubbles can act as the micromanipulators of microrobots, allowing them to operate upon particles, cells, and organisms. As a microrobot, microbubbles can operate and assemble complex microparts in two- or three-dimensional spaces. This review provides a comprehensive overview of bubble applications in microrobotics including propulsion, micromanipulation, and microassembly. First, we introduce the diverse bubble generation and control methods. Then, we review and discuss how bubbles can play a role in microrobotics via three functions: propulsion, manipulation, and assembly. Finally, by highlighting the advantages and current challenges of this progress, we discuss the prospects of microbubbles in microrobotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China;
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liguo Dai
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002, China;
| | - Niandong Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China;
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Xie X, Wang Y, Siu SY, Chan CW, Zhu Y, Zhang X, Ge J, Ren K. Microfluidic synthesis as a new route to produce novel functional materials. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2022; 16:041301. [PMID: 36035887 PMCID: PMC9410731 DOI: 10.1063/5.0100206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
By geometrically constraining fluids into the sub-millimeter scale, microfluidics offers a physical environment largely different from the macroscopic world, as a result of the significantly enhanced surface effects. This environment is characterized by laminar flow and inertial particle behavior, short diffusion distance, and largely enhanced heat exchange. The recent two decades have witnessed the rapid advances of microfluidic technologies in various fields such as biotechnology; analytical science; and diagnostics; as well as physical, chemical, and biological research. On the other hand, one additional field is still emerging. With the advances in nanomaterial and soft matter research, there have been some reports of the advantages discovered during attempts to synthesize these materials on microfluidic chips. As the formation of nanomaterials and soft matters is sensitive to the environment where the building blocks are fed, the unique physical environment of microfluidics and the effectiveness in coupling with other force fields open up a lot of possibilities to form new products as compared to conventional bulk synthesis. This Perspective summarizes the recent progress in producing novel functional materials using microfluidics, such as generating particles with narrow and controlled size distribution, structured hybrid materials, and particles with new structures, completing reactions with a quicker rate and new reaction routes and enabling more effective and efficient control on reactions. Finally, the trend of future development in this field is also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinying Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yisu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Sin-Yung Siu
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Chiu-Wing Chan
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | | | - Xuming Zhang
- Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | | | - Kangning Ren
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Athanassiadis AG, Ma Z, Moreno-Gomez N, Melde K, Choi E, Goyal R, Fischer P. Ultrasound-Responsive Systems as Components for Smart Materials. Chem Rev 2022; 122:5165-5208. [PMID: 34767350 PMCID: PMC8915171 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Smart materials can respond to stimuli and adapt their responses based on external cues from their environments. Such behavior requires a way to transport energy efficiently and then convert it for use in applications such as actuation, sensing, or signaling. Ultrasound can carry energy safely and with low losses through complex and opaque media. It can be localized to small regions of space and couple to systems over a wide range of time scales. However, the same characteristics that allow ultrasound to propagate efficiently through materials make it difficult to convert acoustic energy into other useful forms. Recent work across diverse fields has begun to address this challenge, demonstrating ultrasonic effects that provide control over physical and chemical systems with surprisingly high specificity. Here, we review recent progress in ultrasound-matter interactions, focusing on effects that can be incorporated as components in smart materials. These techniques build on fundamental phenomena such as cavitation, microstreaming, scattering, and acoustic radiation forces to enable capabilities such as actuation, sensing, payload delivery, and the initiation of chemical or biological processes. The diversity of emerging techniques holds great promise for a wide range of smart capabilities supported by ultrasound and poses interesting questions for further investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios G. Athanassiadis
- Micro,
Nano, and Molecular Systems Group, Max Planck
Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Zhichao Ma
- Micro,
Nano, and Molecular Systems Group, Max Planck
Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Nicolas Moreno-Gomez
- Micro,
Nano, and Molecular Systems Group, Max Planck
Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Kai Melde
- Micro,
Nano, and Molecular Systems Group, Max Planck
Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Eunjin Choi
- Micro,
Nano, and Molecular Systems Group, Max Planck
Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Rahul Goyal
- Micro,
Nano, and Molecular Systems Group, Max Planck
Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Peer Fischer
- Micro,
Nano, and Molecular Systems Group, Max Planck
Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gao Y, Wu M, Luan Q, Papautsky I, Xu J. Acoustic bubble for spheroid trapping, rotation, and culture: a tumor-on-a-chip platform (ABSTRACT platform). LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:805-813. [PMID: 35080226 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc01012c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the leading cause of death globally, with 90% of deaths being caused by cancer metastasis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play an important role in early diagnosis of cancer metastasis and in monitoring of therapeutic response. Therefore, reliable methods to isolate, collect and culture CTCs are required to obtain information on metastasis status and therapeutic treatment. In this work, we present a CTC-processing system: acoustic bubble for spheroid trapping, rotation, and culture: a tumor-on-a-chip platform (ABSTRACT). The platform consists of a main channel, several parallel sub-microchannels with microcavities and culture chambers. The microcavity is designed to trap a bubble with desired shape at the entrance of the sub-microchannel. Under the acoustic actuation, the trapped bubble oscillates and creates a secondary radiation force to trap and rotate CTCs at a desired location. By controlling the acoustic bubble, CTCs can be continuously trapped from the blood flow, rotated to form a spheroid, and released to the microchamber for culture. We systematically investigated the effects of device geometry, flow parameters, and input voltage on trapping of CTCs to optimize the performance. Additionally, the successful on-chip spheroid culture demonstrates the biocompatibility and the simplicity of this platform. Besides simplifying conventional complex CTC processing procedures, this ABSTRACT platform also shows great potential for downstream analysis of tumor cells, such as monitoring the progression of metastasis and personalized drug testing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Mengren Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| | - Qiyue Luan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Ian Papautsky
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Namgung H, Kaba AM, Oh H, Jeon H, Yoon J, Lee H, Kim D. Quantitative Determination of 3D-Printing and Surface-Treatment Conditions for Direct-Printed Microfluidic Devices. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13206-022-00048-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
|
19
|
Zhou Y. Effect of microchannel protrusion on the bulk acoustic wave-induced acoustofluidics: numerical investigation. Biomed Microdevices 2021; 24:7. [PMID: 34964071 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-021-00608-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Acoustofluidics inside the microchannel has already found its wide applications recently. Acoustic streaming and radiation force are two underlying mechanisms that determine the trajectory of microparticles and cells in the manipulation. Critical particle size of viscous effects is found to be about 1.6 µm in the conventional rectangular microchannel (W × H = 380 m × 160 m) at the frequency of 2 MHz, below which the acoustic streaming dominants, and is independent of the driving voltage. In order to effectively adjust such a critical size, a approach is proposed and evaluated numerically to enhance the acoustic streaming by adding some protrusions (i.e., in the shape of a wedge, rod, half-ellipse) to the middle of the top or bottom wall. It is found that the resonant frequency and acoustic pressure will decrease and the acoustic streaming velocity will increase significantly, respectively, with the increase of protrusion height (up to 30 µm while keeping the width the same as 8 µm). Subsequently, trajectory motion patterns of microparticles have apparent changes in comparison to those inside the rectangular microchannel, and acoustic streaming can even dominate the motion of large microparticles (i.e., 10 µm). As a result, the critical particle size could be increased up to 72.5 µm. Furthermore, different protrusion shapes (i.e., wedge, rod, half-ellipse) on the top wall were compared. The sharpness of protrusion at its tip seems to determine the acoustic streaming velocity. The wedge attached to the bottom wall had higher resonant frequency and lower acoustic streaming velocity compared with the top wedge in the same dimension. The patterns of acoustic streaming and microparticle trajectory motion in the microchannel with dual wedges on the top and bottom walls are not the superposition of those of the top and bottom wedge individually. In summary, the geometry of the microchannel has a significant effect on the induced acoustofluidics by the bulk acoustic waves. A much larger acoustic streaming velocity is produced at the tip of the protrusion to change the critical size of microparticles between acoustic streaming and radiation force. It suggests that more applications of acoustofluidics (i.e., mixing and sonoporation) to microparticles and cells in various sizes are feasible by designing an appropriate geometry of the microchannel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China. .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Zhou Y, Liu J, Yan J, Guo S, Li T. Soft-Contact Acoustic Microgripper Based on a Controllable Gas-Liquid Interface for Biomicromanipulations. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2021; 17:e2104579. [PMID: 34738717 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202104579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The manipulation of microscale bioentities is desired in many biological and biomedical applications. However, the potential unobservable damage to bioparticles due to rigid contact has always been a source of concern. Herein, a soft-contact acoustic microgripper to handle microparticles to improve the interaction safety is introduced. The system takes advantage of the acoustic-enhanced adhesion of flexible gas-liquid interfaces to capture-release, transport, and rotate the target, such as microbeads (20-65 µm) and zebrafish embryos (from 950 µm to 1.4 mm). The gas-liquid interface generated at the tip of a microcapillary can be precisely controlled by a pneumatic pressure source. The gas-liquid interface oscillation excited by acoustic energy imposes coupled radiation force and drag force on the microparticles, enabling multidimensional movements. Experiments with the microbeads are conducted to evaluate the claimed function and quantify the key parameters that influence the manipulation result. Additionally, 250 zebrafish embryos are captured, transported, and rotated. The hatching rate of the 250 manipulated embryos is approximately 98% similar to that of the nonmanipulated group, which proves the noninvasiveness of the method. The derived theories and experimental data indicate that the developed soft-contact microgripper is functional and beneficial for biological and medical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yidi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Smart Sensing and Human-Robot Interaction, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
| | - Jixiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Smart Sensing and Human-Robot Interaction, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
| | - Junjia Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Smart Sensing and Human-Robot Interaction, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
| | - Shijie Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Smart Sensing and Human-Robot Interaction, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
| | - Tiejun Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300132, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
An unrecognized inertial force induced by flow curvature in microfluidics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2103822118. [PMID: 34261792 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2103822118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern inertial microfluidics routinely employs oscillatory flows around localized solid features or microbubbles for controlled, specific manipulation of particles, droplets, and cells. It is shown that theories of inertial effects that have been state of the art for decades miss major contributions and strongly underestimate forces on small suspended objects in a range of practically relevant conditions. An analytical approach is presented that derives a complete set of inertial forces and quantifies them in closed form as easy-to-use equations of motion, spanning the entire range from viscous to inviscid flows. The theory predicts additional attractive contributions toward oscillating boundaries, even for density-matched particles, a previously unexplained experimental observation. The accuracy of the theory is demonstrated against full-scale, three-dimensional direct numerical simulations throughout its range.
Collapse
|
22
|
Ghorbani Kharaji Z, Bayareh M, Kalantar V. A review on acoustic field-driven micromixers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL REACTOR ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/ijcre-2020-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
A review on acoustic field-driven micromixers is given. This is supplemented by the governing equations, governing non-dimensional parameters, numerical simulation approaches, and fabrication techniques. Acoustically induced vibration is a kind of external energy input employed in active micromixers to improve the mixing performance. An air bubble energized by an acoustic field acts as an external energy source and induces friction forces at the interface between an air bubble and liquid, leading to the formation of circulatory flows. The current review (with 200 references) evaluates different characteristics of microfluidic devices working based on acoustic field shaking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Morteza Bayareh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Shahrekord University , Shahrekord , Iran
| | - Vali Kalantar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , Yazd University , Yazd , Iran
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Xu F, Yang L, Liu Z, Chen G. Numerical investigation on the hydrodynamics of Taylor flow in ultrasonically oscillating microreactors. Chem Eng Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2021.116477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
24
|
Li Y, Liu X, Huang Q, Ohta AT, Arai T. Bubbles in microfluidics: an all-purpose tool for micromanipulation. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:1016-1035. [PMID: 33538756 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01173h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, the integration of microfluidic devices and multiple actuation technologies at the microscale has greatly contributed to the progress of related fields. In particular, microbubbles are playing an increasingly important role in microfluidics because of their unique characteristics that lead to specific responses to different energy sources and gas-liquid interactions. Many effective and functional bubble-based micromanipulation strategies have been developed and improved, enabling various non-invasive, selective, and precise operations at the microscale. This review begins with a brief introduction of the morphological characteristics and formation of microbubbles. The theoretical foundations and working mechanisms of typical micromanipulations based on acoustic, thermodynamic, and chemical microbubbles in fluids are described. We critically review the extensive applications and the frontline advances of bubbles in microfluidics, including microflow patterns, position and orientation control, biomedical applications, and development of bubble-based microrobots. We lastly present an outlook to provide directions for the design and application of microbubble-based micromanipulation tools and attract the attention of relevant researchers to the enormous potential of microbubbles in microfluidics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
An S, Ranaweera R, Luo L. Harnessing bubble behaviors for developing new analytical strategies. Analyst 2021; 145:7782-7795. [PMID: 33107897 DOI: 10.1039/d0an01497d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Gas bubbles are easily accessible and offer many unique characteristic properties of a gas/liquid two-phase system for developing new analytical methods. In this minireview, we discuss the newly developed analytical strategies that harness the behaviors of bubbles. Recent advancements include the utilization of the gas/liquid interfacial activity of bubbles for detection and preconcentration of surface-active compounds; the employment of the gas phase properties of bubbles for acoustic imaging and detection, microfluidic analysis, electrochemical sensing, and emission spectroscopy; and the application of the mass transport behaviors at the gas/liquid interface in gas sensing, biosensing, and nanofluidics. These studies have demonstrated the versatility of gas bubbles as a platform for developing new analytical strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shizhong An
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Gao Y, Wu M, Lin Y, Xu J. Trapping and control of bubbles in various microfluidic applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:4512-4527. [PMID: 33232419 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00906g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
As a simple, clean and effective tool, micro bubbles have enabled advances in various lab on a chip (LOC) applications recently. In bubble-based microfluidic applications, techniques for capturing and controlling the bubbles play an important role. Here we review active and passive techniques for bubble trapping and control in microfluidic applications. The active techniques are categorized based on various types of external forces from optical, electric, acoustic, mechanical and thermal fields. The passive approaches depend on surface tension, focusing on optimization of microgeometry and modification of surface properties. We discuss control techniques of size, location and stability of microbubbles and show how these bubbles are employed in various applications. To finalize, by highlighting the advantages of these approaches along with the current challenges, we discuss the future prospects of bubble trapping and control in microfluidic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA.
| | - Mengren Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA.
| | - Yang Lin
- Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, USA
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Liu C, Pang W, Duan X, Wang Y. Dual Functions of Ghz Frequency Acoustic Resonator System for Biosamples Capture and Sensing. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2020; 2020:3994-3997. [PMID: 33018875 DOI: 10.1109/embc44109.2020.9176604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
This work reports a novel acoustic resonator system integrated dual functions of biological samples capture and amount monitoring on a single chip. The system could capture samples from nano-sized proteins to micro-sized cells on micro-sized chip precisely with controllable concentration, meanwhile the high sensitivity mass sensing was achieved during the capture process. The devices were further applied to study the cell growth and cytotoxicity. Results indicated that it was possible to capture and monitor the physiological changes in a single cell level. This work explores a new opportunity on the development of miniaturized multiplex biosensing devices on a single chip.
Collapse
|
28
|
Acoustic Microfluidic Separation Techniques and Bioapplications: A Review. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11100921. [PMID: 33023173 PMCID: PMC7600273 DOI: 10.3390/mi11100921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidic separation technology has garnered significant attention over the past decade where particles are being separated at a micro/nanoscale in a rapid, low-cost, and simple manner. Amongst a myriad of separation technologies that have emerged thus far, acoustic microfluidic separation techniques are extremely apt to applications involving biological samples attributed to various advantages, including high controllability, biocompatibility, and non-invasive, label-free features. With that being said, downsides such as low throughput and dependence on external equipment still impede successful commercialization from laboratory-based prototypes. Here, we present a comprehensive review of recent advances in acoustic microfluidic separation techniques, along with exemplary applications. Specifically, an inclusive overview of fundamental theory and background is presented, then two sets of mechanisms underlying acoustic separation, bulk acoustic wave and surface acoustic wave, are introduced and discussed. Upon these summaries, we present a variety of applications based on acoustic separation. The primary focus is given to those associated with biological samples such as blood cells, cancer cells, proteins, bacteria, viruses, and DNA/RNA. Finally, we highlight the benefits and challenges behind burgeoning developments in the field and discuss the future perspectives and an outlook towards robust, integrated, and commercialized devices based on acoustic microfluidic separation.
Collapse
|
29
|
Lu X, Shen H, Wei Y, Ge H, Wang J, Peng H, Liu W. Ultrafast Growth and Locomotion of Dandelion-Like Microswarms with Tubular Micromotors. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2003678. [PMID: 32830425 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202003678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dynamic assembly and cooperation represent future frontiers for next generations of advanced micro/nano robots, but the required local interaction and communication cannot be directly translated from macroscale robots through the minimization because of tremendous technological challenges. Here, an ultrafast growth and locomotion methodology is presented for dandelion-like microswarms assembled from catalytic tubular micromotors. With ultrasound oscillation of self-generated bubbles, such microswarms could overcome the tremendous and chaotic drag force from extensive and disordered bubble generation in single units. Tubular MnO2 micromotor individuals headed by self-generated oxygen bubbles are ultrasonically driven to swim rapidly in surfactant-free H2 O2 solutions. A large bubble core fused from multiple microbubbles is excited to oscillate and the resultant local intensified acoustic field attracts the individual micromotors to school around it, leading to a simultaneous growth of dandelion-like microswarms. The bubble-carried micromotor groups driven by ultrasound could swarm at a zigzag pattern with an average speed of up to 50 mm s-1 , which is validated in low H2 O2 concentrations. Additionally, such superfast locomotion could be ultrasonically modulated on demand. The ultrafast microswarm growth and locomotion strategy offers a new paradigm for constructing distinct dynamic assemblies and rapid transmission of artificial microrobots, paving the way to a myriad of promising applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China
| | - Hui Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China
| | - Ying Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China
| | - Hongbin Ge
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211816, China
| | - Joseph Wang
- Department of Nano Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Hanmin Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China
| | - Wenjuan Liu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211816, China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Ma Z, Zhou Y, Cai F, Meng L, Zheng H, Ai Y. Ultrasonic microstreaming for complex-trajectory transport and rotation of single particles and cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:2947-2953. [PMID: 32661536 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00595a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Precisely controllable transport and rotation of microparticles and cells has great potential to enable new capabilities for single-cell level analysis. In this work, we present versatile ultrasonic microstreaming based manipulation that enables active and precise control of transport and rotation of individual microscale particles and biological cells in a microfluidic device. Two different types of ultrasonic microstreaming flow patterns can be produced by oscillating embedded microstructures in circular and rectilinear vibration modes, which have been validated by both numerical simulation and experimental observation. We have further showcased the ability to transport individual microparticles along the outlines of complex alphabet letters, demonstrating the versatility and simplicity of single-particle level manipulation with bulk vibration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Ma
- Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Zhang P, Bachman H, Ozcelik A, Huang TJ. Acoustic Microfluidics. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2020; 13:17-43. [PMID: 32531185 PMCID: PMC7415005 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-090919-102205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic microfluidic devices are powerful tools that use sound waves to manipulate micro- or nanoscale objects or fluids in analytical chemistry and biomedicine. Their simple device designs, biocompatible and contactless operation, and label-free nature are all characteristics that make acoustic microfluidic devices ideal platforms for fundamental research, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Herein, we summarize the physical principles underlying acoustic microfluidics and review their applications, with particular emphasis on the manipulation of macromolecules, cells, particles, model organisms, and fluidic flows. We also present future goals of this technology in analytical chemistry and biomedical research, as well as challenges and opportunities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peiran Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA;
| | - Hunter Bachman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA;
| | - Adem Ozcelik
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın 09010, Turkey;
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Sarabia-Alonso JA, Ortega-Mendoza JG, Ramírez-San-Juan JC, Zaca-Morán P, Ramírez-Ramírez J, Padilla-Vivanco A, Muñoz-Pérez FM, Ramos-García R. Optothermal generation, trapping, and manipulation of microbubbles. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:17672-17682. [PMID: 32679972 DOI: 10.1364/oe.389980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The most common approach to optically generate and manipulate bubbles in liquids involves temperature gradients induced by CW lasers. In this work, we present a method to accomplish both the generation of microbubbles and their 3D manipulation in ethanol through optothermal forces. These forces are triggered by light absorption from a nanosecond pulsed laser (λ = 532 nm) at silver nanoparticles photodeposited at the distal end of a multimode optical fiber. Light absorbed from each laser pulse quickly heats up the silver-ethanol interface beyond the ethanol critical-point (∼ 243 °C) before the heat diffuses through the liquid. Therefore, the liquid achieves a metastable state and owing to spontaneous nucleation converted to a vapor bubble attached to the optical fiber. The bubble grows with semi-spherical shape producing a counterjet in the final stage of the collapse. This jet reaches the hot nanoparticles vaporizing almost immediately and ejecting a microbubble. This microbubble-generation mechanism takes place with every laser pulse (10 kHz repetition rate) leading to the generation of a microbubbles stream. The microbubbles' velocities decrease as they move away from the optical fiber and eventually coalesce forming a larger bubble. The larger bubble is attracted to the optical fiber by the Marangoni force once it reaches a critical size while being continuously fed with each bubble of the microbubbles stream. The balance of the optothermal forces owing to the laser-pulse drives the 3D manipulation of the main bubble. A complete characterization of the trapping conditions is provided in this paper.
Collapse
|
33
|
Cao K, Liu Y, Han Z, Xu Q, Zhao Y, Lang C. Photocontrol of a microbubble in a fiber-based hollow microstructure. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:15090-15100. [PMID: 32403542 DOI: 10.1364/oe.390732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We experimentally demonstrated a novel photocontrol scheme of a microbubble. The microbubble was confined in a fiber-based hollow microstructure and its movement was driven by the laser-induced photothermal Marangoni force. The position of the microbubble was controlled at a micrometer scale by simply adjusting the drive laser power. This scheme permitted the firsthand control of a microbubble with a divergent single laser beam. As a practical demonstration, we proposed a variable fiber all-optical attenuator by exploiting the total internal reflection on the surface of the photo-controlled microbubble to modulate the target light beam. The experimental results showed that such a compact fiber attenuator possessed a low insertion loss of 0.83 dB, a maximum extinction ratio of 28.7 dB, and had potential to be integrated into the lab-on-a-chip for the modulation of the light beam power.
Collapse
|
34
|
Conde AJ, Keraite I, Ongaro AE, Kersaudy-Kerhoas M. Versatile hybrid acoustic micromixer with demonstration of circulating cell-free DNA extraction from sub-ml plasma samples. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:741-748. [PMID: 31960868 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc01130g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic micromixers have attracted considerable attention in the last years since they can deliver high mixing efficiencies without the need for movable components. However, their adoption in the academic and industrial microfluidics community has been limited, possibly due to the reduced flexibility and accessibility of previous designs since most of them are application-specific and fabricated with techniques that are expensive, not widely available and difficult to integrate with other manufacturing technologies. In this work, we describe a simple, yet highly versatile, bubble-based micromixer module fabricated with a combination of low-cost rapid prototyping techniques. The hybrid approach enables the integration of the module into practically any substrate and the individual control of multiple micromixers embedded within the same monolithic chip. The module can operate under static and continuous flow conditions showing enhanced mixing capabilities compared to similar devices. We show that the system is capable of performing cell-free DNA extractions from small volumes of blood plasma (≤500 μl) with up to a ten-fold increase in capture efficiency when compared to control methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro J Conde
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. and Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ieva Keraite
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. and Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alfredo E Ongaro
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. and Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK and Department of Civil, Environmental, Aerospace and Materials Engineering (DICAM), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maïwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. and Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Zou P, Li M, Wang Z, Zhang G, Jin L, Pang Y, Du L, Duan Y, Liu Z, Shi Q. Micro-Particle Image Velocimetry Investigation of Flow Fields of SonoVue Microbubbles Mediated by Ultrasound and Their Relationship With Delivery. Front Pharmacol 2020; 10:1651. [PMID: 32116672 PMCID: PMC7025580 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The flow fields generated by the acoustic behavior of microbubbles can significantly increase cell permeability. This facilitates the cellular uptake of external molecules in a process known as ultrasound-mediated drug delivery. To promote its clinical translation, this study investigated the relationships among the ultrasound parameters, acoustic behavior of microbubbles, flow fields, and delivery results. SonoVue microbubbles were activated by 1 MHz pulsed ultrasound with 100 Hz pulse repetition frequency, 1:5 duty cycle, and 0.20/0.35/0.70 MPa peak rarefactional pressure. Micro-particle image velocimetry was used to detect the microbubble behavior and the resulting flow fields. Then HeLa human cervical cancer cells were treated with the same conditions for 2, 4, 10, 30, and 60 s, respectively. Fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium iodide were used to quantitate the rates of sonoporated cells with a flow cytometer. The results indicate that (1) microbubbles exhibited different behavior in ultrasound fields of different peak rarefactional pressures. At peak rarefactional pressures of 0.20 and 0.35 MPa, the dispersed microbubbles clumped together into clusters, and the clusters showed no apparent movement. At a peak rarefactional pressure of 0.70 MPa, the microbubbles were partially broken, and the remainders underwent clustering and coalescence to form bubble clusters that exhibited translational oscillation. (2) The flow fields were unsteady before the unification of the microbubbles. After that, the flow fields showed a clear pattern. (3)The delivery efficiency improved with the shear stress of the flow fields increased. Before the formation of the microbubble/bubble cluster, the maximum shear stresses of the 0.20, 0.35, and 0.70 MPa groups were 56.0, 87.5 and 406.4 mPa, respectively, and the rates of the reversibly sonoporated cells were 2.4% ± 0.4%, 5.5% ± 1.3%, and 16.6% ± 0.2%. After the cluster formation, the maximum shear stresses of the three groups were 9.1, 8.7, and 71.7 mPa, respectively. The former two could not mediate sonoporation, whereas the last one could. These findings demonstrate the critical role of flow fields in ultrasound-mediated drug delivery and contribute to its clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Penglin Zou
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengqi Li
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqi Wang
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoxiu Zhang
- Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Lifang Jin
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Pang
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Lianfang Du
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yourong Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaomiao Liu
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Qiusheng Shi
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Dong Z, Delacour C, Mc Carogher K, Udepurkar AP, Kuhn S. Continuous Ultrasonic Reactors: Design, Mechanism and Application. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13020344. [PMID: 31940863 PMCID: PMC7014228 DOI: 10.3390/ma13020344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasonic small scale flow reactors have found increasing popularity among researchers as they serve as a very useful platform for studying and controlling ultrasound mechanisms and effects. This has led to the use of these reactors for not only research purposes, but also various applications in biological, pharmaceutical and chemical processes mostly on laboratory and, in some cases, pilot scale. This review summarizes the state of the art of ultrasonic flow reactors and provides a guideline towards their design, characterization and application. Particular examples for ultrasound enhanced multiphase processes, spanning from immiscible fluid-fluid to fluid-solid systems, are provided. To conclude, challenges such as reactor efficiency and scalability are addressed.
Collapse
|
37
|
Dong Z, Udepurkar AP, Kuhn S. Synergistic effects of the alternating application of low and high frequency ultrasound for particle synthesis in microreactors. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2020; 60:104800. [PMID: 31563796 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2019.104800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 09/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) is a promising method to address clogging and mixing issues in microreactors (MR). So far, low frequency US (LFUS), pulsed LFUS and high frequency US (HFUS) have been used independently in MR for particle synthesis to achieve narrow particle size distributions (PSD). In this work, we critically assess the advantages and disadvantages of each US application method for the case study of calcium carbonate synthesis in an ultrasonic microreactor (USMR) setup operating at both LFUS (61.7 kHz, 8 W) and HFUS (1.24 MHz, 1.6 W). Furthermore, we have developed a novel approach to switch between LFUS and HFUS in an alternating manner, allowing us to quantify the synergistic effect of performing particle synthesis under two different US conditions. The reactor was fabricated by gluing a piezoelectric plate transducer to a silicon microfluidic chip. The results show that independently applying HFUS and LFUS produces a narrower PSD compared to silent conditions. However, at lower flow rates HFUS leads to agglomerate formation, while the reaction conversion is not enhanced due to weak mixing effects. LFUS on the other hand eliminates particle agglomerates and increases the conversion due to the strong cavitation effect. However, the required larger power input leads to a steep temperature rise in the reactor and the risk of reactor damage for long-term operation. While pulsed LFUS reduces the temperature rise, this application mode leads again to the formation of particle agglomerates, especially at low LFUS percentage. The proposed application mode of switching between LFUS and HFUS is proven to combine the advantages of both LFUS and HFUS, and results in particles with a unimodal narrow PSD (one order of magnitude reduction in the average size and span compared to silent conditions) and negligible rise of the reactor temperature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhengya Dong
- KU Leuven, Department of Chemical Engineering, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Simon Kuhn
- KU Leuven, Department of Chemical Engineering, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Guan Y, Sun B. Versatile Microfluidic Mixing Platform for High- and Low-Viscosity Liquids via Acoustic and Chemical Microbubbles. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10120854. [PMID: 31817508 PMCID: PMC6952768 DOI: 10.3390/mi10120854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic mixers have been extensively studied due to their wide application in various fields, including clinical diagnosis and chemical research. In this paper, we demonstrate a mixing platform that can be used for low- and high-viscosity liquid mixing by integrating passive (utilizing the special circulating crossflow characteristics of a zigzag microstructure and cavitation surfaces at the zigzag corners) and active (adding an acoustic field to produce oscillating microbubbles) mixing methods. By exploring the relationship between the active and passive mixing methods, it was found that the microbubbles were more likely generated at the corners of the zigzag microchannel and achieved the best mixing efficiency with the acoustically generated microbubbles (compared with the straight channel). In addition, a higher mixing effect was achieved when the microchannel corner angle and frequency were 60° and 75 kHz, respectively. Meanwhile, the device also achieved an excellent mixing effect for high-viscosity fluids, such as glycerol (its viscosity was approximately 1000 times that of deionized (DI) water at 25 °C). The mixing time was less than 1 s, and the mixing efficiency was 0.95 in the experiment. Furthermore, a new microbubble generation method was demonstrated based on chemical reactions. A higher mixing efficiency (0.97) was achieved by combining the chemical and acoustic microbubble methods, which provides a new direction for future applications and is suitable for the needs of lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems and point-of-care testing (POCT).
Collapse
|
39
|
Taheri RA, Goodarzi V, Allahverdi A. Mixing Performance of a Cost-effective Split-and-Recombine 3D Micromixer Fabricated by Xurographic Method. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10110786. [PMID: 31744080 PMCID: PMC6915444 DOI: 10.3390/mi10110786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents experimental and numerical investigations of a novel passive micromixer based on the lamination of fluid layers. Lamination-based mixers benefit from increasing the contact surface between two fluid phases by enhancing molecular diffusion to achieve a faster mixing. Novel three-dimensional split and recombine (SAR) structures are proposed to generate fluid laminations. Numerical simulations were conducted to model the mixer performance. Furthermore, experiments were conducted using dyes to observe fluid laminations and evaluate the proposed mixer's characteristics. Mixing quality was experimentally obtained by means of image-based mixing index (MI) measurement. The multi-layer device was fabricated utilizing the Xurography method, which is a simple and low-cost method to fabricate 3D microfluidic devices. Mixing indexes of 96% and 90% were obtained at Reynolds numbers of 0.1 and 1, respectively. Moreover, the device had an MI value of 67% at a Reynolds number of 10 (flow rate of 116 µL/min for each inlet). The proposed micromixer, with its novel design and fabrication method, is expected to benefit a wide range of lab-on-a-chip applications, due to its high efficiency, low cost, high throughput and ease of fabrication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramezan Ali Taheri
- Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1435116471, Iran
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +989126110865
| | - Vahabodin Goodarzi
- Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1435116471, Iran;
| | - Abdollah Allahverdi
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 14115-335, Iran;
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Lu X, Zhao K, Liu W, Yang D, Shen H, Peng H, Guo X, Li J, Wang J. A Human Microrobot Interface Based on Acoustic Manipulation. ACS NANO 2019; 13:11443-11452. [PMID: 31425653 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b04930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Micro/nanorobotic systems capable of targeted transporting and releasing hold considerable promise for drug delivery, cellular surgery, biosensing, nano assembling, etc. However, on-demand precise control of the micro/nanorobot movement remains a major challenge. In particular, a practical interface to realize instant and customized interactions between human and micro/nanorobots, which is quite essential for developing next generation intelligent micro/nanorobots, has seldom been explored. Here, we present a human-microrobot user interface to perform direct and agile recognition of user commands and signal conversion for driving the microrobot. The microrobot platform is built based on locally enhanced acoustic streaming which could precisely transport microparticles and cells along a given pathway, while the interface is enabled by tuning the actuation frequency and time with different instructions and inputs. Our numerical simulations and experimental demonstrations illustrate that microparticles can be readily transported along the path by the acoustic robotic system, due to the vibration-induced locally enhanced acoustic streaming and resultant propulsion force. The acoustic robotic platform allows large-scale parallel transportation for microparticles and cells along given paths. The human microrobot interface enables the micromanipulator to response promptly to the users' commands input by typing or music playing for accurate transport. For example, the music tone of a playing melody is used for manipulating a cancer cell to a targeted position. The interface offers several attractive capabilities, including tunable speed and orientation, quick response, considerable delivery capacities, high precision and favorable controllability. We expect that such interface will work as a compelling and versatile platform for myriad potential scenarios in transportation units of microrobots, single cell analysis instruments, lab-on-chip systems, microfactories, etc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures , Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210016 , China
| | - Kangdong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures , Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210016 , China
| | - Wenjuan Liu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering , Nanjing Tech University , Nanjing , Jiangsu 211816 , China
| | - Dongxin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure , Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093 , China
| | - Hui Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures , Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210016 , China
| | - Hanmin Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures , Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics , Nanjing , Jiangsu 210016 , China
| | - Xiasheng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure , Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093 , China
| | - Jinxing Li
- Department of NanoEngineering , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
| | - Joseph Wang
- Department of NanoEngineering , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California 92093 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Rasouli MR, Tabrizian M. An ultra-rapid acoustic micromixer for synthesis of organic nanoparticles. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:3316-3325. [PMID: 31495858 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00637k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Mixing is a crucial step in many chemical analyses and synthesis processes, particularly in nanoparticle formation, where it determines the nucleation rate, homogeneity, and physicochemical characteristics of the products. In this study, we propose an energy-efficient acoustic platform based on boundary-driven acoustic streaming, which provides the rapid mixing required to control nanoprecipitation. The device encompasses oscillatory bubbles and sharp edges in the microchannel to transform the acoustic energy into vigorous vortical fluid motions. The combination of bubbles and sharp edges at their immediate proximity induced substantially stronger acoustic microstreams than the simple superposition of their effects. The device could effectively homogenize DI water and fluorescein within a mixing length of 25.2 μm up to a flow rate of 116 μL min-1 at a driving voltage of 40 Vpp, corresponding to a mixing time of 0.8 ms. This rapid mixing was employed to mitigate some complexities in nanoparticle synthesis, namely controlling nanoprecipitation and size, batch to batch variation, synthesis throughput, and clogging. Both polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes were synthesized in this platform and showed a smaller effective size and narrower size distribution in comparison to those obtained by a hydrodynamic flow focusing method. Through changing the mixing time, the effective size of the nanoparticles could be fine-tuned for both polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes. The rapid mixing and strong vortices prevent aggregation of nanoparticles, leading to a substantially higher throughput of liposomes in comparison with that by the hydrodynamic flow focusing method. The straightforward fabrication process of the system coupled with low power consumption, high-controllability, and rapid mixing time renders this mixer a practical platform for a myriad of nano and biotechnological applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Reza Rasouli
- Biomedical Engineering Department-Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada.
| | - Maryam Tabrizian
- Biomedical Engineering Department-Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada. and Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Cui W, Mu L, Duan X, Pang W, Reed MA. Trapping of sub-100 nm nanoparticles using gigahertz acoustofluidic tweezers for biosensing applications. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:14625-14634. [PMID: 31240289 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr03529j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we present a nanoscale acoustofluidic trap (AFT) that manipulates nanoparticles in a microfluidic system actuated by a gigahertz acoustic resonator. The AFT generates independent standing closed vortices with high-speed rotation. Via careful design and optimization of geometric confinements, the AFT was able to effectively capture and enrich sub-100 nm nanoparticles with a low power consumption (0.25-5 μW μm-2) and rapid trapping (within 30 s), showing significantly enhanced particle-operating ability as compared to its acoustic and optical counterparts; using specifically functionalized nanoparticles (SFNPs) to selectively capture target molecules from the sample, the AFT led to the molecular concentration enhancement of ∼200 times. We investigated the feasibility of the SFNP-assisted AFT preconcentration method for biosensing applications and successfully demonstrated the capability of this method for the detection of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The AFT was prepared via a fully CMOS-compatible process and thus could be conveniently integrated on a single chip, with potential for "lab-on-a-chip" or point-of-care (POC) nanoparticle-based biosensing applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology & Instruments, College of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Bachman H, Fu H, Huang PH, Tian Z, Embry-Seckler J, Rufo J, Xie Z, Hartman JH, Zhao S, Yang S, Meyer JN, Huang TJ. Open source acoustofluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:2404-2414. [PMID: 31240285 PMCID: PMC6934416 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00340a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Over the past several decades, a litany of acoustofluidic devices have been developed which purport to have significant advantages over traditional benchtop analytical tools. These acoustofluidic devices are frequently labeled as "labs-on-chips"; however, many do an insufficient job of limiting their dependence on the lab. Often, acoustofluidic devices still require skilled operators and complex external equipment. In an effort to address these shortcomings, we developed a low-cost, expandable, and multifunctional system for controlling acoustofluidic devices in the audible to low ultrasonic frequency range (31 Hz to 65 kHz). The system was designed around the readily available Arduino prototyping platform because of its user-friendly coding environment and expansive network of open source material; these factors enabled us to create a system capable of generating high voltage oscillatory signals and controlling microscale flows in acoustofluidic devices. Utilizing the established open source system, we achieved a series of acoustofluidic applications involving the manipulation of fluids and biological objects in a portable fashion. In particular, we used our open source acoustofluidic devices to achieve active rotation of cells and microorganisms, and operation of an acoustofluidic mixing device which has previously shown potential for viscous sample preparation, in a portable fashion. Additionally, using low frequency flexural waves and our portable system, we achieved acoustofluidic separation of particles based on size. It is our hope that the open source platform presented here can pave the way for future acoustofluidic devices to be used at the point-of-care, as well as simplify the operation of these devices to enable resource limited users to leverage the benefits of acoustofluidics in their work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hunter Bachman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Hai Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA. and Department of Fluid Control and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
| | - Po-Hsun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Zhenhua Tian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Jonah Embry-Seckler
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Joseph Rufo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Zhemiao Xie
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Jessica H Hartman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Shuaiguo Zhao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Shujie Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Tony Jun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Cui W, Pang W, Yang Y, Li T, Duan X. Theoretical and experimental characterizations of gigahertz acoustic streaming in microscale fluids. NANOTECHNOLOGY AND PRECISION ENGINEERING 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.npe.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
|
45
|
Abstract
Acoustic tweezers are a versatile set of tools that use sound waves to manipulate bioparticles ranging from nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles to millimeter-sized multicellular organisms. Over the past several decades, the capabilities of acoustic tweezers have expanded from simplistic particle trapping to precise rotation and translation of cells and organisms in three dimensions. Recent advances have led to reconfigured acoustic tweezers that are capable of separating, enriching, and patterning bioparticles in complex solutions. Here, we review the history and fundamentals of acoustic-tweezer technology and summarize recent breakthroughs.
Collapse
|
46
|
Kim JT, Pyo J, Seol SK, Je JH. Precise Placement of Microbubble Templates at Single Entity Resolution. ACS Macro Lett 2018; 7:1267-1271. [PMID: 35651264 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Microbubbles have been used as a soft template to produce hollow structures for diverse applications in chemistry, materials science, and biomedicine. It is a challenge, however, to control their size and position at single-entity level. We report on an on-demand method to produce and place a single microbubble with programmed size and position. The method exploits scanning an electrolyte-filled micropipette to place a hydrogen (H2) bubble, generated by water electrolysis, on the desired position. The bubble growth is self-limited after the bubble size fits to the pipet aperture, yielding well-controlled bubble size. The bubble growth dynamics within the pipet is successfully investigated by a methodology that combines phase-contrast X-ray imaging and electric-current measurement. We show that the microbubbles, accurately controlled in size and position, can be used for the fabrication of various polypyrrole microcontainer arrays. We expect the scanning-pipet strategy could be generalized for manipulating various soft materials at will.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji Tae Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jaeyeon Pyo
- Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51543, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Kwon Seol
- Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51543, Republic of Korea
- Electro-Functionality Materials Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51543, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Ho Je
- X-ray Imaging Center, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Deng CZ, Fan YJ, Chung PS, Sheen HJ. A Novel Thermal Bubble Valve Integrated Nanofluidic Preconcentrator for Highly Sensitive Biomarker Detection. ACS Sens 2018; 3:1409-1415. [PMID: 29888596 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.8b00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we developed a new immunosensor that can achieve an ultralow detection limit and high sensitivity. This new device has an electrokinetic trapping (EKT)-based nanofluidic preconcentrator, which was integrated with oscillating bubble valves, to trap concentrated antigen and immunobeads. During the immunoassay process, oscillating bubbles rapidly grew and acted as control valves and to block the microchannel. Thereafter, the trapped preconcentrated antigen plug and antibody-coated nanobeads were preserved in the region between these two valves. Finally, the antigen concentration was quantitatively analyzed by a real-time measurement of Brownian diffusion of the immunobeads. In this work, the test sample used was C-reactive protein (CRP) which is a risk indicator of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Zong Deng
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | | | - Pei-Shan Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Los Angeles, 420 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Horn-Jiunn Sheen
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Angelsky OV, Bekshaev AY, Maksimyak PP, Maksimyak AP, Hanson SG. Low-temperature laser-stimulated controllable generation of micro-bubbles in a water suspension of absorptive colloid particles. OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 26:13995-14009. [PMID: 29877444 DOI: 10.1364/oe.26.013995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A method is described for the generation of micrometer-sized vapor-gas bubbles in a water suspension containing absorptive pigment nanoparticles. The diluted suspension (mean interparticle distance 20 μm) absorbs the continuous laser radiation (wavelength 808 nm), and each particle in the best illuminated volume (~10 × 10 × 200 μm3) serves as a bubble-nucleation center. The suspension heating is inessential (several degrees above the room temperature) and the bubbles are formed mainly of the air gases dissolved in water. The bubbles can stably exist within or near the illuminated area where their location is governed by the competition between thermal and optical forces and can be controlled via the laser beam parameters. The method enables controllable creation, support, prescribed transportation, and destruction of the bubbles. This can be useful in applications aimed at precise sorting, transportation, and delivery of species in nano- and micro-engineering as well as for biomedical studies.
Collapse
|
49
|
Huang PH, Chan CY, Li P, Wang Y, Nama N, Bachman H, Huang TJ. A sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic chemical signal generator. LAB ON A CHIP 2018; 18:1411-1421. [PMID: 29668002 PMCID: PMC6064650 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00193f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Resolving the temporal dynamics of cell signaling pathways is essential for regulating numerous downstream functions, from gene expression to cellular responses. Mapping these signaling pathways requires the exposure of cells to time-varying chemical signals; these are difficult to generate and control over a wide temporal range. Herein, we present an acoustofluidic chemical signal generator based on a sharp-edge-based micromixing strategy. The device, simply by modulating the driving signals of an acoustic transducer including the ON/OFF switching frequency, actuation time and duty cycle, is capable of generating both single-pulse and periodic chemical signals that are temporally controllable in terms of stimulation period, stimulation duration and duty cycle. We also demonstrate the device's applicability and versatility for cell signaling studies by probing the calcium (Ca2+) release dynamics of three different types of cells stimulated by ionomycin signals of different shapes. Upon short single-pulse ionomycin stimulation (∼100 ms) generated by our device, we discover that cells tend to dynamically adjust the intracellular level of Ca2+ through constantly releasing and accepting Ca2+ to the cytoplasm and from the extracellular environment, respectively. With advantages such as simple fabrication and operation, compact device design, and reliability and versatility, our device will enable decoding of the temporal characteristics of signaling dynamics for various physiological processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsun Huang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Liu B, Tian B, Yang X, Li M, Yang J, Li D, Oh KW. Manipulation of micro-objects using acoustically oscillating bubbles based on the gas permeability of PDMS. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2018; 12:034111. [PMID: 29937951 PMCID: PMC5993670 DOI: 10.1063/1.5028419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents a novel manipulation method for micro-objects using acoustically oscillating bubbles with a controllable position based on the gas permeability of polydimethylsiloxane. The oscillating bubble trapped within the side channel attracts the neighboring micro-objects, and the position of the air-liquid interface is controlled by generating temporary pressure difference between the side channel and the air channel. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method in technological applications, polystyrene microparticles of 10 μm in diameter were successfully captured, transported, and released. The influence of pressure difference on the movement speed of the air-liquid interface was demonstrated in our experiments, and the manipulation performance was also characterized by varying the frequency of the acoustic excitation and the pressure difference. Since the bubble generation and the air-liquid interface movement in our manipulation method do not need any electrochemical reaction and any high temperature, this on-chip manipulation method provides a controllable, efficient, and noninvasive tool for handling micro-objects such as particles, cells, and other entities. The whole manipulation process, including capturing, transporting, and releasing of particles, spent less than 1 min. It can be used to select the cells and particles in the microfluidic device or change the cell culture medium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bendong Liu
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Baohua Tian
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Xu Yang
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Mohan Li
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | | | - Desheng Li
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Kwang W. Oh
- Department of Electrical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
| |
Collapse
|