Electrophoretic separation of neurotransmitters on a polystyrene nano-sphere∕polystyrene sulphonate coated poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchannel

Recent Trends in the Quantification of Biogenic Amines in Biofluids as Biomarkers of Various Disorders: A Review

Biogenic amines (BAs) are bioactive endogenous compounds which play a significant physiological role in many cell processes like cell proliferation and differentiation, signal transduction and membrane stability. Likewise, they are important in the regulation of body temperature, the increase/decrease of blood pressure or intake of nutrition, as well as in the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, hormones and alkaloids. Additionally, it was confirmed that these compounds can be considered as useful biomarkers for the diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of several neuroendocrine and cardiovascular disorders, including neuroendocrine tumours (NET), schizophrenia and Parkinson's Disease. Due to the fact that BAs are chemically unstable, light-sensitive and possess a high tendency for spontaneous oxidation and decomposition at high pH values, their determination is a real challenge. Moreover, their concentrations in biological matrices are extremely low. These issues make the measurement of BA levels in biological matrices problematic and the application of reliable bioanalytical methods for the extraction and determination of these molecules is needed. This article presents an overview of the most recent trends in the quantification of BAs in human samples with a special focus on liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) techniques. Thus, new approaches and technical possibilities applied in these methodologies for the assessment of BA profiles in human samples and the priorities for future research are reported and critically discussed. Moreover, the most important applications of LC, GC and CE in pharmacology, psychology, oncology and clinical endocrinology in the area of the analysis of BAs for the diagnosis, follow-up and monitoring of the therapy of various health disorders are presented and critically evaluated.

Highly sensitive, label-free and real-time detection of alpha-fetoprotein using a silicon nanowire biosensor

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a tumor-associated fetal protein that can be expressed in large amounts in adult tumor cells, serving as a useful clinical tumor-marker. Silicon nanowire (SiNW) biosensors have emerged as a powerful tool in detecting protein biomarkers, due to their ultrahigh sensitivity, real-time response and label-free detection. We fabricated a SiNW-based field-effect transistor (FET) according to "top-down" methodology. First, anti-AFP antibodies were immobilized onto the surface of the SiNW-FET. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel was then integrated to the modified SiNW-FET. Various concentrations of AFP were then pumped through the sensing area. We observed a current change that corresponded to binding of AFP onto the surface of our anti-AFP functionalized SiNW-FET biosensor. Concentrations of AFP as low as 0.1 ng/mL were detected. The results implicate our SiNW biosensor as an effective AFP biomarker detector with promising potential in clinical applications.

Present state of microchip electrophoresis: state of the art and routine applications

Microchip electrophoresis (MCE) was one of the earliest applications of the micro-total analysis system (μ-TAS) concept, whose aim is to reduce analysis time and reagent and sample consumption while increasing throughput and portability by miniaturizing analytical laboratory procedures onto a microfluidic chip. More than two decades on, electrophoresis remains the most common separation technique used in microfluidic applications. MCE-based instruments have had some commercial success and have found application in many disciplines. This review will consider the present state of MCE including recent advances in technology and both novel and routine applications in the laboratory. We will also attempt to assess the impact of MCE in the scientific community and its prospects for the future.

Development of a plastic-based microfluidic immunosensor chip for detection of H1N1 influenza

Lab-on-a-chip can provide convenient and accurate diagnosis tools. In this paper, a plastic-based microfluidic immunosensor chip for the diagnosis of swine flu (H1N1) was developed by immobilizing hemagglutinin antigen on a gold surface using a genetically engineered polypeptide. A fluorescent dye-labeled antibody (Ab) was used for quantifying the concentration of Ab in the immunosensor chip using a fluorescent technique. For increasing the detection efficiency and reducing the errors, three chambers and three microchannels were designed in one microfluidic chip. This protocol could be applied to the diagnosis of other infectious diseases in a microfluidic device.