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Torres-Castro K, Acuña-Umaña K, Lesser-Rojas L, Reyes DR. Microfluidic Blood Separation: Key Technologies and Critical Figures of Merit. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:2117. [PMID: 38004974 PMCID: PMC10672873 DOI: 10.3390/mi14112117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Blood is a complex sample comprised mostly of plasma, red blood cells (RBCs), and other cells whose concentrations correlate to physiological or pathological health conditions. There are also many blood-circulating biomarkers, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and various pathogens, that can be used as measurands to diagnose certain diseases. Microfluidic devices are attractive analytical tools for separating blood components in point-of-care (POC) applications. These platforms have the potential advantage of, among other features, being compact and portable. These features can eventually be exploited in clinics and rapid tests performed in households and low-income scenarios. Microfluidic systems have the added benefit of only needing small volumes of blood drawn from patients (from nanoliters to milliliters) while integrating (within the devices) the steps required before detecting analytes. Hence, these systems will reduce the associated costs of purifying blood components of interest (e.g., specific groups of cells or blood biomarkers) for studying and quantifying collected blood fractions. The microfluidic blood separation field has grown since the 2000s, and important advances have been reported in the last few years. Nonetheless, real POC microfluidic blood separation platforms are still elusive. A widespread consensus on what key figures of merit should be reported to assess the quality and yield of these platforms has not been achieved. Knowing what parameters should be reported for microfluidic blood separations will help achieve that consensus and establish a clear road map to promote further commercialization of these devices and attain real POC applications. This review provides an overview of the separation techniques currently used to separate blood components for higher throughput separations (number of cells or particles per minute). We present a summary of the critical parameters that should be considered when designing such devices and the figures of merit that should be explicitly reported when presenting a device's separation capabilities. Ultimately, reporting the relevant figures of merit will benefit this growing community and help pave the road toward commercialization of these microfluidic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Torres-Castro
- Biophysical and Biomedical Measurements Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;
- Theiss Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Katherine Acuña-Umaña
- Medical Devices Master’s Program, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (ITCR), Cartago 30101, Costa Rica
| | - Leonardo Lesser-Rojas
- Research Center in Atomic, Nuclear and Molecular Sciences (CICANUM), San José 11501, Costa Rica;
- School of Physics, Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), San José 11501, Costa Rica
| | - Darwin R. Reyes
- Biophysical and Biomedical Measurements Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA;
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Cherkaoui I, Bettaibi S, Barkaoui A, Kuznik F. Toward a Mesoscopic Modeling Approach of Magnetohydrodynamic Blood Flow in Pathological Vessels: A Comprehensive Review. Ann Biomed Eng 2023; 51:2415-2440. [PMID: 37639179 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-023-03350-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The investigation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) blood flow within configurations that are pertinent to the human anatomy holds significant importance in the realm of scientific inquiry because of its practical implications within the medical field. This article presents an exhaustive appraisal of the diverse applications of magnetohydrodynamics and their computational modeling in biological contexts. These applications are classified into two categories: simple flow and pulsatile flow. An alternative approach of traditional CFD methods called Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM), a mesoscopic method based on kinetic theory, is introduced to solve complex problems, such as hemodynamics. The results show that the flow velocity reduces considerably by increasing the magnetic field intensity, and the flow separation area is minimized by the increase of magnetic field strength. The LBM with BGK collision model has shown good results in terms of precision. Finally, this literature review has revealed a number of potential avenues for further research. Suggestions for future works are proposed accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikram Cherkaoui
- Laboratoire des Energies Renouvelable et Matériaux Avancés, Université Internationale de Rabat (UIR), Rocade Rabat-Salé, 11100, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Soufiene Bettaibi
- Laboratoire des Energies Renouvelable et Matériaux Avancés, Université Internationale de Rabat (UIR), Rocade Rabat-Salé, 11100, Rabat, Morocco.
| | - Abdelwahed Barkaoui
- Laboratoire des Energies Renouvelable et Matériaux Avancés, Université Internationale de Rabat (UIR), Rocade Rabat-Salé, 11100, Rabat, Morocco
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Abraham A, Virdi S, Herrero N, Bryant I, Nwakama C, Jacob M, Khaparde G, Jordan D, McCuddin M, McKinley S, Taylor A, Peeples C, Ekpenyong A. Microfluidic Microcirculation Mimetic for Exploring Biophysical Mechanisms of Chemotherapy-Induced Metastasis. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1653. [PMID: 37763816 PMCID: PMC10536821 DOI: 10.3390/mi14091653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
There is rapidly emerging evidence from pre-clinical studies, patient samples and patient subpopulations that certain chemotherapeutics inadvertently produce prometastatic effects. Prior to this, we showed that doxorubicin and daunorubicin stiffen cells before causing cell death, predisposing the cells to clogging and extravasation, the latter being a step in metastasis. Here, we investigate which other anti-cancer drugs might have similar prometastatic effects by altering the biophysical properties of cells. We treated myelogenous (K562) leukemic cancer cells with the drugs nocodazole and hydroxyurea and then measured their mechanical properties using a microfluidic microcirculation mimetic (MMM) device, which mimics aspects of blood circulation and enables the measurement of cell mechanical properties via transit times through the device. We also quantified the morphological properties of cells to explore biophysical mechanisms underlying the MMM results. Results from MMM measurements show that nocodazole- and hydroxyurea-treated K562 cells exhibit significantly altered transit times. Nocodazole caused a significant (p < 0.01) increase in transit times, implying a stiffening of cells. This work shows the feasibility of using an MMM to explore possible biophysical mechanisms that might contribute to chemotherapy-induced metastasis. Our work also suggests cell mechanics as a therapeutic target for much needed antimetastatic strategies in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Abraham
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Sukhman Virdi
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Nick Herrero
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Israel Bryant
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Chisom Nwakama
- Chemistry Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA;
| | - Megha Jacob
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Gargee Khaparde
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Destiny Jordan
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Mackenzie McCuddin
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Spencer McKinley
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Adam Taylor
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Conner Peeples
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Andrew Ekpenyong
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
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Wajihah SA, Sankar DS. A review on non-Newtonian fluid models for multi-layered blood rheology in constricted arteries. ARCHIVE OF APPLIED MECHANICS = INGENIEUR-ARCHIV 2023; 93:1771-1796. [PMID: 36743075 PMCID: PMC9886544 DOI: 10.1007/s00419-023-02368-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Haemodynamics is a branch of fluid mechanics which investigates the features of blood when it flows not only via blood vessels of smaller/larger diameter, but also under normal as well as abnormal flow states, such as in the presence of stenosis, aneurysm, and thrombosis. This review aims to discuss the rheological properties of blood, geometry of constrictions, dilations and the emergence of single-layered fluid to four-layered fluid models. To discuss further the influence of the aforesaid parameters on the physiologically important flow quantities, the mathematical formulation and solution methodology of the two-layered and four layered arterial blood flow problems studied by the authors (Afiqah and Sankar in ARPN J Eng Appl Sci 15:1129--1143, 2020, Comput Methods Programs Biomed 199:105907, 2021. 10.1016/j.cmpb.2020.105907) are recalled. It should be pointed out that the increasing resistive impedance to flow in three distinct states encompassing healthy, anaemic, and diabetic demonstrates that the greater the restriction in the artery, very few blood is carried to the pathetic organs, leading to subjects' death. It is also discovered that the pulsatile nature of blood movement produces a dynamic environment that poses a slew of intriguing and unstable fluid mechanical state. It is hoped that the intriguing results gathered from this literature survey and review conducted may help the medical practitioners to forecast blood behaviour mobility in stenotic arteries. Furthermore, the physiological information gathered from the available clinical data from the literature on patients diagnosed with diabetes and anaemia may be beneficial to doctors in deciding the therapeutic procedure for treating some particular cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Afiqah Wajihah
- Applied Mathematics and Economics Programme Area, School of Applied Sciences and Mathematics, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan, BE1410 Brunei Darussalam
| | - D. S. Sankar
- Applied Mathematics and Economics Programme Area, School of Applied Sciences and Mathematics, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan, BE1410 Brunei Darussalam
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Kim H, Zhbanov A, Yang S. Microfluidic Systems for Blood and Blood Cell Characterization. BIOSENSORS 2022; 13:13. [PMID: 36671848 PMCID: PMC9856090 DOI: 10.3390/bios13010013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A laboratory blood test is vital for assessing a patient's health and disease status. Advances in microfluidic technology have opened the door for on-chip blood analysis. Currently, microfluidic devices can reproduce myriad routine laboratory blood tests. Considerable progress has been made in microfluidic cytometry, blood cell separation, and characterization. Along with the usual clinical parameters, microfluidics makes it possible to determine the physical properties of blood and blood cells. We review recent advances in microfluidic systems for measuring the physical properties and biophysical characteristics of blood and blood cells. Added emphasis is placed on multifunctional platforms that combine several microfluidic technologies for effective cell characterization. The combination of hydrodynamic, optical, electromagnetic, and/or acoustic methods in a microfluidic device facilitates the precise determination of various physical properties of blood and blood cells. We analyzed the physical quantities that are measured by microfluidic devices and the parameters that are determined through these measurements. We discuss unexplored problems and present our perspectives on the long-term challenges and trends associated with the application of microfluidics in clinical laboratories. We expect the characterization of the physical properties of blood and blood cells in a microfluidic environment to be considered a standard blood test in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hojin Kim
- Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Dongseo University, Busan 47011, Republic of Korea
| | - Alexander Zhbanov
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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Akbari Kenari M, Rezvani Ghomi E, Akbari Kenari A, Arabi SMS, Deylami J, Ramakrishna S. Biomedical applications of microfluidic devices: Achievements and challenges. POLYM ADVAN TECHNOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pat.5847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Akbari Kenari
- Department of Chemical Engineering Polytechnique Montreal Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Erfan Rezvani Ghomi
- Center for Nanotechnology and Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | | | | | - Javad Deylami
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
| | - Seeram Ramakrishna
- Center for Nanotechnology and Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
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Maia R, Carvalho V, Faria B, Miranda I, Catarino S, Teixeira S, Lima R, Minas G, Ribeiro J. Diagnosis Methods for COVID-19: A Systematic Review. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1349. [PMID: 36014271 PMCID: PMC9415914 DOI: 10.3390/mi13081349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
At the end of 2019, the coronavirus appeared and spread extremely rapidly, causing millions of infections and deaths worldwide, and becoming a global pandemic. For this reason, it became urgent and essential to find adequate tests for an accurate and fast diagnosis of this disease. In the present study, a systematic review was performed in order to provide an overview of the COVID-19 diagnosis methods and tests already available, as well as their evolution in recent months. For this purpose, the Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus databases were used to collect the data and three authors independently screened the references, extracted the main information, and assessed the quality of the included studies. After the analysis of the collected data, 34 studies reporting new methods to diagnose COVID-19 were selected. Although RT-PCR is the gold-standard method for COVID-19 diagnosis, it cannot fulfill all the requirements of this pandemic, being limited by the need for highly specialized equipment and personnel to perform the assays, as well as the long time to get the test results. To fulfill the limitations of this method, other alternatives, including biological and imaging analysis methods, also became commonly reported. The comparison of the different diagnosis tests allowed to understand the importance and potential of combining different techniques, not only to improve diagnosis but also for a further understanding of the virus, the disease, and their implications in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Maia
- Microelectromechanical Systems Research Unit (CMEMS-UMinho), School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Violeta Carvalho
- Microelectromechanical Systems Research Unit (CMEMS-UMinho), School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- MEtRICs, Mechanical Engineering Department, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
- ALGORITMI, Production and Systems Department, School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Bernardo Faria
- Microelectromechanical Systems Research Unit (CMEMS-UMinho), School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Inês Miranda
- Microelectromechanical Systems Research Unit (CMEMS-UMinho), School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Susana Catarino
- Microelectromechanical Systems Research Unit (CMEMS-UMinho), School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Senhorinha Teixeira
- ALGORITMI, Production and Systems Department, School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui Lima
- MEtRICs, Mechanical Engineering Department, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
- CEFT, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Graça Minas
- Microelectromechanical Systems Research Unit (CMEMS-UMinho), School of Engineering, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João Ribeiro
- ALiCE, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- Campus de Santa Apolónia, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Campus de Santa Apolónia, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Campus de Santa Apolónia, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
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Label-free multi-step microfluidic device for mechanical characterization of blood cells: Diabetes type II. MICRO AND NANO ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mne.2022.100149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Fluid Flow and Structural Numerical Analysis of a Cerebral Aneurysm Model. FLUIDS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/fluids7030100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intracranial aneurysms (IA) are dilations of the cerebral arteries and, in most cases, have no symptoms. However, it is a very serious pathology, with a high mortality rate after rupture. Several studies have been focused only on the hemodynamics of the flow within the IA. However, besides the effect of the flow, the development and rupture of the IA are also associated with a combination of other factors such as the wall mechanical behavior. Thus, the objective of this work was to analyze, in addition to the flow behavior, the biomechanical behavior of the aneurysm wall. For this, CFD simulations were performed for different Reynolds numbers (1, 100, 500 and 1000) and for two different rheological models (Newtonian and Carreau). Subsequently, the pressure values of the fluid simulations were exported to the structural simulations in order to qualitatively observe the deformations, strains, normal stresses and shear stress generated in the channel wall. For the structural simulations, a hyperelastic constitutive model (5-parameter Mooney–Rivlin) was used. The results show that with the increase in the Reynolds number (Re), the recirculation phenomenon is more pronounced, which is not seen for Re = 1. The higher the Re, the higher the strain, displacement, normal and shear stresses values.
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Micro-haemodynamics at the maternal–fetal interface: experimental, theoretical and clinical perspectives. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2022.100387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Gonçalves IM, Carvalho V, Rodrigues RO, Pinho D, Teixeira SFCF, Moita A, Hori T, Kaji H, Lima R, Minas G. Organ-on-a-Chip Platforms for Drug Screening and Delivery in Tumor Cells: A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14040935. [PMID: 35205683 PMCID: PMC8870045 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer is one of the diseases with a high mortality rate worldwide. Of the current strategies to study new diagnostic and treating tools, organs-on-chip are quite promising regarding the achievement of more personalized medicine. In this work, 75 out of 820 of the most recent published scientific articles were selected and analyzed through a systematic process. The selected articles present the different microfluidic platforms where cell culture was introduced and was used for the evaluation of cancer treatments efficacy and/or toxicity. Abstract The development of cancer models that rectify the simplicity of monolayer or static cell cultures physiologic microenvironment and, at the same time, replicate the human system more accurately than animal models has been a challenge in biomedical research. Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) devices are a solution that has been explored over the last decade. The combination of microfluidics and cell culture allows the design of a dynamic microenvironment suitable for the evaluation of treatments’ efficacy and effects, closer to the response observed in patients. This systematic review sums the studies from the last decade, where OoC with cancer cell cultures were used for drug screening assays. The studies were selected from three databases and analyzed following the research guidelines for systematic reviews proposed by PRISMA. In the selected studies, several types of cancer cells were evaluated, and the majority of treatments tested were standard chemotherapeutic drugs. Some studies reported higher drug resistance of the cultures on the OoC devices than on 2D cultures, which indicates the better resemblance to in vivo conditions of the former. Several studies also included the replication of the microvasculature or the combination of different cell cultures. The presence of vasculature can influence positively or negatively the drug efficacy since it contributes to a greater diffusion of the drug and also oxygen and nutrients. Co-cultures with liver cells contributed to the evaluation of the systemic toxicity of some drugs metabolites. Nevertheless, few studies used patient cells for the drug screening assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês M. Gonçalves
- METRICS, University of Minho, Alameda da Universidade, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal; (I.M.G.); (V.C.); (R.L.)
- IN+—Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal;
| | - Violeta Carvalho
- METRICS, University of Minho, Alameda da Universidade, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal; (I.M.G.); (V.C.); (R.L.)
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- ALGORITMI Center, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
| | - Raquel O. Rodrigues
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
- Correspondence: (R.O.R.); (G.M.); Tel.: +351-253-510190 (ext. 604705) (R.O.R. & G.M.)
| | - Diana Pinho
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
| | | | - Ana Moita
- IN+—Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal;
- CINAMIL—Centro de Investigação Desenvolvimento e Inovação da Academia Militar, Academia Militar, Instituto Universitário Militar, Rua Gomes Freire, 1169-203 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Takeshi Hori
- Department of Biomechanics, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering (IBB), Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Chiyoda, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan; (T.H.); (H.K.)
| | - Hirokazu Kaji
- Department of Biomechanics, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering (IBB), Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Chiyoda, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan; (T.H.); (H.K.)
| | - Rui Lima
- METRICS, University of Minho, Alameda da Universidade, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal; (I.M.G.); (V.C.); (R.L.)
- CEFT, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Graça Minas
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- LABBELS-Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, 4806-909 Guimarães, Portugal
- Correspondence: (R.O.R.); (G.M.); Tel.: +351-253-510190 (ext. 604705) (R.O.R. & G.M.)
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Miranda I, Souza A, Sousa P, Ribeiro J, Castanheira EMS, Lima R, Minas G. Properties and Applications of PDMS for Biomedical Engineering: A Review. J Funct Biomater 2021; 13:2. [PMID: 35076525 PMCID: PMC8788510 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is an elastomer with excellent optical, electrical and mechanical properties, which makes it well-suited for several engineering applications. Due to its biocompatibility, PDMS is widely used for biomedical purposes. This widespread use has also led to the massification of the soft-lithography technique, introduced for facilitating the rapid prototyping of micro and nanostructures using elastomeric materials, most notably PDMS. This technique has allowed advances in microfluidic, electronic and biomedical fields. In this review, an overview of the properties of PDMS and some of its commonly used treatments, aiming at the suitability to those fields' needs, are presented. Applications such as microchips in the biomedical field, replication of cardiovascular flow and medical implants are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Miranda
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal; (I.M.); (P.S.); (G.M.)
| | - Andrews Souza
- MEtRICs, Mechanical Engineering Department, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal;
| | - Paulo Sousa
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal; (I.M.); (P.S.); (G.M.)
| | - João Ribeiro
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Campus de Santa Apolónia, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Braganca, Portugal;
| | - Elisabete M. S. Castanheira
- Centre of Physics of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP), Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal;
| | - Rui Lima
- MEtRICs, Mechanical Engineering Department, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal;
- CEFT, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP), Rua Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Graça Minas
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal; (I.M.); (P.S.); (G.M.)
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13
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Beris AN, Horner JS, Jariwala S, Armstrong MJ, Wagner NJ. Recent advances in blood rheology: a review. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:10591-10613. [PMID: 34787149 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01212f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Due to the potential impact on the diagnosis and treatment of various cardiovascular diseases, work on the rheology of blood has significantly expanded in the last decade, both experimentally and theoretically. Experimentally, blood has been confirmed to demonstrate a variety of non-Newtonian rheological characteristics, including pseudoplasticity, viscoelasticity, and thixotropy. New rheological experiments and the development of more controlled experimental protocols on more extensive, broadly physiologically characterized, human blood samples demonstrate the sensitivity of aspects of hemorheology to several physiological factors. For example, at high shear rates the red blood cells elastically deform, imparting viscoelasticity, while at low shear rates, they form "rouleaux" structures that impart additional, thixotropic behavior. In addition to the advances in experimental methods and validated data sets, significant advances have also been made in both microscopic simulations and macroscopic, continuum, modeling, as well as novel, multiscale approaches. We outline and evaluate the most promising of these recent developments. Although we primarily focus on human blood rheology, we also discuss recent observations on variations observed across some animal species that provide some indication on evolutionary effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony N Beris
- Center for Research in Soft Matter and Polymers, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Jeffrey S Horner
- Center for Research in Soft Matter and Polymers, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Soham Jariwala
- Center for Research in Soft Matter and Polymers, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Matthew J Armstrong
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Chemical Engineering Program, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA
| | - Norman J Wagner
- Center for Research in Soft Matter and Polymers, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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14
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Carvalho V, Rodrigues RO, Lima RA, Teixeira S. Computational Simulations in Advanced Microfluidic Devices: A Review. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12101149. [PMID: 34683199 PMCID: PMC8539624 DOI: 10.3390/mi12101149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Numerical simulations have revolutionized research in several engineering areas by contributing to the understanding and improvement of several processes, being biomedical engineering one of them. Due to their potential, computational tools have gained visibility and have been increasingly used by several research groups as a supporting tool for the development of preclinical platforms as they allow studying, in a more detailed and faster way, phenomena that are difficult to study experimentally due to the complexity of biological processes present in these models—namely, heat transfer, shear stresses, diffusion processes, velocity fields, etc. There are several contributions already in the literature, and significant advances have been made in this field of research. This review provides the most recent progress in numerical studies on advanced microfluidic devices, such as organ-on-a-chip (OoC) devices, and how these studies can be helpful in enhancing our insight into the physical processes involved and in developing more effective OoC platforms. In general, it has been noticed that in some cases, the numerical studies performed have limitations that need to be improved, and in the majority of the studies, it is extremely difficult to replicate the data due to the lack of detail around the simulations carried out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Carvalho
- MEtRICs, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- ALGORITMI, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- Correspondence:
| | - Raquel O. Rodrigues
- Center for MicroElectromechanical Systems (CMEMS-UMinho), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
| | - Rui A. Lima
- MEtRICs, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- CEFT, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Senhorinha Teixeira
- ALGORITMI, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
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15
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Sadek SH, Rubio M, Lima R, Vega EJ. Blood Particulate Analogue Fluids: A Review. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:2451. [PMID: 34065125 PMCID: PMC8126041 DOI: 10.3390/ma14092451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidics has proven to be an extraordinary working platform to mimic and study blood flow phenomena and the dynamics of components of the human microcirculatory system. However, the use of real blood increases the complexity to perform these kinds of in vitro blood experiments due to diverse problems such as coagulation, sample storage, and handling problems. For this reason, interest in the development of fluids with rheological properties similar to those of real blood has grown over the last years. The inclusion of microparticles in blood analogue fluids is essential to reproduce multiphase effects taking place in a microcirculatory system, such as the cell-free layer (CFL) and Fähraeus-Lindqvist effect. In this review, we summarize the progress made in the last twenty years. Size, shape, mechanical properties, and even biological functionalities of microparticles produced/used to mimic red blood cells (RBCs) are critically exposed and analyzed. The methods developed to fabricate these RBC templates are also shown. The dynamic flow/rheology of blood particulate analogue fluids proposed in the literature (with different particle concentrations, in most of the cases, relatively low) is shown and discussed in-depth. Although there have been many advances, the development of a reliable blood particulate analogue fluid, with around 45% by volume of microparticles, continues to be a big challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Hassan Sadek
- Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de los Materiales and Instituto de Computación Científica Avanzada (ICCAEx), Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain; (S.H.S.); (M.R.)
| | - Manuel Rubio
- Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de los Materiales and Instituto de Computación Científica Avanzada (ICCAEx), Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain; (S.H.S.); (M.R.)
| | - Rui Lima
- MEtRICs, Mechanical Engineering Department, Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal;
- Transport Phenomena Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Emilio José Vega
- Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de los Materiales and Instituto de Computación Científica Avanzada (ICCAEx), Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain; (S.H.S.); (M.R.)
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16
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Characterization of Nanoparticle Adsorption on Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Microchannels. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21061978. [PMID: 33799754 PMCID: PMC7998103 DOI: 10.3390/s21061978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) are used in various medicinal applications. Exosomes, bio-derived NPs, are promising biomarkers obtained through separation and concentration from body fluids. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microchannels are well-suited for precise handling of NPs, offering benefits such as high gas permeability and low cytotoxicity. However, the large specific surface area of NPs may result in nonspecific adsorption on the device substrate and thus cause sample loss. Therefore, an understanding of NP adsorption on microchannels is important for the operation of microfluidic devices used for NP handling. Herein, we characterized NP adsorption on PDMS-based substrates and microchannels by atomic force microscopy to correlate NP adsorptivity with the electrostatic interactions associated with NP and dispersion medium properties. When polystyrene NP dispersions were introduced into PDMS-based microchannels at a constant flow rate, the number of adsorbed NPs decreased with decreasing NP and microchannel zeta potentials (i.e., with increasing pH), which suggested that the electrostatic interaction between the microchannel and NPs enhanced their repulsion. When exosome dispersions were introduced into PDMS-based microchannels with different wettabilities at constant flow rates, exosome adsorption was dominated by electrostatic interactions. The findings obtained should facilitate the preconcentration, separation, and sensing of NPs by PDMS-based microfluidic devices.
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Niculescu AG, Chircov C, Bîrcă AC, Grumezescu AM. Fabrication and Applications of Microfluidic Devices: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2011. [PMID: 33670545 PMCID: PMC7921936 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidics is a relatively newly emerged field based on the combined principles of physics, chemistry, biology, fluid dynamics, microelectronics, and material science. Various materials can be processed into miniaturized chips containing channels and chambers in the microscale range. A diverse repertoire of methods can be chosen to manufacture such platforms of desired size, shape, and geometry. Whether they are used alone or in combination with other devices, microfluidic chips can be employed in nanoparticle preparation, drug encapsulation, delivery, and targeting, cell analysis, diagnosis, and cell culture. This paper presents microfluidic technology in terms of the available platform materials and fabrication techniques, also focusing on the biomedical applications of these remarkable devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu
- Faculty of Engineering in Foreign Languages, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Cristina Chircov
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (C.C.); (A.C.B.)
| | - Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (C.C.); (A.C.B.)
| | - Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
- Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (C.C.); (A.C.B.)
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
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Abstract
Atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of cardiovascular events, namely, myocardium infarction and cerebral stroke, responsible for a great number of deaths every year worldwide. This pathology is caused by the progressive accumulation of low-density lipoproteins, cholesterol, and other substances on the arterial wall, narrowing its lumen. To date, many hemodynamic studies have been conducted experimentally and/or numerically; however, this disease is not yet fully understood. For this reason, the research of this pathology is still ongoing, mainly, resorting to computational methods. These have been increasingly used in biomedical research of atherosclerosis because of their high-performance hardware and software. Taking into account the attempts that have been made in computational techniques to simulate realistic conditions of blood flow in both diseased and healthy arteries, the present review aims to give an overview of the most recent numerical studies focused on coronary arteries, by addressing the blood viscosity models, and applied physiological flow conditions. In general, regardless of the boundary conditions, numerical studies have been contributed to a better understanding of the development of this disease, its diagnosis, and its treatment.
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Carvalho V, Maia I, Souza A, Ribeiro J, Costa P, Puga H, Teixeira S, Lima RA. In vitro
Biomodels in Stenotic Arteries to Perform Blood Analogues Flow Visualizations and Measurements: A Review. Open Biomed Eng J 2020. [DOI: 10.2174/1874120702014010087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death globally and the most common pathological process is atherosclerosis. Over the years, these cardiovascular complications have been extensively studied by applying in vivo, in vitro and numerical methods (in silico). In vivo studies represent more accurately the physiological conditions and provide the most realistic data. Nevertheless, these approaches are expensive, and it is complex to control several physiological variables. Hence, the continuous effort to find reliable alternative methods has been growing. In the last decades, numerical simulations have been widely used to assess the blood flow behavior in stenotic arteries and, consequently, providing insights into the cardiovascular disease condition, its progression and therapeutic optimization. However, it is necessary to ensure its accuracy and reliability by comparing the numerical simulations with clinical and experimental data. For this reason, with the progress of the in vitro flow measurement techniques and rapid prototyping, experimental investigation of hemodynamics has gained widespread attention. The present work reviews state-of-the-art in vitro macro-scale arterial stenotic biomodels for flow measurements, summarizing the different fabrication methods, blood analogues and highlighting advantages and limitations of the most used techniques.
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