In-situ cell extraction by open microfluidics combined with mass spectrometry for EpCAM analysis via DNA-mediated rolling circle amplification.

A sensitive analysis for self-carried biomarkers of tumor cells is of great significance for early tumor diagnosis and following treatment monitoring. In this work, open microfluidics combined with mass spectrometry for Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) analysis using DNA-mediated rolling circle amplification (RCA) was proposed. Following aptamer binding, the EpCAM signal was amplified and hybridized with a short DNA probe, which could be released by extracting with a denaturant agent and detected via mass spectrometry.

Dean Flow-Assisted Microfluidic Aqueous Two-Phase Extraction for Purifying Extracellular Vesicles and Facilitating Single-Vesicle Analysis.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in mediating and regulating biological processes, such as intercellular communication and signaling. The isolation and purification of EVs from biological samples are prerequisites for EV research. Herein, a Dean flow-assisted microfluidic aqueous two-phase extraction chip (DATPEC) was developed for isolating EVs from biological samples.

CRISPR/Cas12a-Mediated Rolling Circle Amplification for the Development of Liquid Crystal-Based Sensors.

The development of high-performance liquid crystal (LC)-based sensors with remarkable sensitivity and excellent selectivity is of great importance. Herein, a CRISPR/Cas12a-based LC sensor for detecting mycotoxins in food is first reported, and the detection of aflatoxin B (AFB) is chosen as a model. AFB is added to magnetic beads (MBs) functionalized with double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) consisting of AFB aptamer and cDNA.

Single-Cell Localized Treatment and ROS Dynamics Monitoring via an Open Electrochemical-Microfluidic Probe.

Capturing immediate responses to diverse stimulations in single living cells offers new insights into cellular behaviors and functions. However, integrating precise micro-perturbations with in-situ acquisition of molecular information remains challenging. Here, an open electrochemical-microfluidic probe (OEMP) is developed for single-cell localized treatment and reactive oxygen species (ROS) dynamics monitoring.

Alginate-gelatin hydrogel scaffolds for establishing physiological barriers on a gut-brain-axis microchip.

Organ-on-chips (OOCs) technique has transferred real animal models to the in vitro models, especially for the exploration of the gut-brain-axis. In this work, we proposed a novel hydrogel-based microchip system to simulate two of the most indispensable physiological barriers in the gut-brain-axis, providing a feasible tool for studying the bacteria-induced regulations of tryptophan metabolism on cells. Using UV-light-induced hydrogel of alginate-gelatin mixture filled within the microchip as the cell scaffold, different cell layers were successfully inoculated and formed an intestinal barrier (IB) and a blood-brain barrier (BBB) with specific morphology and fundamental functions.

A Simple Fluorescent Probe for Biothiols Detection and Imaging of Living Cells In Vivo Based on a Hemicyanine Derivative.

Biothiols play essential roles in various biological processes and are closely associated with diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. To monitor biothiols in organisms and living cells, we developed a novel intramolecular charge transfer (ICT)-based probe, hemicyanine-2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonamide(HCD), by coupling a hemicyanine dye with 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride.The HCD probe exhibits remarkable sensitivity, with low detection limits of 0.

Biomimetic Microparticles with Myocardial and Endocardial Integration for Drug Toxicity Studies.

Hydrogel microparticles are versatile tools for organ modeling due to their simplicity, uniformity, and customizability, yet their limited physiological relevance constrains practical applications. In this study, a heart microparticle model that incorporates endocardial and myocardial structures and functions was developed. Hydrogel microparticles with rough surfaces, embedded with cardiomyocytes, were created using a custom-designed microfluidic device.

Nanotechnology in prostate cancer: a bibliometric analysis from 2004 to 2023.

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) contributes to male mortality worldwide. The objective of this study is to comprehensively depict the scientific accomplishments and research trends in nanotechnology for PC applications.

Methods: Utilizing the Web of Science Core Collection database, publications were gathered on the basis of inclusion and selection criteria.

Construction of Multiplexed Assays on Single Anisotropic Particles Using Microfluidics.

Considerable efforts have been made to develop microscale multiplexing strategies. However, challenges remain due to the difficulty in deploying functional objects and decoding high-density signals on anisotropic microcarriers. Here, we report a microfluidic method to fabricate architecture-marked anisotropic particles for performing designable multiplexed assays in a label-free manner.

Isotope tracing-assisted chip-based solid-phase extraction mass spectrometry for monitoring metabolic changes and vitamin D3 regulation in cells.

Cellular metabolism is a dynamic and essential process, with alterations in metabolic pathways serving as hallmark features of cancer. In this study, we developed a chip-based solid-phase extraction mass spectrometry (Chip-SPE-MS) platform for high-sensitivity, high-throughput analysis of cellular metabolites and real-time tracking of metabolic fluxes. The system achieved detection limits ranging from 0.

Linking Metastatic Behavior and Metabolic Heterogeneity of Circulating Tumor Cells at Single-Cell Level Using an Integrative Microfluidic System.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are pivotal biomarkers in tumor metastasis, however, the underlying molecular mechanism of CTCs behavioral heterogeneity during metastasis remains unexplored. Here, an integrative workflow is developed to link behavior characteristics to metabolic profiling within individual CTCs, which simulates the metastatic process on a microfluidic system and combined with single-cell mass spectrometry (MS) detection. Spheroid-derived HCT116 cells are tracked and extracted via a temporary vascular system, revealing various arrest patterns under biomimetic vascular shear flow.

Photothermal composites for in-situ trace oil detection on ultra-clean surfaces.

Oil is widely used as a lubricant in many industries. However, in the final product, oil is often considered a contaminant. In various production processes, such as semiconductor manufacturing, precision machining, and optical device fabrication, ultra-clean surfaces are crucial.

Microfluidic-Enabled Self-Directed Hydrogel Microspheres for Multiplexed MicroRNA Assays.

Multiplexed microRNA (miRNA) detection has proven valuable in disease diagnosis; yet, the development of advanced tools for their analysis remains a subject of broad interest. Here, we propose a novel single-particle method for multiplexed miRNA detection using self-directed hydrogel microspheres, which feature supersegmented compartments for loading analyte probes and an air-encapsulated region that grants the microsphere a unique preferred posture in aqueous solutions. By exploiting microfluidic technology, we can widely adjust the size of the microspheres and the number of compartments can be widely adjusted.

Droplets in open microfluidics: generation, manipulation, and application in cell analysis.

Open droplet microfluidics is an emerging technology that generates, manipulates, and analyzes droplets in open configuration systems. Droplets function as miniaturized reactors for high-throughput analysis due to their compartmentalization and parallelization, while openness enables addressing and accessing the targeted contents. The convergence of two technologies facilitates the localization and intricate manipulation of droplets using external tools, showing great potential in large-scale chemical and biological applications, particularly in cell analysis.

Microfluidics for foodborne bacteria analysis: Moving toward multiple technologies integration.

Food security related to bacterial pathogens has seriously threatened human life and caused public health problems. Most of the reported methods are targeted at known major pathogens commonly found in food samples, but to some extent, they have the disadvantage of lacking simplicity, speed, high throughput, and high sensitivity. Microfluidics has become a promising tool for foodborne bacteria analysis and addresses the above limitations.

A bibliometric analysis of bladder cancer and microRNA research: Trends and advances from 2008 to 2022.

Bladder cancer (BC) is a significant global health issue with high incidence and mortality rates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating gene expression and have been found to be dysregulated in BC. Understanding the role of miRNAs in BC development could lead to targeted therapies and improved patient management.

Robust Long-Nanowire Fabrication by Clean-Phase-Assisted Micro Chemical Pen for Enhanced Bioassay Sensitivity.

Long nanowires offer an increased surface area for biomolecule immobilization, facilitating enhanced binding capacity and sensitivity in the detection of target analytes. However, robust long-nanowire fabrication remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we developed a novel construction of a micro chemical pen (MCP), called a clean-assisted micro chemical pen (CAMCP), for robust long-nanowire fabrication.

Microfluidic Engineering of Addressable Multicompartmental Microspheres for Multicellular Systems.

With the advantages of high-throughput manufacturing and customizability, on-microsphere construction of in vitro multicellular analytical systems has garnered significant attention. However, achieving a precise, biocompatible cell arrangement and spatial signal analysis in hydrogel microspheres remains challenging. In this work, a microfluidic method is reported for the biocompatible generation of addressable supersegmented multicompartmental microspheres.

Establishment of microneurovascular units in alginate hydrogel microspheres to reveal the anti-hypoxic effect of salidroside.

Image 1.

Organelle Proximity Analysis for Enhanced Quantification of Mitochondria-Endoplasmic Reticulum Interactions in Single Cells via Super-Resolution Microscopy.

Mitochondria (MT) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) maintain lipid and calcium homeostasis through membrane contacts, particularly MT-ER contacts (MERCs), spanning distances from 10 to 50 nm. However, the variation of different distance ranges and the metabolic factors influencing this variation remain poorly understood. This study employed microfluidic chip-based super-resolution microscopy in conjunction with a Moore-Neighbor tracing-incorporated organelle proximity analysis algorithm.

A biosensor method based on surfactant-mediated surface droplet evaporation for the detection of Aflatoxin B.

Aflatoxin B (AFB) is a common mycotoxin that is of significant global concern due to its impact on food safety. Herein, we innovatively develop a sensing platform to detect AFB based on evaporation of surfactant solutions on the hydrophobic surface, resulting in dried patterns with varied sizes. The surfactant CTAB solution produces a relatively large dried pattern due to the surface wetting.

Chemical Plasma Membrane Perforation Generated by a Microfluidic Probe for Single-Cell Intracellular Protein Delivery.

Efficient and convenient delivery of exogenous molecules into cells is important for cell biology research. However, many intracellular delivery methods require carrier-mediated or physical field assistance, complicating the delivery process. Here, a general, simple, and effective method for in situ single-cell intracellular delivery is reported.

Evaluation of aconitine cardiotoxicity with a heart-on-a-particle prepared by a microfluidic device.

A heart-on-a-particle model based on multicompartmental microgel is proposed to simulate the heart microenvironment and study the cardiotoxicity of drugs. The relevant microgel was fabricated by a biocompatible microfluidic-based approach, where heart function-related HL-1 and HUVEC cells were arranged in separate compartments. Finally, the mechanism of aconitine-induced heart toxicity was elucidated using mass spectrometry and molecular biotechnology.

Understanding Macrophage-Tumor Interactions: Insights from Single-Cell Behavior Monitoring in a Sessile Microdroplet System.

Interaction between tumor-associated macrophages and tumor cells is crucial for tumor development, metastasis, and the related immune process. However, the macrophages are highly heterogeneous spanning from anti-tumorigenic to pro-tumorigenic, which needs to be understood at the single-cell level. Herein, a sessile microdroplet system designed for monitoring cellular behavior and analyzing intercellular interaction, demonstrated with macrophage-tumor cell pairs is presented.