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Under the dual drivers of precision medicine development and health monitoring demands, the development of real-time biosensing technologies has emerged as a key breakthrough in the field of life science analytics. Microfluidic impedance detection technology, achieved through the integration of microscale fluid manipulation and bioimpedance spectrum analysis, has enabled the real-time monitoring of biological samples ranging from single cells to organ-level systems, now standing at the forefront of biological real-time detection research. This review systematically summarizes the core principles of microfluidic impedance detection technology, modeling methods for cell equivalent circuits, system optimization strategies, and recent research advancements in biological detection applications. We first elucidate the fundamental principles of microfluidic impedance detection technologies, followed by a comprehensive analysis of cellular equivalent circuit model construction and microfluidic system design optimization strategies. Subsequently, we categorize applications based on biological sample types, elaborating on respective research progress and existing challenges. This review concludes with prospective insights into future developmental trajectories. We hope this work will provide novel research perspectives for advancing microfluidic impedance detection technology while stimulating interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers in biology, medicine, chemistry, and physics to propel technological innovation collectively.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12195414 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/mi16060683 | DOI Listing |
Lab Chip
August 2025
State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Microfluidic impedance flow cytometry has functioned as an enabling instrument in single-cell analysis, which, however, suffers from the limiting tradeoff between high sensitivity and clogging-free operation. In order to address this issue, this study presented a microfluidic impedance flow cytometer based on three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing, in which the crossflow of conductive sample fluids and insulating sheath fluids was leveraged to centralize and restrict electric field lines to the sample fluid, thereby achieving high impedance sensitivity of single cells without the concern of channel blockage. Different from conventional impedance flow cytometry, in this study, impedance amplitude dips (rather than pulse singles) generated by single microparticles traveling through the 3D hydrodynamic focusing region were experimentally validated using microbeads.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnal Chem
August 2025
Department of Mechanical and Robotics Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
Blood tests are widely used to assess a patient's health status. Microfluidics, in combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (MEIS), opens up great prospects for blood analysis. This study aimed to improve the MEIS blood tests.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLab Chip
August 2025
Division of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayamacho, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan.
Impedance flow cytometry is a widely used label-free technique for single-cell analysis; however, its limited sensitivity and lack of universality have hindered its ability to replace conventional flow cytometry. In this study, we propose an adaptive microfluidic channel platform that dynamically adjusts the channel height to improve both measurement performance and system versatility. We found that reducing the channel height by one-third effectively decreases the distance between particles and the sensing electrodes, resulting in an average 3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Sens
August 2025
Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372, Singapore.
This study introduces a rapid, label-free impedance-based approach for evaluating the effects of NQO1-targeting drugs on cancer cells. Departing from the traditional reliance on adherent cell cultures, the method utilizes suspended cells to eliminate the need for cell seeding, significantly reducing the total assay duration from over 48 h to less than 24 h. Unlike conventional assays like CCK8, which rely on end point metabolic measurements, impedance spectroscopy enables real-time, label-free monitoring of cellular responses by detecting dynamic changes in cell membrane integrity and intracellular conductivity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
August 2025
Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada.
Organ-on-chip (OOC) systems that recapitulate microenvironmental features like coculture, fluid shear stress, and extracellular matrix are useful for modeling biological barriers. OOC barrier integrity measurements are often done by trans-endothelial/epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurement, but this approach is confounded by nonuniform current distribution and interference from biomaterials typical to such systems. We addressed this gap by incorporating gold leaf porous membrane electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing (PM-ECIS) electrodes (diameters of 250, 500, or 750 μm) into a biocompatible tape-based barrier-on-chip (BOC) platform.
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