Integrating a Concentration Gradient Generator and a Single‐Cell Trapper Array for High‐Throughput Screening the Bioeffects of Nanomaterials

Abstract

We herein develop a concentration gradient generator (CGG) on a microfluidic chip for diluting different nanoparticles. Specifically designed compact disk (CD)‐shaped microchannels in the CGG module could thoroughly mix the flowing solutions and generate a linear concentration gradient of nanoparticles without aggregation. We combine the CGG with a single‐cell trapper array (SCA) on microfluidics to evaluate the concentration‐dependent bioeffects of the nanoparticles. The precise control of the spatiotemporal generation of nanoparticle concentration on the CGG module and the single‐cell‐level monitoring of the cell behaviors on the SCA module by a high‐content system in real time, render the CGG‐SCA system a highly precise platform, which can exclude the average effect of cell population and reflect the response of individual cells to the gradient concentrations accurately. In addition, the CGG‐SCA system provides an automated platform for high‐throughput screening of nanomedicines with high precision and low sample consumption.

Screening on-chip fabricated nanoparticles for penetrating the blood–brain barrier

“…9 Various methods have been reported to fabricate nanoparticles or load drugs with different properties on the nanoparticles. In recent years, microfluidic technology, which is widely used in biochemical engineering, 10 such as drug screening, 11,12 single cell analysis, [13][14][15] and drug delivery, 16,17 has emerged as a new platform to synthesize various nanomaterials because it provides a simple and efficient way to synthesize nanomaterials with complex structures. 18 In our group, a series of microfluidic chips have been developed to synthesize nanocarriers or nanodrugs for different application scenarios.…”

Bioeffects of Inhaled Nanoplastics on Neurons and Alteration of Animal Behaviors through Deposition in the Brain

“…We designed a microfluidic gradient chip with spiral units to achieve a gradient dilution of the nanoplastics and thus conducted cellular uptake experiments (Figure A) . Conventional microfluidics are usually used for the dilution of small chemical molecules rather than nanoparticles. − In this study, we injected nanoplastics and cell medium from two inlets, respectively, while the spiral unit can mix the solutions of the adjacent inlets.…”

Efficient bioparticle extraction using a miniaturized inertial microfluidic centrifuge

“…13 Furthermore, most previously reported devices are only designed for one specific application, [32][33][34][35] and are commonly fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) using expensive and time-consuming soft lithography, which is mainly employed for laboratory use and does not translate well to a commercial scale. 36,37 Herein, we develop a multipurpose miniaturized centrifuge using inertial microfluidics. Our miniaturized centrifuge consists of four paralleled inertial spiral channels for high-throughput bioparticle washing, and a two-stage serpentine channel for achieving bioparticle concentration.…”

“…13 Furthermore, most previously reported devices are only designed for one specific application, 32–35 and are commonly fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) using expensive and time-consuming soft lithography, which is mainly employed for laboratory use and does not translate well to a commercial scale. 36,37…”