Microfabricated devices: A new sample introduction approach to mass spectrometry

Abstract

Instrument miniaturization is one way of addressing the issues of sensitivity, speed, throughput, and cost of analysis in DNA diagnostics, proteomics, and related biotechnology areas. Microfluidics is of special interest for handling very small sample amounts, with minimal concerns related to sample loss and cross‐contamination, problems typical for standard fluidic manipulations. Furthermore, the small footprint of these microfabricated structures leads to instrument designs suitable for high‐density, parallel sample processing, and high‐throughput analyses. In addition to miniaturized systems designed with optical or electrochemical detection, microfluidic devices interfaced to mass spectrometry have also been demonstrated. Instruments for automated sample infusion analysis are now commercially available, and microdevices utilizing chromatographic or capillary electrophoresis separation techniques are under development. This review aims at documenting the technologies and applications of microfluidic mass spectrometry for the analysis of proteomic samples. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 25:573–594, 2006

Development of an automated digestion and droplet deposition microfluidic chip for MALDI-TOF MS

“…The primary advantage of the MALDI approach compared with electrospray ionization (ESI) when coupling to microfluidic chips is the potential for multiplexing [19]. The directional control Address reprint requests to Dr. Kermit K. Murray, Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, 232 Choppin Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA.…”

“…The primary advantage of the MALDI approach compared with electrospray ionization (ESI) when coupling to microfluidic chips is the potential for multiplexing [19]. The directional control of the ESI spray can be difficult with a high-density array of spray tips.…”

Recent Developments in Cell-Based Microscale Technologies and Their Potential Application in Personalised Medicine

“…In addition, purified protein quantities are often limited due to the lack of simple methods for amplifying proteins similar to the powerful polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for nucleic acids. Despite the challenges with protein-based microfluidic devices, several applications for protein analysis have been developed including protein microarrays (Alvarez et al, 2008;Avseenko et al, 2002), chip-mass spectroscopy interfaces (Lazar et al, 2006) protein crystallization (Du et al, 2009) and most recently devices for monitoring of temporal expression events in immune cells within a clinical setting (Kotz et al, 2010). The microfluidic approach to genomics and proteomics has the potential to help molecular profiling technologies to reach the maturity required for tests in clinical practice.…”

Microfluidic Chip Coupled with Thermal Desorption Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry

“…[12][13][14] Moreover, recent miniaturization devices used in the MS application have been focused on multiplexed MS analysis; for example, hundreds of thousands of micrometer scale compartments can be fabricated for high-throughput DNA analysis. 15) Arrays of microchannels have been used for infusion analysis of a variety of samples in connection with MS. 16) Recent developed atmospheric pressure ionization methods such as desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), 17) direct analysis in real time (DART), 18) electrospray-assisted laser desorption/ionization (ELDI), 19) an atmospheric solid analysis probe (ASAP), 20) laser diode thermal desorption (LDTD), 21) extractive electrospray ionization (EESI), 22) and laser spray 23) provide more options when coupling with micro uidic devices.…”