Microfluidic Systems for Blood and Blood Cell Characterization

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.

Review on Blood Flow Dynamics in Lab-on-a-Chip Systems: An Engineering Perspective

“…However, when exposed to high shear rates, RBC aggregates disaggregate. As shear rates continue to increase, RBCs tend to deform, elongating and aligning themselves with the direction of the flow . Such a dynamic shift in behavior from the cells in response to the shear rate forms the basis of the viscoelastic properties observed in whole blood.…”

“…As shear rates continue to increase, RBCs tend to deform, elongating and aligning themselves with the direction of the flow. 15 Such a dynamic shift in behavior from the cells in response to the shear rate forms the basis of the viscoelastic properties observed in whole blood. In essence, the viscosity of the blood varies according to the shear rate conditions, which are related to the velocity gradient of the system.…”

Controlled polymerization in microfluidics: Advancement in nanogel synthesis

“…This modular design allows for the precise control of reactant concentrations and ratios, enabling the synthesis of nanogels with tailored characteristics. 34,35 For example, in the synthesis of dual-responsive nanogels, microfluidics facilitates the controlled introduction of stimuli-responsive monomers. This ensures the incorporation of both pH-sensitive and temperaturesensitive elements, resulting in nanogels that respond to multiple environmental cues.…”

“…Microfluidic platforms provide a modular framework for nanogel synthesis, enabling researchers to engineer multifunctional nanogels with diverse properties. This modular design allows for the precise control of reactant concentrations and ratios, enabling the synthesis of nanogels with tailored characteristics 34,35 …”

Biomechanical Assessment of Red Blood Cells in Pulsatile Blood Flows

“…Microfluidic devices that can provide in vitro biological microenvironments [ 15 , 16 ] or physiological capillary vessel structures [ 17 ] have been extensively adopted to measure rheological properties [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Several rheological properties, including viscosity [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ], viscoelasticity [ 26 ], aggregation (or sedimentation) [ 27 , 28 ], deformability [ 29 ], and hematocrit [ 25 , 30 , 31 ], have been obtained by manipulating blood flows in microfluidic environments [ 32 , 33 ].…”