Modular microfluidics for life sciences

Abstract

The advancement of microfluidics has enabled numerous discoveries and technologies in life sciences. However, due to the lack of industry standards and configurability, the design and fabrication of microfluidic devices require highly skilled technicians. The diversity of microfluidic devices discourages biologists and chemists from applying this technique in their laboratories. Modular microfluidics, which integrates the standardized microfluidic modules into a whole, complex platform, brings the capability of configurability to conventional microfluidics. The exciting features, including portability, on-site deployability, and high customization motivate us to review the state-of-the-art modular microfluidics and discuss future perspectives. In this review, we first introduce the working mechanisms of the basic microfluidic modules and evaluate their feasibility as modular microfluidic components. Next, we explain the connection approaches among these microfluidic modules, and summarize the advantages of modular microfluidics over integrated microfluidics in biological applications. Finally, we discuss the challenge and future perspectives of modular microfluidics.

Size-Tunable Elasto-Inertial Sorting of Haematococcus pluvialis in the Ultrastretchable Microchannel

“…The acoustic or electric fields can achieve throughput sorting of microalgal sorting, but the additional physical field will increase the complexity of microfluidic chips and is not conducive to the portability of chips. Passive microfluidic chips are easier to manufacture and have better portability, such as chips based on inertial force sorting . However, the microalgal sorting based solely on inertial force is challenging to improve EP while ensuring a high throughput. , By comparison, our method not only has excellent sorting purity and recovery yield but also can adjust separation thresholds, which is not possessed by other sorting methods.…”

“…Passive microfluidic chips are easier to manufacture and have better portability, such as chips based on inertial force sorting. 11 However, the microalgal sorting based solely on inertial force is challenging to improve EP while ensuring a high throughput. 47,48 By comparison, our method not only has excellent sorting purity and recovery yield but also can adjust separation thresholds, which is not possessed by other sorting methods.…”

“…Some techniques take advantage of the external physical fields, such as dielectrophoresis, magnetophoresis, and acoustophoresis, for microalgal separation. However, the external physical fields may provide the extra stimuli on the cells and these methods typically require a complicated fabrication process and a bulky experimental setup . Other microalgal separation techniques use inherent channel structures, such as inertial focusing − and elasto-inertial focusing. − Compared with inertial microfluidics, elasto-inertial microfluidics is able to achieve three-dimensional (3D) focusing in a simple straight channel without any external force fields or complex channel structures.…”

Advances in organ‐on‐a‐chip for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

“…[20][21][22] Furthermore, the technology can be applied to multiorgan systems, by which multiple single OoCs are connected in vitro to construct a highly simulated multiorgan-on-a-chip (MOoC). 23,24 Currently, OoC technology has emerged as a promising approach for drug evaluation, benefiting from the integrated advancements in microfluidics and in vitro cell culture techniques. 25 In the recent research on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and drug development, the application of the OoC systems, such as heart-on-a-chip, 26,27 vessel-on-a-chip, 28 and other pathology chips, have been widely explored and applied.…”

“…With micro devices, fine fluid control and microscopic imaging technology, it is possible to precisely control several experimental parameters such as cell culture conditions, cell density, and culture time as well as to prepare drug carriers like nanoparticles and particles 20–22 . Furthermore, the technology can be applied to multiorgan systems, by which multiple single OoCs are connected in vitro to construct a highly simulated multiorgan‐on‐a‐chip (MOoC) 23,24 . Currently, OoC technology has emerged as a promising approach for drug evaluation, benefiting from the integrated advancements in microfluidics and in vitro cell culture techniques 25 .…”