Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip for Biomedical Applications

초록

The microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip (LoC) devices are promising for disease modeling and drug screening. New bio-imaging agents that permit multiple imaging and therapeutic applications can lead to more accurate diagnosis and a better understanding of local diseased tissue. The spectroscopic properties of nanomaterials, such as carbon dots, can be continuously monitored using an external capillary flow, which allows efficient monitoring over fluorescence peaks and size-dependent synthesis. The microfluidic devices also offer a relatively simple and consistent way of overcoming issues that come with conventional methods of nanoparticle fabrication for drug delivery and controlled release. The microfluidic devices have been used to generate encapsulated cells in droplets or microgels, thereby providing new opportunities for fundamental studies in cell behavior, gene expression, and enzymatic activity. Several materials, including collagen, gelatin, fibrin, polypeptides, alginate, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, agarose, poly(ethylene glycol), and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, have been widely used to develop microfluidic devices for different applications. The encapsulation of cells within polymer particles can be achieved by adjusting the flow rate between the continuous and dispersed phases, and using a high aspect-ratio microchannel. Most toxicological testing is conducted on animal models following the regulatory testing requirements. The animal models have provided considerable experimental results and insights into lung physiology and pathophysiology. However, due to the structural limitations, disease symptoms, and responses of the human respiratory system, a sophisticated in vitro model is required to analyze the drug efficacy, toxicity, and different diseases. This chapter provides concise information on the progress of microfluidics and LoC-based devices and their potential biomedical applications. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.

키워드