Work

Microfluidic devices with permeable polymer barriers for capture and transport of biomolecules and cells

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: We report a method for fabricating permeable polymer microstructure barriers in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices and the use of the devices to capture and transport DNA and cells. The polymer microstructure in a desired location in a fluidic channel is formed in situ by the polymerization of acrylamide and polyethylene diacrylate cross-linker (PEG-DA) monomer in a solution which is trapped in the location using a pair of PDMS valves. The porous polymer microstructure provides a mechanical barrier to convective fluid flow in the channel or between two microfluidic chambers while it still conducts ions or small charged species under an electric field, allowing for the rapid capture and transport of biomolecules and cells by electrophoresis. We have demonstrated the application of the devices for the rapid capture and efficient release of bacteriophage λ genomic DNA, solution exchange and for the transport and capture of HeLa cells. Our devices will enable the multi-step processing of biomolecules and cells or individual cells within a single microfluidic chamber.

Source: Lab on a Chip

DOI: 10.1039/c3lc50280e

Authors: Ho Suk Lee, Wai Keung Chu, Kun Zhang, Xiaohua Huang

Institution: University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: Genome Sequencing by Natural DNA Synthesis on Amplified DNA Clones, Direct real-time single molecule DNA sequencing, Genome-methylome Interactions