Introduction
Microfluidics, also known as lab-on-a-chip technology, has revolutionized many fields of biotechnology, including genomics, proteomics, and drug discovery. Microfluidics has enabled researchers to perform high-throughput analyses while reducing sample and reagents consumption, decreasing the analysis time, and increasing the sensitivity and accuracy of the assays.
Two main types of microfluidics techniques are commonly used in biotechnology: traditional microfluidics and advanced microfluidics. In this post, we will compare these two techniques and highlight their advantages, limitations, and applications.
Traditional Microfluidics
Traditional microfluidics techniques involve fabricating microchannels on a chip using photolithography or soft lithography. The channels are typically 10-100 micrometers in size, allowing for precise control of fluid flow and manipulation of cells and particles.
Some common traditional microfluidics techniques include droplet-based microfluidics, electrophoresis, and capillary electrophoresis. These techniques have been widely used for DNA sequencing, single-cell analysis, and protein separation and detection.
Advantages:
- Low cost of fabrication
- Compatibility with standard laboratory equipment
- High precision and reproducibility
Limitations:
- Limited to simple geometries
- Difficulty in fabrication of three-dimensional microstructures
- Limited throughput
Advanced Microfluidics
Advanced microfluidics techniques are more recent and involve the use of microfluidics together with other technologies, such as optics, electronics, and nanotechnology. They enable more complex and sophisticated analyses, such as live-cell imaging, high-speed sorting, and single-molecule analysis.
Some common advanced microfluidics techniques include optofluidics, plasmonics, and acoustophoresis. These techniques have found applications in drug discovery, biosensing, and microRNA analysis.
Advantages:
- High throughput
- Multiplexing and parallelization of assays
- Compatible with time-resolved measurements
Limitations:
- Higher cost of fabrication
- Increased complexity in design and operation
- Limited availability of commercial systems
Conclusion
Both traditional and advanced microfluidics techniques have their advantages and limitations, and their selection depends on the specific application and experimental requirements. Traditional microfluidics is suitable for simple and low-throughput assays, while advanced microfluidics is suitable for complex and high-throughput assays that require the integration of different technologies.
Overall, microfluidics technology has significantly impacted biotechnology, and we expect that its further development will lead to new breakthroughs in the field.
References
- Whitesides, G.M. The origins and the future of microfluidics. Nature (2006) 442, 368-373.
- Sackmann, E.K., Fulton, A.L., and Beebe, D.J. The present and future role of microfluidics in biomedical research. Nature (2014) 507, 181-189.
- Zhang, C. et al. Advanced microfluidics for biotechnology. Biosensors and Bioelectronics (2018) 105, 1-18.