Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 7.25
A suspended
microchannel translates mass
changes into changes in
resonance frequency. (
a
)
Fluid continuously flows
through the channel and
delivers biomolecules, cells,
or synthetic particles.
Sub-femtogram mass
resolution is attained by
shrinking the wall and fluid
layer thickness to the
micrometer scale and by
packaging the cantilever
under high vacuum. (
b
)The
specific detection by way of
immobilized capture probes
leads to a frequency shift due
to the mass loading. (
c
)In
another measurement mode,
particles flow through the
cantilever without binding to
the surface, and the observed
signal depends on the position
of particles along the channel
(
insets 1
-
3
). The exact mass
excess of a particle can be
quantified by the peak
frequency shift induced at the
apex (Reprinted with
permission from Macmillan
Publishers Ltd: Ref. [
101
],
copyright 2007)
sub-monolayers of adsorbed proteins in water with sub-femtogram resolution by
combining microcantilevers with microfluidic channels (Fig.
7.25
)[
101
]. The
combination of cantilevers and microfluidics is a consensus, and we foresee that
the platform combined with cantilevers and microfluidic channels can be applied
for molecular diagnosis in the near future.
7.4
Commercialization
Microfluidic tools bring many advantages beyond traditional dishes, plates, or
flasks to DNA analysis. A technology benefiting practical usage certainly holds
commercial values, and the potentially enormous commercial value pushed forward
the development of microfluidic DNA analysis (Fig.
7.26
). Microfluidics as a
kind of powerful tool for lab-on-a-chip or miniaturized DNA analytical system
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