Mobile magnetic particles as solid-supports for rapid surface-based bioanalysis in continuous flow

Lab Chip. 2009 Nov 7;9(21):3110-7. doi: 10.1039/b904724g. Epub 2009 Aug 21.

Abstract

An extremely versatile microfluidic device is demonstrated in which multi-step (bio)chemical procedures can be performed in continuous flow. The system operates by generating several co-laminar flow streams, which contain reagents for specific (bio)reactions across a rectangular reaction chamber. Functionalized magnetic microparticles are employed as mobile solid-supports and are pulled from one side of the reaction chamber to the other by use of an external magnetic field. As the particles traverse the co-laminar reagent streams, binding and washing steps are performed on their surface in one operation in continuous flow. The applicability of the platform was first demonstrated by performing a proof-of-principle binding assay between streptavidin coated magnetic particles and biotin in free solution with a limit of detection of 20 ng mL(-1) of free biotin. The system was then applied to a mouse IgG sandwich immunoassay as a first example of a process involving two binding steps and two washing steps, all performed within 60 s, a fraction of the time required for conventional testing.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biotin / analysis
  • Equipment Design
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices*
  • Magnetics*
  • Mice
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Particle Size
  • Protein Binding
  • Streptavidin / chemistry

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Biotin
  • Streptavidin