Microfluidics Devices – Analysis at a Microscale
Microfluidics devices have made it conceivable to miniaturize biochemical laboratory practices into a microchannel networking structure. Microfluidics encompasses the doctrines of physics, chemistry, biology, fluid dynamics, microelectronics, and material science. Materials are processed into miniaturized chips integrating microscale channels and chambers. Innumerable methods can be used to fashion environments of desired shape, size, and geometry. Whether used alone or with other devices, microfluidics play an important role in medical and pharmaceutical technologies, including the research and management of medicines coupled with intelligent analytics.
While the field of microfluidics is new, the model of microchannels was formerly incorporated in the module capillaries of gas chromatography and capillary electrophoresis equipment, made of glass or quartz, or in flow reactors made of metals. Increasingly refined structures for liquid flow through microchannels started to be documented in patents starting in the 1980s. Microfluidics technologies began to take place in the 1990s. The industry has experienced exponential growth and become a potent tool with vast development potential. Today microfluidics devices command a wide range of applications in fields such as medicine, biotechnology, chemistry, and engineering.
Microfluidics analysis uses less volume of samples, chemicals and reagents reducing the overall fees of applications. Numerous operations can be executed at the same time due to their compact size and reduced lab space requirement thereby shortening the time of experiments. They provide exceptional data quality and generous parameter control which allows process automation while maintaining performance. They provide the benefit to both process and analyze samples with minor handling. In summation, Microfluidics have diverse assets, rapid reaction times, enhanced analytical sensitivity, greater temperature control, portability, easier automation and parallelization all offering integration of lab routines in one device. Referred to as lab-on-a-chip. And it is economical as it does not involve the use of costly equipment.
Using Microfluidics Advances Research
Dr. Joan Beckman is a hematologist at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation. Beckman lab has published findings in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis regarding vascular activation, which is categorized by increased proinflammatory, prothrombotic, and proadhesive signaling. There are several chronic and acute conditions, including myeloproliferative neoplasms, graft-vs-host disease, and COVID-19 which have been proven to have amplified activation of the janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and downstream activator of transcription (STAT) pathways. These pathways play a critical role in orchestrating proinflammatory signaling, JAK-STAT signaling, which in hematopoietic cells leads to excessive production of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
Using endothelialized in vitro model of the microvasculature, microfluidics perfused with whole blood samples, Beckman lab demonstrated that endothelial treatment with JAK-STAT inhibitors prevented rolling of both healthy control and JAK2V617F MPN leukocytes. Together, these findings demonstrate that JAK-STAT inhibitors moderate the upregulation of critical prothrombotic pathways and avert increased leukocyte-endothelial adhesion.
What are myeloproliferative neoplasms?
Myeloproliferative neoplasms are rare potentially life-threatening blood cancers that occur when your bone marrow produces an overabundance of blood cells which include red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. With a myeloproliferative neoplasm, things go haywire with the blood cell production process. Depending on the nature of myeloproliferative neoplasm, your bone marrow may make too many red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets or a combination of cell types. These cells often behave in a different manner from healthy blood cells. Healthcare providers can not cure myeloproliferative neoplasms however, they do have protocol management to ease symptoms. These treatments can help to reduce the risk of a myeloproliferative neoplasm developing into a more serious disease.
How do myeloproliferative neoplasms affect my body?
These blood diseases occur when your bone marrow makes more of a certain blood cell type than your body requires. The effect on your body fluctuates based on the blood cell type affected. For example, one type of myeloproliferative neoplasm increases your risk of heart attack or stroke while another type may cause anemia.
All blood cells are manufactured from stem cells in your bone marrow which makes cells that may become myeloid stem cells or lymphoid stem cells. Lymphoid stem cells become white blood cells that help fight infection. Myeloid stem cells can become red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body, white blood cells, or platelets which prevent excessive bleeding.
Just like all cells, stem cells take their instructions from genes which directs the cells form and function. When things are functioning as they should be, your bone marrow makes stem cells that divide and multiply as needed. These stem cells would be said to be following directions from genes that regulate cell development.
When these genes go rogue and mutate, they send start sending new instructions to certain stem cells, telling the cells to continue dividing and multiplying. Over time these stem cells become mature blood cells that gather up in your bone marrow or bloodstream, affecting blood flow which can cause serious medical conditions.
What causes myeloproliferative neoplasms?
All myeloproliferative neoplasms are considered to be acquired genetic disorders. This means that you can’t inherit these diseases from your biological parents. These diseases occur when genes that control cell growth mutate or change and your blood cell development goes all wrong. These discoveries do not illuminate what causes the genetic changes to take place. However, they help healthcare providers to make a diagnosis and develop treatments targeting these genetic mutations.
Lessons Learned and the Research Continues
By using microfluidics perfused with whole blood samples, Dr. Beckman and her colleagues have opened up new possibilities for further research into treatments in blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, proteins and reactions, blood platelets, and the surrounding interactions of all these components with other biological systems. Dr. Beckman continues her tireless dedication of caring for patients with all types of cancers and blood disorders.
“Our clinical and research faculty are engaged in cutting-edge investigations aimed at understanding the causes of disease and translating that knowledge into better patient care,” said Dr. Beckman. “Our Division is also dedicated to excellence in mentoring the next generation of academic investigators. We have on-going recruitment of individuals with myeloproliferative neoplasms for similar studies underway.”
Dean Patterson, Editor
Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation
References
Beckman JD, DaSilva A, Aronovich E, Nguyen A, Nguyen J, Hargis G, Reynolds D, Vercellotti GM, Betts B, Wood DK. JAK-STAT inhibition reduces endothelial prothrombotic activation and leukocyte-endothelial proadhesive interactions. J Thromb Haemost. 2023 May;21(5):1366-1380. doi: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.01.027. Epub 2023 Feb 2. PMID: 36738826.
Niculescu AG, Chircov C, Bîrcă AC, Grumezescu AM. Fabrication and Applications of Microfluidic Devices: A Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Feb 18;22(4):2011. doi: 10.3390/ijms22042011. PMID: 33670545; PMCID: PMC7921936.
