Microfluidic tectonics

Abstract

Microfluidics has the potential to significantly change the way modern biology is performed. Microfluidic devices offer the ability to work with smaller reagent volumes, shorter reaction times, and the possibility of parallel operation. They also hold the promise of integrating an entire laboratory onto a single chip [23]. In addition to the traditional advantages conferred by miniaturization, the greatest potential lies in the physics of the scale. By understanding and leveraging micro scale phenomena, microfluidics can be used to perform techniques and experiments not possible on the macroscale allowing new functionality and experimental paradigms to emerge. Two examples of devices commonly considered microfluidic are gene chips and capillary electrophoresis. While gene chips take advantage of some of the benefits of miniaturization, they are not technically microfluidic devices. Chip-based capillary electrophoresis devices are now commercially available and reviews are available elsewhere [19, 28]. Certain fluid phenomena are dominant at the microscale and affect how devices can be made and used. Current techniques for making the devices will be outlined and examples will be given with an emphasis on a recently developed organic technology platform called microfluidic tectonics. Components of microdevices capable of actuating, sensing, and measuring within microfluidic systems will be discussed. Finally, complete systems that have been developed to perform functions in biology will be described. Microfluidics has the potential to significantly change the way modern biology is performed. Microfluidic devices offer the ability to work with smaller reagent volumes, shorter reaction times, and the possibility of parallel operation. They also hold the promise of integrating an entire laboratory onto a single chip [23]. In addition to the traditional advantages conferred by miniaturization, the greatest potential lies in the physics of the scale. By understanding and leveraging micro scale phenomena, microfluidics can be used to perform techniques and experiments not possible on the macroscale allowing new functionality and experimental paradigms to emerge. Two examples of devices commonly considered microfluidic are gene chips and capillary electrophoresis. While gene chips take advantage of some of the benefits of miniaturization, they are not technically microfluidic devices. Chip-based capillary electrophoresis devices are now commercially available and reviews are available elsewhere [19, 28]. Certain fluid phenomena are dominant at the microscale and affect how devices can be made and used. Current techniques for making the devices will be outlined and examples will be given with an emphasis on a recently developed organic technology platform called microfluidic tectonics. Components of microdevices capable of actuating, sensing, and measuring within microfluidic systems will be discussed. Finally, complete systems that have been developed to perform functions in biology will be described. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.