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Light-addressable potentiometric sensor as a sensing element in plug-based microfluidic devices
(2016)
A plug-based microfluidic system based on the principle of the light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) is proposed. The LAPS is a semiconductor-based chemical sensor, which has a free addressability of the measurement point on the sensing surface. By combining a microfluidic device and LAPS, ion sensing can be performed anywhere inside the microfluidic channel. In this study, the sample solution to be measured was introduced into the channel in a form of a plug with a volume in the range of microliters. Taking advantage of the light-addressability, the position of the plug could be monitored and pneumatically controlled. With the developed system, the pH value of a plug with a volume down to 400 nL could be measured. As an example of plug-based operation, two plugs were merged in the channel, and the pH change was detected by differential measurement.
The light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) has the unique feature to address different regions of a sensor surface without the need of complex structures. Measurements at different locations on the sensor surface can be performed in a common analyte solution, which distinctly simplifies the fluidic set-up. However, the measurement in a single analyte chamber prevents the application of different drugs or different concentrations of a drug to each measurement spot at the same time as in the case of multi-reservoir-based set-ups. In this work, the authors designed a LAPS-based set-up for cell culture screening that utilises magnetic beads loaded with the endotoxin (lipopolysaccharides, LPS), to generate a spatially distributed gradient of analyte concentration. Different external magnetic fields can be adjusted to move the magnetic beads loaded with a specific drug within the measurement cell. By recording the metabolic activities of a cell layer cultured on top of the LAPS surface, this work shows the possibility to apply different concentrations of a sample along the LAPS measurement spots within a common analyte solution.
Label-free Electrostatic Detection of DNA Amplification by PCR Using Capacitive Field-effect Devices
(2016)
A capacitive field-effect EIS (electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor) sensor modified with a positively charged weak polyelectrolyte of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)/single-stranded probe DNA (ssDNA) bilayer has been used for a label-free electrostatic detection of pathogen-specific DNA amplification via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sensor is able to distinguish between positive and negative PCR solutions, to detect the existence of target DNA amplicons in PCR samples and thus, can be used as tool for a quick verification of DNA amplification and the successful PCR process.