Mixing crowded biological solutions in milliseconds
Mixing crowded biological solutions in milliseconds
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DOI：
10.1021/ac050827h
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发表时间：
2005-12-01
影响因子：
7.4
通讯作者：
Cate, JHD
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Liau, A;Karnik, R;Cate, JHD
生物反应的体外研究很少在反映其天然细胞内环境的条件下进行，其中大分子拥挤可急剧改变反应速率。动力学实验要求反应物在比反应快的时间尺度上混合。不幸的是，粘稠的高浓度拥挤剂溶液如牛血清白蛋白和血红蛋白极难快速混合。我们展示了一种新型的基于液滴的微流体混合器，由于微通道壁的突出在液滴内产生振荡的界面剪切力，该混合器可以在毫秒内诱导拥挤溶液的混乱混合。在微流体混合器的混合的特点，混合的机制进行了讨论，并提出了生物相容性的证据。这种微流体平台将允许在类似于细胞内的大分子拥挤条件下，以毫秒级的时间分辨率对生物反应进行首次动力学研究。
In vitro studies of biological reactions are rarely performed in conditions that reflect their native intracellular environments where macromolecular crowding can drastically change reaction rates. Kinetics experiments require reactants to be mixed on a time scale faster than that of the reaction. Unfortunately, highly concentrated solutions of crowding agents such as bovine serum albumin and hemoglobin that are viscous and sticky are extremely difficult to mix rapidly. We demonstrate a new droplet-based microfluidic mixer that induces chaotic mixing of crowded solutions in milliseconds due to protrusions of the microchannel walls that generate oscillating interfacial shear within the droplets. Mixing in the microfluidic mixer is characterized, mechanisms underlying mixing are discussed, and evidence of biocompatibility is presented. This microfluidic platform will allow for the first kinetic studies of biological reactions with millisecond time resolution under conditions of macromolecular crowding similar to those within cells.