a) Introduction to microfluidic chips:
1.1 Miniaturization, integration and intelligence are an important trend in the development of modern science and technology. With the development of micro-electromechanical processing system (MEMS) technology, electronic computers have evolved from "big behemoths" into portable systems consisting of tiny circuit-integrated chips, even a tiny smart phone.
Similar to the development, the microfluidic chip we introduced today, also known as the Lab-on-a-Chip, is a science and technology that focuses on the manipulation of fluids in micro-nanoscale spaces. It has the ability to reduce the basic functions of biological, chemical and other laboratories such as sample preparation, reaction, separation and detection onto a chip of several square centimeters. The basic characteristics and the biggest advantage are the micro-platforms of various unit technologies in overall controllability. Flexible combination and scale integration.
1.2 Microfluidic chip and laboratory related instruments of various materials and functions
Microfluidic chips were also developed from MEMS technology in the early stage. Through micromachining process, micro- to sub-millimeter fluid channels, reactions or detection were processed on substrates of silicon, metal, polymer, glass, quartz and other materials. Various microstructure units such as chambers, filters or sensors, and then manipulate the fluid in a micron-scale space, and automatically complete extraction, amplification, extraction, labeling, separation, and analysis in a biological laboratory with fluid control or analytical instruments. Or the process of cell culture, processing, sorting, lysis, separation and analysis.
1.3 Development and application of microfluidic chips:
In the early 1990s, A. Manz et al. used chips to achieve the electrophoretic separation that had been done in the capillary before, showing its potential as an analytical chemistry tool; in the mid-1990s, the US Department of Defense proposed individual biochemistry for soldiers. The hand-held requirements of inspection equipment have led to the study of microfluidic chips worldwide; in the 1990s, microfluidic chips were considered more of an analytical chemistry platform, and therefore often referred to as "micro-full analysis systems" (Micro Total Analysis System, u-TAS) concept mix. Therefore, in principle, the microfluidic chip can be applied to various analytical fields as a “micro-analysis†technology platform, such as biochemical medical diagnosis, food and commodity inspection, environmental monitoring, criminal science, military science and aerospace science. The field where biomedical analysis is a hot spot.
In 2000, G. Whitesides et al. published the method of PDMS soft etching on Electrophoresis. In 2002, S. Quake and others published the microfluidic chip micro-pump control as the main feature of the "microfluidic chip large-scale integration" article published in Science, these The milestones have enabled academia and industry to see the potential of microfluidic chips to evolve into a major science and technology beyond the concept of a "micro-analysis system." For example, using a microfluidic chip as a microreactor, by combining chemical reactions or combining droplets on a microfluidic chip, it is expected to be used for drug synthesis and screening, or for nanoparticles, microspheres, crystals, etc. Flux, large-scale preparation, and even the formation of a "chip on the chemical plant or pharmaceutical factory."
b) The strategic significance of the microfluidic chip:
Since the birth of the microfluidic chip, it has been receiving great attention from academic and industrial circles. In 2001, the "Lab on a Chip" magazine was launched, and it soon became a mainstream publication in this field, leading the in-depth development of microfluidic chips worldwide. In 2004, the US Business 2.0 magazine listed the chip lab as one of the "seven technologies to change the future." In July 2006, Nature published a special issue entitled "Chip Lab", which explained the research history, current status and application prospects of the chip lab from different angles. In the editorial department's editorial, it was pointed out that the chip lab may become "Technology of this century." At this point, the strategic significance of the chip lab has been recognized by the academic community and industry at a higher level and in a larger scale.
2.1 As a strategic science and technology, the development of microfluidic chips has its inherent necessity.
First of all, miniaturization is a trend in the development of human society. In the face of the already over-consumed planet we live in, miniaturization reflects human anxiety about resource depletion and optimization of resource utilization. Second, there are too many technologies and fluid manipulations in the world, and when the fluid being manipulated flows in a micron-scale space, many new phenomena appear, some of which have not yet been fully understood. The third is based on the need for system research. Systematic research as a whole, and more research on the interrelationships between the various parts of the whole. Since ancient times, humans have been lacking tools that are small but can manipulate the whole. Microfluidic chips can carry a variety of unit technologies and make them flexible and scalable. The integrated features make it an important platform for system research.
2.2 The strategic significance of microfluidic chips is also rooted in its special relationship with information science and information technology.
It is generally believed that in the twentieth century, people used the "information" of electrons flowing in semiconductors or metals to achieve strategic information science and information technology; in the twenty-first century, by using soluble biomolecules or The aqueous solution of suspended cells flows through microfluidic chip channels or planes to study life, understand life, and partially transform life, and it is possible to achieve a new strategic science: microfluidics. Because "life" and "information" constitute the core of modern science and technology.
2.3 Microfluidic Chips - A Pioneering Science and Technology in Today's National Industrial Transformation
Microfluidic chips are science and technology destined to be deeply industrialized. First of all, this judgment stems from the irreversibility of the global industrial transformation demand, the demand is intensifying, and the process is accelerating. On the other hand, perhaps more importantly, based on the irreplaceability of this science and technology in some major fields. And this understanding was only gradually accepted by people in recent years. It is likely to develop into a model of industrial transformation today, with an important impact on the new economy represented by the bio-economy. For example, in the next few years, if the microfluidic chip is further combined with “bio-mobile phone†and “internet+â€, such a trend that may be influenced by a new technology and has a global impact, can it create a batch of “wind ventsâ€. The industry deserves everyone's expectations.
c) Representative key technologies based on microfluidic chips
3.1 New generation of point of care test (POCT) technology - Microfluidics-based POCT
POCT can provide fast and effective biochemical indicators directly to the subject, and guide drugs on the spot, making detection, diagnosis and treatment a continuous process, which has a breakthrough significance for the early detection and treatment of diseases.
The development trend of POCT instruments should be miniaturization, "fool" type, simple operation, no need for professionals, direct input of body fluid samples, you can quickly get the diagnosis results, and upload the information to the remote monitoring center, the doctor guides the health care. Currently, there are many instant diagnostic methods on the market. Simple flow testing does not have fluid management techniques, and microfluidic technology is necessary when test complexity increases. The flexible combination and scale integration of the multi-cell technology of the microfluidic chip on the micro-controllable platform has made it the first choice of modern POCT technology. After years of development, a number of microfluidic chip POCT molecules have emerged. Successful cases of diagnosis and immunodiagnosis.
3.2 The mainstream platform for ultra-high throughput screening - microfluidic droplet chip
Add two immiscible liquids on the microfluidic chip channel, and disperse the phase in the form of tiny volume units (10-15 L-10-9 L) and extremely fast speed (100-10000 / Separate in the continuous phase to form droplets for use as a microreactor or microbiochemical sample carrier. Microfluidic chip droplets have been identified as the most important microreactors to date, providing a platform for rapid, ultra-low-scale, ultra-low-level reactions on both single- and single-cell levels. The droplets are flexible in manipulation, variable in shape, uniform in size, and have excellent heat and mass transfer performance. The frequency of generation has reached tens to hundreds of KHz, showing great potential in high-throughput drug screening and material screening.
3.3 Mammalian cells and their microenvironment control platform - microfluidic chip bionics laboratory
Due to the component size and cell anastomosis of the microfluidic chip, and the simultaneous determination of physical quantities, chemical amounts and biomass, it has become the most potential platform for manipulation of mammalian cells and their microenvironment. It is now possible to construct micron-scale and relatively closed three-dimensional cell culture, sorting, lysis and other operational units, and successfully extend these units to tissues and organs. The organ chip is a model closer to the biomimetic system. It can culture various living cells, form tissues and organs, and even form a living chip by different organ chips in a chip of several square centimeters, thereby simulating the behavior of a living body and studying living organisms. The relationship between the whole and the part. In the field of pharmacy, organ chips will be partially replaced by model animals such as mice, used to validate drug candidates and conduct toxicological and pharmacological studies.
d) The current status and development trend of microfluidic chip industrialization:
4.1 Market prospects of microfluidic chips:
2016-2020 microfluidic market scale forecast Yole
As a revolutionary technology platform, the microfluidic chip has a huge market prospect. In recent years, microfluidic chips have made breakthroughs and caused great concern in the industry. These breakthroughs are mainly manifested in two aspects. First, a number of key technologies have emerged, which are largely irreplaceable, and thus form a wide application area represented by medicine and pharmacy. For example, recently developed organ chips, droplet microfluidic chips. Among them, organ chips or human body chips are expected to partially replace preclinical animal experiments in drug development, maximize research and development costs, shorten the development cycle, and solve ethical issues such as animal rights, which has extremely huge potential market value.
Second, some of these applications have been or are forming economies of scale, such as the new generation of Microfluidics-based POCT systems based on microfluidic technology, which is considered by industry to be the most likely to become “Killer Appliction†(killer application). The market for microfluidic chips is expected to grow from $1.6 billion in 2013 to $5.6 billion in 2019.
4.3 Key issues in the industrialization of microfluidic chips (personal point of view, for discussion):
(1) Technology: It is necessary to solve the mass production process (micromachining, bonding, surface modification) of microfluidic chips;
The key point is to solve the problem of chip quality control.
(2) Talents: Urgently need multi-disciplinary talents, enterprise R&D personnel, and specialized market personnel to develop and promote microfluidic chip products; domestic chip talents, especially chip technicians engaged in product development in enterprises, are lacking, professional people Do professional things! This is very important.
(3) Products: Microfluidic products with the “Killer Application†feature are urgently needed to lead the industry market (the industry is optimistic about microfluidics-based POCT systems); it is widely believed that the largest market for poct is used in the medical diagnostic industry, which is the largest market in the industry. No controversy; perhaps in China, whether food safety and environmental testing can first become a case of killer application with "Chinese characteristics" is worth exploring?
(4) Capital: The active involvement and support of capital or financial institutions with long-term goals is required; personally, the microfluidic chip lab has reached the eve of industrialization, and it is hoped that forward-looking entrepreneurs will intervene in the development of this technology as soon as possible. In the process, everyone will work together and work together for several years to improve technology, cultivate the market, and develop together. In a sense, this is also an opportunity, and it may be too late to get involved if the market is fully mature.
(5) Policy support, strong cooperation: enterprises and institutions with strong research and development capabilities and research institutes with rich technical accumulation work together).
5.3 Future Outlook:
In the next ten or twenty years, microfluidic chips are destined to become a deep-industry science and technology, and the scientific research and industrial competition of microfluidic chips worldwide will become increasingly fierce. China is considered to be one of the countries with high research level in the field of microfluidic chips, but the domestic microfluidic chip industry is still in its infancy, and only a small number of microfluidic products are available, far behind developed countries such as Europe and the United States. country. Despite this, we are delighted to discover that in recent years, more and more microfluidic technology experts, market-oriented professionals, research institutes, enterprises, institutions, and investment institutions have begun to focus on the microfluidic chip industry. Turn. We have reason to believe that the successful industrialization of microfluidic chips in China is worth looking forward to.
Spices,Coriander Seeds,Cumin Powder,Garlic Powder
ZHONGSHAN G.H.L. TRADING CO., LTD. , https://www.ghltrade.com