Published in

Wiley, Advanced Functional Materials, 32(24), p. 5096-5103

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201400503

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Biomimetic Miniaturized Platform Able to Sustain Arrays of Liquid Droplets for High-Throughput Combinatorial Tests

Journal article published in 2014 by Ana I. Neto ORCID, Clara R. Correia, Catarina A. Custódio ORCID, João F. Mano
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Orange circle
Postprint: archiving restricted
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The development of high-throughput and combinatorial technologies is helping to speed up research that is applicable in many areas of chemistry, engineering, and biology. A new model is proposed for flat devices for the high-throughput screening of accelerated evaluations of multiplexed processes and reactions taking place in aqueous-based environments. Superhydrophobic (SH) biomimetic surfaces based on the so-called lotus effect are produced, onto which arrays of micro-indentations allow the fixing of liquid droplets, based on the rose-petal effect. The developed platforms are able to sustain arrays of quasi-spherical microdroplets, allowing the isolation and confinement of different combinations of substances and living cells. Distinct compartmentalized physical, chemical, and biological processes may take place and be monitored in each droplet. The devices permit the addition/removal of liquid and mechanical stirring by adding magnetic microparticles into each droplet. By facing the chip downward, it is possible to produce arrays of cell spheroids developed by gravity in the suspended droplets, with the potential to be used as microtissues in drug screening tests.