What is microfluidic PCR?
Microfluidics have been widely used for different DNA amplification processes (PCR, qPCR, RT-PCR). Microfluidic devices allow to accelerate PCR processes, reduce reagent consumption, reach high-throughput assays and integrate pre or post-PCR assays on-chip.
What is microfluidic system?
Microfluidics is the science and technology of systems that process or manipulate small amounts of fluidics (10−9 to 10−18L), using channels measuring from tens to hundreds of micrometers. From: Chemical Analysis of Food: Techniques and Applications, 2012.
How does droplet microfluidics work?
Droplet-based microfluidics manipulate discrete volumes of fluids in immiscible phases with low Reynolds number and laminar flow regimes. Two immiscible phases used for the droplet based systems are referred to as the continuous phase (medium in which droplets flow) and dispersed phase (the droplet phase).
How does droplet generator work?
HOW DOES IT WORK? Droplets are generated or formed by precisely controlling immiscible liquids (usually aqueous and oil-based) with microfluidic pumps in microfluidic chips of a precise geometry. The flow rate of the continuous phase (oil in this example) is usually higher than the dispersed phase (water).
What is digital PCR used for?
Digital PCR (dPCR) is the third generation of PCR that enables absolute quantification through partitioning the reaction. Highly sensitive and accurate in molecular detection, this technology has demonstrated applications like trace DNA detection, rare mutation detection and copy number variation [2].
What is microfluidic used for?
Applications of microfluidics Diagnostic uses of microfluidics include cancer and pathogen detection. Microfluidic devices are used to measure molecular diffusion coefficients, fluid viscosity, pH, and chemical binding coefficients.
What are the advantages of microfluidics?
The advantages of microfluidic cell culture include the ability to more closely mimic a cell’s natural microenvironment, for example by continuous perfusion culture or by creating chemical gradients, and to study low numbers of cells or single cells in high temporal and/or spatial resolution via automation.
How does digital microfluidics work?
Digital microfluidics harnesses electrowetting to control droplets. Electrical signals are applied to an array of electrodes to define the size and position of each droplet. Droplets are moved by turning the voltage on and off in succession across adjacent electrodes.
What is droplet culture?
Droplet microfluidics is an emerging cell culture format enabling compartmentalized culture of single cells and clones. In droplet microfluidics, picoliter sized monodisperse aqueous droplets are formed in an immiscible oil phase using a microfluidic chip.