An enzymatic immunoassay microfluidics integrated with membrane valves for microsphere retention and reagent mixing

Biosens Bioelectron. 2012 May 15;35(1):147-154. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2012.02.034. Epub 2012 Feb 25.

Abstract

The present study presents a new microfluidic device integrated with pneumatic microvalves and a membrane mixer for enzyme-based immunoassay of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) biomarkers, namely, myoglobin, and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP). Superparamagnetic microspheres with carboxyl groups on their surfaces were used as antibody solid carriers. A membrane mixer consisting of four ψ-type membrane valves was assembled under the reaction chamber for on-chip performing microsphere trapping and reagent mixing. The entire immunoassay process, including microsphere capture, reagent input, mixing, and subsequent reaction, was accomplished on the device either automatically or manually. The post-reaction substrate resultant was analyzed using a microplate reader. The results show that the average absorbance value is correlated with the concentration of cardiac markers, in agreement with the results obtained using a conventional microsphere-based immunoassay; this indicated that the proposed on-chip immunoassay protocol could be used to detect both myoglobin and H-FABP. The minimum detectable concentration is 5 ng/mL for myoglobin and 1 ng/mL for H-FABP.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Equipment Design
  • Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / analysis
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Magnetics
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Microspheres
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnosis
  • Myocardial Infarction / metabolism
  • Myoglobin / analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • FABP3 protein, human
  • Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Myoglobin