Lab-on-a-Chip Technologies for the Single Cell Level: Separation, Analysis, and Diagnostics

Lab-on-a-Chip Technologies for the Single Cell Level: Separation, Analysis, and Diagnostics

Axel Hochstetter

In the last three decades, microfluidics and its applications have been on an exponential rise, including approaches to isolate rare cells and diagnose diseases on the single-cell level. The techniques mentioned herein have already had significant impacts in our lives, from in-the-field diagnosis of disease and parasitic infections, through home fertility tests, to uncovering the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and their host cells. This review gives an overview of the field in general and the most notable developments of the last five years, in three parts: 1. What can we detect? 2. Which detection technologies are used in which setting? 3. How do these techniques work? Finally, this review discusses potentials, shortfalls, and an outlook on future developments, especially in respect to the funding landscape and the field-application of these chips.

2020

cancer, diagnostics, Biomedical Engineering, Parasites, microfluidics, single-cell level

10.3390/mi11050468

Epidemiology and Health

Korean Society of Epidemiology

Mechanical engineering and machinery