ver, rather than passing electric current across these connections, lab-on-a-chips are designed to transmit and mix fluids for scientific assays. These chips can be used in detection assays in cells for viruses, bacteria, or cancer, and may soon be used to test the physiological responses of patients to new medicines.This technology utilizes principles from micro- and nanofluidics. On this scale, fluids behave differently than they do on a more macro level, especially regarding movement. Rather than using physical force to guide the fluids, techniques involving electrophoresis and electroosmosis must be used. Electrophoresis is accomplished by applying a voltage difference across a channel connecting fluids. The voltage difference interacts with ions within the fluids to push the fluids across as needed. Electroosmisis, however, involves charges on the wall of connectors that interact with ions at the outer surface of the fluid to push it along the channel. Both methods are electronic by nature, making these chips conducive to automation using software protocols.
Lab-on-a-chips are advantageous in their ability to save a lot of space and personnel for research laboratories. By automating tasks, the chips reduce the need for technicians to conduct the experiments. Furthermore, the size of these chips make it possible to run orders of magnitudes more assays simultaneously in a given lab. Lab-on-a-chips should reduce the cost and efficiency of running experiments. However, there are still issues with this new technology. Micro- and nanofluidics are not completely understood, making it more difficult to manipulate fluids at this level. While lab-on-a-chip technology is promising, progress has been slower than expected as developers have struggled to understand the behavior of fluids on the micro- and nanoscale.
(FIGURE from Agilent.com)
2 comments:
looks like tremendous growth potential to me
Hey I have written to you please chek and reply back to me... we can be on something very big. ;)
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