Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Autonomous microfluidic multi-channel chip for real-time PCR with integrated liquid handling

  • Published:
Biomedical Microdevices Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report on a novel, polymer-based, multi-channel device for polymerase chain reaction that combines, for the first time, rapid sample processing in less than 5 min with high throughput at low costs. This is achieved by sample shuttling, during which submicroliter sample plugs (∼100 nl) are oscillated rapidly over three constant-temperature zones by pneumatic actuation with integrated system. The accuracy and the speed of the liquid handling have been significantly increased, while the design of the device can be kept very simple and allows for mass production using conventional low-cost polymer fabrication processes. Massive parallelization can lead to a throughput up to 100 samples in 10 min including the preparation time. The amplification can be optically monitored by means of online fluorescence detection. Successful real-time PCR and the determination of the threshold cycle, C t, using the developed device were demonstrated with plasmid DNA in a fluorescent real-time format.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • P.-A. Auroux, P.J.R. Day, A. Manz, in The Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show (Boston, MA, 2004a), pp. 67

  • P.-A. Auroux, Y. Koc, A.J. de Mello, A. Manz, P.J.R. Day, Lab Chip 4, 534–546 (2004b)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M.A. Burns, B.N. Johnson, S.N. Brahmasandra, K. Handique, J.R. Webster, M. Krishnan, T.S. Sammarco, P.M. Man, D. Jones, D. Heldsinger, C.H. Mastrangelo, D.T. Burke, Science 282, 484–487 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B.C. Giordano, J. Ferrance, S. Swedberg, A.F.R. Hühmer, J.P. Landers, Anal. Biochem. 291, 124–132 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M.U. Kopp, A.J. de Mello, A. Manz, Science 280, 1046–1048 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E.T. Lagally, C.A. Emrich, R.A. Mathies, Lab Chip 1, 102–107 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J.Y. Lee, J.J. Kim, T.H. Park, Biotechnol. Bioprocess Eng. 8, 213–220 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Liu, M. Enzelberger, S. Quake, Electrophoresis 23, 1531–1536 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M.A. Northrup, M.T. Ching, R.M. White, R.T. Watson, in Proceedings of the Transducers ‘93, (1993), pp. 924–926

  • S. Pasche, S.M. de Paul, J. Vörös, N.D. Spencer, M. Textor, Langmuir 19(22), 9216–9225 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • I. Schneegaß, R. Bräutigam, J.M. Köhler, Lab Chip 1, 42–49 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Wilding, M.A. Shoffner, L.J. Kricka, Clin. Chem. 40, 1815–1818 (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  • X. Yu, D.Y. Zhang, T. Li, L. Hao, X. Li, Sens. Actuators, A 108, 103–107 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Q. Zou, Y. Miao, Y. Chen, U. Sridhar, C.S. Chong, T. Chai, Y. Tie, C.H.L. Teh, J.S. Lim, C.K. Heng, Sens. Actuators, A 102, 114–121 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Dr. Wendy Franks from the Physical Electronics Laboratory, and Dr. Samuele Tosatti and Prof. Markus Textor from the BioInterface Group at ETH Zurich are acknowledged for providing the PLL-PEG polymer. The authors also thank Prof. Henry Baltes for sharing laboratory resources and his ongoing stimulating interest in their work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Laboratory, Institute of Microtechnology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Jaquet-Droz 1, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

    Olivier Frey

  2. Physical Electronics Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 16, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Sonja Bonneick, Andreas Hierlemann & Jan Lichtenberg

Authors
  1. Olivier Frey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sonja Bonneick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andreas Hierlemann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jan Lichtenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Olivier Frey.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Frey, O., Bonneick, S., Hierlemann, A. et al. Autonomous microfluidic multi-channel chip for real-time PCR with integrated liquid handling. Biomed Microdevices 9, 711–718 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-007-9080-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-007-9080-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation