Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step Emulsification
We present a versatile tool for the generation of monodisperse water-in-fluorinated-oil droplets in standard reaction tubes by centrifugal step emulsification. The microfluidic cartridge is designed as an insert into a standard 2 mL reaction tube and can be processed in standard laboratory centrifug...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/8/1914 |
| _version_ | 1797570051788767232 |
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| author | Martin Schulz Sophia Probst Silvia Calabrese Ana R. Homann Nadine Borst Marian Weiss Felix von Stetten Roland Zengerle Nils Paust |
| author_facet | Martin Schulz Sophia Probst Silvia Calabrese Ana R. Homann Nadine Borst Marian Weiss Felix von Stetten Roland Zengerle Nils Paust |
| author_sort | Martin Schulz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present a versatile tool for the generation of monodisperse water-in-fluorinated-oil droplets in standard reaction tubes by centrifugal step emulsification. The microfluidic cartridge is designed as an insert into a standard 2 mL reaction tube and can be processed in standard laboratory centrifuges. It allows for droplet generation and subsequent transfer for any downstream analysis or further use, does not need any specialized device, and manufacturing is simple because it consists of two parts only: A structured substrate and a sealing foil. The design of the structured substrate is compatible to injection molding to allow manufacturing at large scale. Droplets are generated in fluorinated oil and collected in the reaction tube for subsequent analysis. For sample sizes up to 100 µL with a viscosity range of 1 mPa·s–4 mPa·s, we demonstrate stable droplet generation and transfer of more than 6 × 10<sup>5</sup> monodisperse droplets (droplet diameter 66 µm ± 3 µm, CV ≤ 4%) in less than 10 min. With two application examples, a digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and digital droplet loop mediated isothermal amplification (ddLAMP), we demonstrate the compatibility of the droplet production for two main amplification techniques. Both applications show a high degree of linearity (ddPCR: R<sup>2</sup> ≥ 0.994; ddLAMP: R<sup>2</sup> ≥ 0.998), which demonstrates that the cartridge and the droplet generation method do not compromise assay performance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:20:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be136a0e990a485aa5a7b1fe6c16cb87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:20:36Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-be136a0e990a485aa5a7b1fe6c16cb872023-11-19T22:16:12ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492020-04-01258191410.3390/molecules25081914Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step EmulsificationMartin Schulz0Sophia Probst1Silvia Calabrese2Ana R. Homann3Nadine Borst4Marian Weiss5Felix von Stetten6Roland Zengerle7Nils Paust8Hahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyHahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, GermanyWe present a versatile tool for the generation of monodisperse water-in-fluorinated-oil droplets in standard reaction tubes by centrifugal step emulsification. The microfluidic cartridge is designed as an insert into a standard 2 mL reaction tube and can be processed in standard laboratory centrifuges. It allows for droplet generation and subsequent transfer for any downstream analysis or further use, does not need any specialized device, and manufacturing is simple because it consists of two parts only: A structured substrate and a sealing foil. The design of the structured substrate is compatible to injection molding to allow manufacturing at large scale. Droplets are generated in fluorinated oil and collected in the reaction tube for subsequent analysis. For sample sizes up to 100 µL with a viscosity range of 1 mPa·s–4 mPa·s, we demonstrate stable droplet generation and transfer of more than 6 × 10<sup>5</sup> monodisperse droplets (droplet diameter 66 µm ± 3 µm, CV ≤ 4%) in less than 10 min. With two application examples, a digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and digital droplet loop mediated isothermal amplification (ddLAMP), we demonstrate the compatibility of the droplet production for two main amplification techniques. Both applications show a high degree of linearity (ddPCR: R<sup>2</sup> ≥ 0.994; ddLAMP: R<sup>2</sup> ≥ 0.998), which demonstrates that the cartridge and the droplet generation method do not compromise assay performance.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/8/1914microfluidicscentrifugal step emulsificationdroplet generationemulsificationcompartmentationdigital amplification |
| spellingShingle | Martin Schulz Sophia Probst Silvia Calabrese Ana R. Homann Nadine Borst Marian Weiss Felix von Stetten Roland Zengerle Nils Paust Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step Emulsification Molecules microfluidics centrifugal step emulsification droplet generation emulsification compartmentation digital amplification |
| title | Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step Emulsification |
| title_full | Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step Emulsification |
| title_fullStr | Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step Emulsification |
| title_full_unstemmed | Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step Emulsification |
| title_short | Versatile Tool for Droplet Generation in Standard Reaction Tubes by Centrifugal Step Emulsification |
| title_sort | versatile tool for droplet generation in standard reaction tubes by centrifugal step emulsification |
| topic | microfluidics centrifugal step emulsification droplet generation emulsification compartmentation digital amplification |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/8/1914 |
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