Are you currently facing challenges with high sample consumption, long run times, and limited throughput in amino acid analysis? Our microfluidic development service from Creative Biolabs helps you streamline your workflows and obtain precise, high-resolution data through advanced miniaturized lab-on-a-chip technology. We provide a comprehensive, one-stop solution tailored to your specific research needs, from concept to final device.
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Background
Amino acid analysis is vital across scientific disciplines, from diagnostics to drug discovery. However, traditional methods like HPLC and LC−MS are often limited by large sample volumes, lengthy run times, and complex instrumentation. Microfluidics provides a transformative alternative by miniaturizing these lab processes onto a single chip. This technology offers precise control, higher throughput, and the integration of multiple steps, like sample preparation and separation. The high surface-to-volume ratio within the microchannels also accelerates reaction kinetics and separation efficiency.
Microfluidic devices have been extensively applied for the derivatization, separation, and detection of amino acids. Chips with on-chip pre- or post-column derivatization chambers enhance sensitivity via electrochemical or optical methods. A range of separation modes has been implemented, including various microchip electrophoretic and chromatographic techniques. For example, PDMS-based systems can separate amino acids with resolution comparable to conventional capillaries, and some devices can isolate FITC-labeled amino acids with high separation efficiencies. These platforms can be coupled with advanced miniaturized detection systems, such as carbon nanotube (CNT) film electrodes and mass spectrometry (MS), with researchers demonstrating micromolar detection limits using integrated copper electrodes.
Applications
The precision and efficiency of microfluidic amino acid analysis make it suitable for a broad range of applications across multiple industries.
Drug Discovery
Rapid screening of drug candidates and their effect on amino acid metabolism.
Cell Culture Media Analysis
Real-time monitoring of amino acid consumption and production to optimize cell growth and protein expression.
Disease Biomarker Detection
Development of point-of-care devices for rapid detection of amino acid-related metabolic disorders.
Personalized Medicine
Analysis of patient-specific amino acid profiles for tailored therapeutic approaches.
Nutritional Analysis
Fast and accurate quantification of amino acids in food products, supplements, and infant formula.
Quality Control
High-throughput screening of food and feed samples for quality assurance.
What We Can Offer
Creative Biolabs provides a comprehensive suite of products and services to support your microfluidic projects. Our offerings are designed to cover every stage of the development cycle, from initial concept to a fully functional device.
Custom-designed chips made from a variety of materials (e.g., PDMS, glass, silicon) for diverse applications.
Custom Assay Development
Integration and optimization of specific biological or chemical assays, including on-chip derivatization and analysis.
A full-service approach covering design, fabrication, system integration, and validation to deliver a complete, ready-to-use solution.
Development of automated platforms that interface with our microfluidic chips for high-throughput, hands-free operation.
A selection of standardized microfluidic chips for common research applications, allowing for quick and cost-effective solutions.
Leverage our specialized benefits—Request a quotation today
Workflow
Why Choose Us
Creative Biolabs stands apart through our unparalleled expertise and commitment to delivering integrated, high-performance microfluidic solutions. We are dedicated to providing systems that are not only technologically advanced but also practical and reliable for your research.
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Miniaturization Expertise: Our platforms are designed to significantly reduce sample and reagent consumption, leading to substantial cost savings and minimal waste.
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Accelerated Analysis: Our microfluidic chips enable rapid, high-throughput analysis, offering sub-second separation times for many applications compared to traditional methods.
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Enhanced Sensitivity: By concentrating analytes within microchannels, our systems achieve enhanced sensitivity and lower detection limits. Published Data show that microfluidic-based methods can achieve sensitivities in the micromolar to nanomolar range.
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Customized Integration: We provide seamless integration of multiple analytical steps—from sample preparation to separation and detection—onto a single chip, minimizing manual handling and potential errors.
Published Data
Fig.1 Microfluidic mass spectrometry for amino acid analysis.1
The study's experimental data demonstrate the effectiveness of the microfluidic chip CE-MS method for monitoring amino acids in cell culture. The method was applied to samples collected daily over a 10-day batch culture of CHO cells producing IgG1 monoclonal antibodies. Sixteen amino acids were separated in a separation window of less than two minutes, with low sample requirements of 4 nL per injection. The analysis showed excellent migration time reproducibility, with RSD values less than 1.10% over six injections.
Analysis of the cell culture media showed that the majority of essential amino acids were initially present in high concentrations compared to non-essential amino acids. Over the 10-day culture period, the concentration of certain amino acids, such as phenylalanine, methionine, serine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, histidine, and lysine, declined significantly, by up to 100%. The decline in these amino acids correlated with a decrease in viable cell numbers from day 7 to day 9, suggesting nutrient stress. In contrast, non-essential amino acids like alanine and glutamic acid were observed to increase over the same period, which can be attributed to reversible transamination reactions. Arginine levels remained stable throughout the experiment, suggesting a balance between cellular production and consumption. The study concludes that this rapid method can be used for at-line monitoring and screening of cell culture status to identify amino acids that may become limiting and require supplementation.
FAQs
Q: What are the key performance advantages of microfluidic amino acid analysis over conventional HPLC?
A: Microfluidic platforms offer significant enhancements in efficiency and performance. They typically require sample volumes in the nanoliter to microliter range, drastically reducing reagent costs and sample waste. The short diffusion distances and high surface-area-to-volume ratio within the microchannels enable rapid separation times, often achieving results in minutes, which is a substantial improvement over the hours required for conventional methods.
Q: How is a broad range of amino acids separated and detected on a microfluidic chip?
A: The technology can be optimized to separate and detect both proteinogenic and non-proteinogenic amino acids. Separation is typically achieved through on-chip capillary electrophoresis (CE) or chromatography, which are tailored to the specific chemical properties of the target analytes. Detection methods, such as laser-induced fluorescence or electrochemical detection, are integrated to provide high sensitivity and selectivity.
Q: What are the challenges of complex sample matrices, and how does microfluidics address them?
A: Complex biological matrices (e.g., plasma, cell lysates) contain numerous interfering compounds that can compromise assay accuracy. Microfluidic systems can incorporate on-chip sample preparation modules to overcome this challenge. These modules perform tasks like desalting, protein removal, or pre-concentration of the target analytes, ensuring a clean sample is introduced into the separation channel for reliable analysis.
Featured Services
Feature Products
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CAT No
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Material
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Product Name
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Application
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MFCH-001
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Glass
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Herringbone Microfluidic Chip
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Processing samples and reagents in Nucleic acid analysis, blood Analysis, immunoassays, and point-of-care diagnostics.
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MFMM-0723-JS12
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Glass
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Double Emulsion Droplet Chip
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Our double emulsion microfluidic chip, incorporating localized modifications and a classic flow-focusing structure, is specifically designed to generate stable and uniform double emulsion droplets.
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MFCH-005
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PDMS
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3D Cell Culture Chip-Neuron
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Neuron cell culture and study of axon transport, axon protein synthesis, axon damage/regeneration, signal transduction of axon to somatic signal.
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MFCH-009
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PDMS
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Synvivo-Idealized Co-Culture Network Chips (IMN2 radial)
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SynBBB 3D Blood Brain Barrier Model/SynRAM 3D Inflammation Model/SynTumor 3D Cancer Model/SynTox 3D Toxicology Model.
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MFMM1-GJS4
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COC
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BE-Doubleflow Standard
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Studying circulating particles, cell interactions, and simple organ-on-a-chip system construction.
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MFMM1-GJS6
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COC
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BE-Transflow Custom
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Used to construct a cell interface or Air-Liquid interface (ALI) to study more complex culture systems.
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Reference
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Ribeiro da Silva, Meire et al. "A rapid, simple and sensitive microfluidic chip electrophoresis mass spectrometry method for monitoring amino acids in cell culture media." Journal of Chromatography. A vol. 1651 (2021): 462336. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2021.462336
