[58] Microfluidics in Molecular Biology

Question 1

What is microfluidics?

Answer 1

It’s the science of manipulating and controlling fluids, usually in the range of microliters (10^-6) to picoliters (10^-12), in networks of channels with dimensions from tens to hundreds of micrometers.

Question 2

How is microfluidics applied in molecular biology?

Answer 2

It’s used for precise control and manipulation of biological samples at the microscale, useful in areas like DNA analysis, cell biology, and proteomics.

Question 3

What does DNA stand for?

Answer 3

Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Question 4

What advantages does microfluidics offer for molecular biology experiments?

Answer 4

• Reduced sample and reagent volumes
• Faster reactions
• High throughput
• Parallelization of assays

Question 5

How does microfluidics contribute to DNA analysis?

Answer 5

It enables miniaturization and automation of DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing techniques, improving efficiency and precision.

Question 6

What does PCR stand for?

Answer 6

Polymerase Chain Reaction

Question 7

What is a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device?

Answer 7

A device that integrates one or several laboratory functions on a single chip of only millimeters to a few square centimeters in size.

Question 8

How does microfluidics help in cell biology studies?

Answer 8

It allows precise control of cellular environment, facilitating single-cell analysis and studies on cell signaling, migration, and interaction.

Question 9

What is microfabrication in the context of microfluidics?

Answer 9

The process used to create the microscale fluidic structures that microfluidic devices rely on.

Question 10

What are some techniques used in microfabrication?

Answer 10

• Photolithography
• Soft lithography
• Etching

Question 11

What does LOC stand for?

Answer 11

Lab-on-a-chip

Question 12

How does microfluidics contribute to proteomics?

Answer 12

It enables high-throughput, precise, and automated protein analysis, including separation, identification, and quantification.

Question 13

What is soft lithography in the context of microfluidics?

Answer 13

A set of techniques for fabricating or replicating structures using elastomeric stamps and molds.

Question 14

What is the role of microchannels in microfluidic systems?

Answer 14

They guide the movement of fluids, controlling their flow and direction.

Question 15

What materials are commonly used to make microfluidic devices?

Answer 15

• Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)
• Glass
• Polymers

Question 16

What does PDMS stand for?

Answer 16

Polydimethylsiloxane

Question 17

How does a droplet-based microfluidic system work?

Answer 17

It forms and manipulates discrete microscale droplets within an immiscible carrier fluid, each droplet acting as a separate microreactor.

Question 18

How does microfluidics improve high-throughput screening?

Answer 18

It enables parallelization and miniaturization, allowing many samples to be processed simultaneously with reduced reagent usage.

Question 19

What does high-throughput screening mean in molecular biology?

Answer 19

It’s a method for scientific experimentation that uses automated technology to quickly assay the biological activity of a large number of drug candidates or genes.

Question 20

What is the role of pressure and flow control in microfluidics?

Answer 20

It ensures precise control of fluid movement within microchannels, enabling accurate manipulation of samples and reactions.