Fully integrated rapid microfluidic device translated from conventional 96-well ELISA kit

In this work, a fully integrated active microfluidic device transforming a conventional 96-well kit into point-of-care testing (POCT) device was implemented to improve the performance of traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ELISA test by the conventional method often requires the collection of 96 samples for its operation as well as longer incubation time from hours to overnight, whereas our proposed device conducts ELISA immediately individualizing a 96-well for individual patients. To do that, a programmable and disposable on-chip pump and valve were integrated on the device for precise control and actuation of microfluidic reagents, which regulated a reaction time and reagent volume to support the optimized protocols of ELISA. Due to the on-chip pump and valve, ELISA could be executed with reduced consumption of reagents and shortening the assay time, which are crucial for conventional ELISA using 96-well microplate. To demonstrate highly sensitive detection and easy-to-use operation, this unconventional device was successfully applied for the quantification of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) of 4.88 pg/mL using a minimum sample volume of 30 mu L with a shorter assay time of 15 min for each ELISA step. The limit of detection (LOD) thus obtained was significantly improved than the conventional 96-well platform.

Automated summary

By integrating programmable and disposable microfluidic pump and valve on the device, we successfully transformed the traditional 96-well ELISA assay into a point-of-care testing device, achieving individualized ELISA testing for each patient. This device significantly reduced the consumption of reagents and assay time, greatly improving the detection sensitivity, making ELISA testing more efficient and convenient.