Micro-scale blood plasma separation: from acoustophoresis to egg-beaters

• Published in: Lab on a chip 2013-09, Vol.13 (17), p.3323-3346
• Main Authors: Kersaudy-Kerhoas, Maïwenn, Sollier, Elodie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustics; Animals; Blood Chemical Analysis - instrumentation; Blood Chemical Analysis - methods; Chemical Fractionation - instrumentation; Chemical Fractionation - methods; Diagnosis; Humans; Microtechnology - instrumentation; Microtechnology - methods; Ovum; Plasma - chemistry
• ISSN: 1473-0197; 1473-0189
• DOI: 10.1039/c3lc50432h

Plasma is a rich mine of various biomarkers including proteins, metabolites and circulating nucleic acids. The diagnostic and therapeutic potential of these analytes has been quite recently uncovered, and the number of plasma biomarkers will still be growing in the coming years. A significant part of the blood plasma preparation is still handled manually, off-chip, via centrifugation or filtration. These batch methods have variable waiting times, and are often performed under non-reproducible conditions that may impair the collection of analytes of interest, with variable degradation. The development of miniaturised modules capable of automated and reproducible blood plasma separation would aid in the translation of lab-on-a-chip devices to the clinical market. Here we propose a systematic review of major plasma analytes and target applications, alongside existing solutions for micro-scale blood plasma extraction, focusing on the approaches that have been biologically validated for specific applications. An exhaustive review assessing the numerous analytes present in plasma and addressing the challenges of blood plasma separation and integration.