Microfluidic chip and mass spectrometry-based detection of bacterial antimicrobial resistance and study of antimicrobial resistance mechanism / 中国药科大学学报

@#Bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a globally serious problem that threatens public health security.Misuse and abuse of antibiotics cannot achieve the effect of treating bacterial infectious diseases, but will trigger the SOS response of bacteria, exacerbating the evolution of bacterial AMR and the spread of resistant bacteria.This article focuses on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, briefly introduces the pathogenesis of bacterial AMR and SOS response, and systematically summarizes the determination and mechanism study of bacterial AMR based on microfluidics and mass spectrometry.This article provides theoretical basis for AMR-related drug target mining and new drug development, aiming to develop new methods for rapid detection of bacterial AMR and new methods for bacteria inhibition, and promote the diagnosis and treatment of clinical bacteria infectious diseases.

Microfluidics-based study on the damage pattern of red blood cells and VWF / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of shear stress magnitude and exposure time on the damage of blood component erythrocytes and von willebrand factor (VWF) based on microfluidic technology.Methods:A blood shear platform was built based on a microfluidic chip, samples were prepared under different shear stress magnitudes and exposure time lengths, free hemoglobin assay experiments were performed on blood samples, the hemolysis indices of different samples were measured, and the relative molecular masses of different samples of VWF were analyzed by immunoblotting and chemiluminescence imaging.Results:The quantitative relationships between the hemolysis index and the degradation rate of high relative molecular mass VWF with shear stress and exposure time followed the power function model well.Conclusions:The microfluidic experimental platform has the advantages of a precise and controllable internal microenvironment and easy and rapid detection, which can be used for the quantitative study of blood damage patterns.

Cell-loaded hydrogel microspheres based on droplet microfluidics: a review / 生物工程学报

Droplet microfluidics technology offers refined control over the flows of multiple fluids in micro/nano-scale, enabling fabrication of micro/nano-droplets with precisely adjustable structures and compositions in a high-throughput manner. With the combination of proper hydrogel materials and preparation methods, single or multiple cells can be efficiently encapsulated into hydrogels to produce cell-loaded hydrogel microspheres. The cell-loaded hydrogel microspheres can provide a three-dimensional, relatively independent and controllable microenvironment for cell proliferation and differentiation, which is of great value for three-dimensional cell culture, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, stem cell research, single cell study and many other biological science fields. In this review, the preparation methods of cell-loaded hydrogel microspheres based on droplet microfluidics and its applications in biomedical field are summarized and future prospects are proposed.

Emerging trends in organ-on-a-chip systems for drug screening

New drug discovery is under growing pressure to satisfy the demand from a wide range of domains, especially from the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare services. Assessment of drug efficacy and safety prior to human clinical trials is a crucial part of drug development, which deserves greater emphasis to reduce the cost and time in drug discovery. Recent advances in microfabrication and tissue engineering have given rise to organ-on-a-chip, an in vitro model capable of recapitulating human organ functions in vivo and providing insight into disease pathophysiology, which offers a potential alternative to animal models for more efficient pre-clinical screening of drug candidates. In this review, we first give a snapshot of general considerations for organ-on-a-chip device design. Then, we comprehensively review the recent advances in organ-on-a-chip for drug screening. Finally, we summarize some key challenges of the progress in this field and discuss future prospects of organ-on-a-chip development. Overall, this review highlights the new avenue that organ-on-a-chip opens for drug development, therapeutic innovation, and precision medicine.

Visualization analysis of microfluidics research status / 生物医学工程学杂志

Microfluidics is the science and technology to manipulate small amounts of fluids in micro/nano-scale space. Multiple modules could be integrated into microfluidic device, and due to its advantages of microminiaturization and controllability, microfluidics has drawn extensive attention since its birth. In this paper, the literature data related to microfluidics research from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2021 were obtained from Web of Science Core Collection database. CiteSpace 5.8.R3 software was used for bibliometrics analysis, so as to explore the research progress and development trends of microfluidics research at home and abroad. Based on the analysis of 50 129 articles, it could be seen that microfluidics was a hot topic of global concern, and the United States had a certain degree of authority in this field. Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University not only had a high number of publications, but also had strong influence and extensive cooperation network. Combined with ultrasonic, surface modification and sensor technology, researchers constructed paper-based microfluidic, droplet microfluidic and digital microfluidic platforms, which were applied in the field of immediate diagnosis, nucleic acid and circulating tumor cell analysis of in vitro diagnosis and organ-on-a-chip. China was one of the countries with a high level of research in the field of microfluidics, while the industrialization of high-end products needed to be improved. As people's demand for disease risk prediction and health management increased, promoting microfluidic technological innovation and achievement transformation is of great significance to safeguard people's life and health.

Advances in new microfluidic chips for enrichment and detection of circulating tumor cells / 中华检验医学杂志

Due to the characteristics such as high capture, high recovery and precise control with fluid, the microfluidic chip has attracted much attention in the research field of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The developed microfluidic system mainly included three types based on the captured principles such as biological affinity tag microfluidic chip, free label microfluidic chip and rely on biological affinity with the physical properties of integrated microfluidic chip.

The single-cell proteomics methods based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry promote tumor diagnosis research / 中华检验医学杂志

Single-cell proteome analysis can perform in-depth research on cell heterogeneity and further promote the development of precision medicine and tumor research. In recent years, mass spectrometry-based proteomics has made substantial progress, but proteomics analysis at the single-cell level still faces sensitivity challenges. At present, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has become the main analysis method of proteomics. Because of its high sensitivity, high throughput, and high stability, it has been widely used in the field of single cells. In recent years, the representative single-cell proteomics methods can be divided into three types: single-tube technology, microfluidic platform, and integrated processing platform according to different sample processing methods. Different kinds of data collection and analysis methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. If single-cell proteomics, still a laboratory study, can be applied in diagnostic practice as soon as possible, it will definitely promote the progress of precision medicine and oncology research.

Integration of Droplet Microfluidic Tools for Single-Cell Functional Metagenomics: An Engineering Head Start / 基因组蛋白质组与生物信息学报·英文版

Droplet microfluidic techniques have shown promising outcome to study single cells at high throughput. However, their adoption in laboratories studying "-omics" sciences is still irrelevant due to the complex and multidisciplinary nature of the field. To facilitate their use, here we provide engineering details and organized protocols for integrating three droplet-based microfluidic technologies into the metagenomic pipeline to enable functional screening of bioproducts at high throughput. First, a device encapsulating single cells in droplets at a rate of ∼250 Hz is described considering droplet size and cell growth. Then, we expand on previously reported fluorescence-activated droplet sorting systems to integrate the use of 4 independent fluorescence-exciting lasers (i.e., 405, 488, 561, and 637 nm) in a single platform to make it compatible with different fluorescence-emitting biosensors. For this sorter, both hardware and software are provided and optimized for effortlessly sorting droplets at 60 Hz. Then, a passive droplet merger is also integrated into our pipeline to enable adding new reagents to already-made droplets at a rate of 200 Hz. Finally, we provide an optimized recipe for manufacturing these chips using silicon dry-etching tools. Because of the overall integration and the technical details presented here, our approach allows biologists to quickly use microfluidic technologies and achieve both single-cell resolution and high-throughput capability (>50,000 cells/day) for mining and bioprospecting metagenomic data.

Enzyme Functional Screening, Discovery and Engineering; Automation, Metagenomics and High-throughput Approaches

Concerned with the construction and design of novel biocatalysts, the enzyme engineering served to overcome the limitations of native enzymes, in order to create biocatalysts with tailored functions, to facilitate industrial applications. The enzymes, being recognized by screening and discovery workflows and further tailored by engineering platforms, are of immense potential as improved biocatalysts. Functional metagenomics is a powerful tool to identify novel enzymes followed by the construction of metagenome-based enzyme libraries. And the subsequent screening of these enzyme libraries is in turn facilitated by ultra-high-throughput-based, for example FACS or microfluidics, enzyme engineering technologies. Relies on the compartmentalization of reaction components, in order to detect and measure assay signal within the reaction compartments, the enzyme engineering platforms are designed which include cell-as-compartment platforms, droplet-based platforms andmicro-chamber-based platforms. The metagenomics approach and high-throughput screening by these three prime enzyme engineer platforms are the focus of this review.

Magnetic hyperthermia therapy in glioblastoma tumor on-a-Chip model / Terapia de magneto-hipertermia no modelo de tumor de glioblastoma on-a-Chip

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the magnetic hyperthermia therapy in glioblastoma tumor-on-a-Chip model using a microfluidics device. Methods: The magnetic nanoparticles coated with aminosilane were used for the therapy of magnetic hyperthermia, being evaluated the specific absorption rate of the magnetic nanoparticles at 300 Gauss and 305kHz. A preculture of C6 cells was performed before the 3D cells culture on the chip. The process of magnetic hyperthermia on the Chip was performed after administration of 20μL of magnetic nanoparticles (10mgFe/mL) using the parameters that generated the specific absorption rate value. The efficacy of magnetic hyperthermia therapy was evaluated by using the cell viability test through the following fluorescence staining: calcein acetoxymethyl ester (492/513nm), for live cells, and ethidium homodimer-1 (526/619nm) for dead cells dyes. Results: Magnetic nanoparticles when submitted to the alternating magnetic field (300 Gauss and 305kHz) produced a mean value of the specific absorption rate of 115.4±6.0W/g. The 3D culture of C6 cells evaluated by light field microscopy imaging showed the proliferation and morphology of the cells prior to the application of magnetic hyperthermia therapy. Fluorescence images showed decreased viability of cultured cells in organ-on-a-Chip by 20% and 100% after 10 and 30 minutes of the magnetic hyperthermia therapy application respectively. Conclusion: The study showed that the therapeutic process of magnetic hyperthermia in the glioblastoma on-a-chip model was effective to produce the total cell lise after 30 minutes of therapy.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a terapia de magneto-hipertermia em modelo de tumor de glioblastoma on-a-Chip. Métodos: As nanopartículas magnéticas recobertas com aminosilana foram utilizadas para a terapia da magneto-hipertermia, sendo avaliada a taxa de absorção específica das nanopartículas magnéticas em 300 Gauss e 305kHz. Uma pré-cultura de células C6 foi realizada e, seguidamente, foi feito o cultivo das células 3D no chip. O processo de magneto-hipertermia no chip foi realizado após administração de 20μL de nanopartículas magnéticas (10mgFe/mL), utilizando os parâmetros que geraram o valor da taxa de absorção específica. A eficácia da terapia de magneto-hipertermia foi avaliada pela viabilidade celular por meio dos corantes fluorescentes acetoximetiléster de calceína (492/513nm), para células vivas, e etídio homodímero-1 (526/619nm), para células mortas. Resultados: As nanopartículas magnéticas, quando submetidas ao campo magnético alternado (300 Gauss e 305kHz), produziram um valor médio da taxa de absorção específica de 115,4±6,0W/g. A cultura 3D das células C6 avaliada por imagem de microscopia de campo claro mostrou a proliferação e a morfologia das células antes da aplicação da terapia de magneto-hipertermia. As imagens de fluorescência mostraram diminuição da viabilidade das células cultivadas no organ-on-a-Chip em 20% e 100% após 10 e 30 minutos, respectivamente, da aplicação da terapia de magneto-hipertermia. Conclusão: O processo terapêutico da magneto-hipertermia no modelo de tumor glioblastoma on-a-chip foi eficaz para produzir lise total das células após 30 minutos de terapia.

Application of Microfluidics in Molecular Diagnostics / 中国医疗器械杂志

In recent years, molecular diagnostics has been the most promising branch of

Construction of microfluidics-based fallopian tube model for mimicking fertilization and early embryo culture in vivo / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: With the increasing proportion of infertility in the population, more and more attentions have been paid on assisted reproductive techniques. Fertilization and early embryo culture are the significant parts of assisted reproductive techniques; however, they remain unchanged in the last few decades. OBJECTIVE: To design a novel microfluidics-based fallopian tube model that can mimic the microenvironment of fertilization and early embryo culture in vivo. METHODS: Microfluidic device was manufactured by soft lithography method to mimic the anatomical characteristic of fallopian tube in vivo. Mouse oviduct primary epithelial cells were cultured and purified by explants culture method, and then the purified cells were identified by keratin immunofluorescence method. Epithelial cells were then loaded into the channel to mimic the biochemical environment of fallopian tube in vivo. The chip was connected to the automatic liquid changing device to mimic the liquid environment of fallopian tube in vivo. RESLUTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The channel of this model is cylindrical with 2 cm of height and 1 cm of diameter, which were in accordance with the anatomical characteristic of the isthmus of fallopian tube in shape. (2) The keratin immunofluorescence was positive, which indicated that mouse oviduct primary epithelial cells can be obtained by explants culture method. (3) The cells were loaded into the channel to cover the wall of channel, which provided a biochemical microenvironment similar to that in vivo for fertilization and early embryo culture. After the chip was connected to the automatic liquid changing device, metabolic waste could be taken away and nutrient substance can be replenished in time, which mimics the real fluid environment in vivo. (4) This study combined microfluidics technology and assisted reproductive techniques to design a novel fallopian tube model, which mimics the micro-environment of fertilization and early embryo culture in vivo. This study has laid a foundation for further improvement of assisted reproductive techniques and the rate of fertilization and embryo optimization.

Injectable hydrogel loaded with bone morphogenetic protein-2 microspheres for bacteriostasis and osteogenesis / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective: To construct a novel antibacterial and injectable hydrogel (BMP/Gel/SH-Ag) loaded with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) microspheres, and investigate its biocompatibility, antibacterial properties and bone-promoting properties. Methods: The photocrosslinked gelatin microspheres loaded with BMP-2 were prepared by microfluidics. The microspheres were mixed with 4-arm thiol-terminated poly (ethylene glycol) (4SH-PEG) and crosslinked with Ag+ to prepare injectable sulfhydrylated PEG hydrogels (BMP/Gel/SH-Ag). The micromorphology of microspheres and hydrogels was observed by light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The drug release profile was investigated at 37℃ in a shaker (100 r/min). The injectability of BMP/Gel/SH-Ag was evaluated by injecting hydrogel using a syringe with a tip diameter of 0.5 mm. The antibacterial activity of BMP/Gel/SH-Ag against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was evaluated by agar diffusion test. The biocompatibility of BMP/Gel/SH-Ag was verified by CCK-8, and the bone-promoting activity was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay and calcium nodule staining in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Results: Gelatin microspheres had smooth appearance and uniform particle size distribution (~ 350 μm). BMP/Gel/SH-Ag had porous micro-structure and can be injected with a syringe needle with a diameter of up to 0.5 mm in diameter to produce hydrogel filament. The cumulative release of BMP-2 from BMP/Gel/SH-Ag was (81.8±3.6)% after being incubated for 8 d. BMP/Gel/SH-Ag had obvious inhibitory effect on S. aureus and E. coli. CCK-8 results showed that BMP/Gel/SH-Ag had good biocompatibility. BMP/Gel/SH-Ag can increase the expression of ALP and the content of calcium nodules in rat BMSCs. Conclusion: The BMP/Gel/SH-Ag has good performance in promoting osteogenesis and an-ti-infection.

Construction of A Microfluidic Intestine-liver-breast Cancer Chip and Analysis of Its Application in PK-PD in Vitro of Drugs / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::A multi-organ chip of intestine-liver-breast cancer was constructed based on microfluidic technology and used for pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) study of drugs in vitro. Method::A multi-organ chip comprising a 4-layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate and a 2-layer poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cover was constructed by microfluidic technology. The connection between cells was investigated by staining the 21-day-grown human colon cancer cell line Caco-2 cell layer and the 3-day-grown human umbilical vein endothelial cell line HUVEC cell layer with CellTracker Red/Green and Hoechst, respectively. The transmission rates of 2 g·L-1 fluorescein sodium and 33.28 mg·L-1 propranolol acrossing the cell layer were employed to verify the function of the constructed intestinal module. The metabolic level of the liver module was investigated by comparing the inhibition rate of 125 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 cells treated with human hepatoma cell line HepG2 cells in a conventional well plate and chip liver module for 48 h. The secretion of albumin by HepG2 cells in the chip was detected to verify the synthesis function of hepatic module. Caco-2 cell layer, HUVEC cell layer, HepG2 cell layer, MCF-7 cell layer and dialysis membrane were assembled on the chip, the culture medium containing 55 mg·L-1 propranolol was injected into the upper channel of the chip for 4 h, and then changed into the normal culture solution. The mass concentration of propranolol in the lower circulating culture medium at each time point within 72 h was determined, and the drug-time curve was drawn. The culture medium containing 125 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide, 5 μmol·L-1 paclitaxel, 50 μmol·L-1 capecitabine was injected into the circulating fluid in the upper layer of the chip, in order to study the inhibition rates of the three anti-tumor drugs on the MCF-7 cell layer on the chip within 72 h, and the results were compared with those of the 96-well plate. Result::The constructed chip performed well. The Caco-2 and HUVEC cell layers were tightly connected. The transmission of fluorescein sodium and propranolol between the cell layers demonstrated that the constructed intestinal module had good absorption and transport function. The inhibition rate of MCF-7 by 125 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide after metabolism of HepG2 cells on the well plate was 22.12%, and the inhibition rate of MCF-7 by the unmetabolized cyclophosphamide was 1.84%. The inhibition rate of MCF-7 increased to 32.13%after injected 125 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide from the upper layer of the chip liver module, and the inhibition rate of MCF-7 after injection from the lower layer of the chip liver module was 7.23%. The mass concentration of propranolol on the chip changed with time, which was basically consistent with that in vivo. The inhibition rate of MCF-7 on the plate with 125 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide was lower than that on the chip, and the inhibition rates of MCF-7 on the plate with 5 μmol·L-1 paclitaxel and 50 μmol·L-1 capecitabine were higher than those on the chip. Conclusion::The constructed multi-organ chip of intestine-liver-breast cancer has the absorption and transport function of the intestine and the metabolic function of the liver. The chip can reflect the pharmacokinetic properties of propranolol in vivo, and can be used for pharmacodynamic studies of paclitaxel and capecitabine.

Application of paper-based microfluidics in point-of-care testing / 生物工程学报

Point-of-care testing (POCT) is a test method performed on the sampling site or patient bedside. Accurate results can be achieved rapidly by the application of portable analytical instruments and compatible reagents. It has been widely used in the field of in vitro diagnosis (IVD). Paper-based microfluidics technology has great potential in developing POCT due to its advantages in low cost, simple operation, rapid detection, portable equipment, and unrestricted application conditions. In recent years, the development of paper-based microfluidic technology and its integration with various new technologies and methods have promoted the substantial development of POCT technology and methods. The classification and characteristic of the paper are summarized in this review. Paper-based microfluidic sample pretreatment methods, the flow control in the process of reaction and the signal detecting and analyzing methods for the testing results are introduced. The research progress of various kinds of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) toward POCT in recent years is reviewed. Finally, remaining problems and the future prospects in POCT application of paper-based microfluidics are discussed.

Development and application of a droplet-based microfluidic high-throughput screening of Pichia pastoris / 生物工程学报

Pichia pastoris is one of the most convenient and widely used heterologous protein expression systems. To further improve its ability to express heterologous proteins, we developed a high-throughput P. pastoris screening method based on droplet microfluidic and demonstrated the method by screening and obtaining mutants with enhanced xylanase expression and secretion abilities. We used PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) amplification to obtain a fusion fragment of xylanase xyn5 gene and green fluorescent protein gfp gene, and cloned this fragment into pPIC9K, the expression vector of Pichia pastoris, to construct the plasmid pPIC9K-xyn5-gfp that recombined the DNA fragments of xylanase and green fluorescent protein. After this plasmid entered P. pastoris GS115 by electroporation, the P. pastoris SG strain that could express xylanase and green fluorescent protein was obtained. The above-said strains were then mutagenized by atmospheric room temperature plasma and subsequently encapsulated to form single-cell droplets. After 24-hour cultivation of the droplets, microfluidic screening was carried out to obtain the mutant strain with high xylanase expression for further construction and screening of the next mutagenesis library. After five rounds of droplet microfluidic screening, a highly productive strain P. pastoris SG-m5 was obtained. The activity of the expressed xylanase was 149.17 U/mg, 300% higher than that of those expressed by the original strain SG. This strain's ability to secrete heterologous protein was 160% higher than that of the original strain. With a screening throughput of 100 000 strains per hour, the high-throughput P. pastoris screening system based on single-cell droplet microfluidic developed by the present study screens a library with million strains in only 10 hours and consumes only 100 μL of fluorescent reagent, thus reducing the reagent cost by millions of times compared with the traditional microplate screening and more importantly, providing a novel method to obtain P. pastoris with high abilities to express and secret heterologous proteins by efficient and low-cost screening.

Progress in Automated Urinalysis

New technological advances have paved the way for significant progress in automated urinalysis. Quantitative reading of urinary test strips using reflectometry has become possible, while complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology has enhanced analytical sensitivity and shown promise in microalbuminuria testing. Microscopy-based urine particle analysis has greatly progressed over the past decades, enabling high throughput in clinical laboratories. Urinary flow cytometry is an alternative for automated microscopy, and more thorough analysis of flow cytometric data has enabled rapid differentiation of urinary microorganisms. Integration of dilution parameters (e.g., creatinine, specific gravity, and conductivity) in urine test strip readers and urine particle flow cytometers enables correction for urinary dilution, which improves result interpretation. Automated urinalysis can be used for urinary tract screening and for diagnosing and monitoring a broad variety of nephrological and urological conditions; newer applications show promising results for early detection of urothelial cancer. Concomitantly, the introduction of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has enabled fast identification of urinary pathogens. Automation and workflow simplification have led to mechanical integration of test strip readers and particle analysis in urinalysis. As the information obtained by urinalysis is complex, the introduction of expert systems may further reduce analytical errors and improve the quality of sediment and test strip analysis. With the introduction of laboratory-on-a-chip approaches and the use of microfluidics, new affordable applications for quantitative urinalysis and readout on cell phones may become available. In this review, we present the main recent developments in automated urinalysis and future perspectives.

Application of microfluidic technology in detection of circulating tumor cells / 中华检验医学杂志

The early diagnosis of cancer is aimed at intervention, as far as possible in the early stage of the treatment of cancer, thereby reducing the suffering and economic burden of the patient. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that fall from the malignant tumor into the circulatory system and form cancer metastasis when they migrate to distant organs. The detection and identification of CTCs is important for the study, monitoring and intervention of cancer metastasis processes. However, the amount of CTCs in the blood is extremely rare, and the environment in the blood is complex, which poses a huge technical challenge for its screening and analysis. Various methods have been developed to enrich CTCs from blood samples of cancer patients. Among them, microfluidic technology has great advantages in the field of CTC detection.

Opportunities and challenges for nanopore-based clinical diagnostics / 中华检验医学杂志

The detection technology based on micro-nanofluidics has been developed fast with wide applications in biochemical analysis and clinical diagnostics because of its small sample volume requirement, rapid detection and portability. Recently, nanofluidics emerges for DNA sequencing and biomarker detection. With nanopore technology,whole genome sequence in 24 hours with a cost of lower than $1000 could be realized. However, improvement in the detection accuracy and repeatability are still desired for clinic diagnostics. Nanopore technology could be powerful tools for clinical diagnostics, providing new opportunities for laboratory medicine.

Smartphone-based microfluidic chips and their application in pathogen detection / 中华检验医学杂志

Miniaturized, integrated and automated microfluidic chips provided a new solution for clinical laboratory technology. However, microfluidic chips still require accessory devices to read, analyze and display results. The portable, widely-used and multi-functional smartphones have provided a simple, portable, cost-effective, and easy-to-use platform for microfluidic chips. The combination of the two technologies is expected to become the next-generation of diagnostic methods, especially the important research direction of point-of-care testing (POCT).