Isotachophoresis of proteins in a networked microfluidic chip: experiment and 2-D simulation.
This paper reports both the experimental application and 2-D simulation of ITP of proteins in a networked microfluidic chip. Experiments demonstrate that a mixture of three fluorescent proteins can be concentrated and stacked into adjacent zones of pure protein under a constant voltage of 100 V over a 2 cm long microchannel. Measurements of the isotachophoretic velocity of the moving zones demonstrates that, during ITP under a constant voltage, the zone velocity decreases as more of the channel is occupied by the terminating electrolyte. A 2-D ITP model based on the Nernst-Planck equations illustrates the stacking and separation features of ITP using simulations of three virtual proteins. The self-sharpening behavior of ITP zones dispersed by a T-junction is clearly demonstrated both by experiment and by simulation. Comparison of 2-D simulations of ITP and zone electrophoresis (ZE) confirms that ZE lacks the ability to resharpen protein zones after they pass through a T-junction.
Cui
Huanchun
H
School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2710, USA.
Dutta
Prashanta
P
Ivory
Cornelius F
CF
D003198:Computer Simulation; D046209:Electrophoresis, Microchip / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D044085:Microfluidics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010798:Phycocyanin / Q000032:analysis*; D010799:Phycoerythrin / Q000032:analysis*
C002497:allophycocyanin; D010798:Phycocyanin; D010799:Phycoerythrin; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins