title: An off-the-shelf integrated microfluidic device comprising self-assembled monolayers for protein array experiments.
abstract: Microfluidic-based protein arrays are promising tools for life sciences, with increased sensitivity and specificity. One of the drawbacks of this technology is the need to create fresh surface chemistry for protein immobilization at the beginning of each experiment. In this work, we attempted to include the process of surface functionalization as part of the fabrication of the device, which would substitute the time consuming step of surface functionalization at the beginning of each protein array experiment. To this end, we employed a novel surface modification using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to immobilize biomolecules within the channels of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) integrated microfluidic device. As a model, we present a general method for depositing siloxane-anchored SAMs, with 1-undecyl-thioacetate-trichlorosilane (C11TA) on the silica surfaces. The process involved developing PDMS-compatible conditions for both SAM deposition and functional group activation. We successfully demonstrated the ability to produce, within an integrated microfluidic channel, a C11TA monolayer with a covalently conjugated antibody. The antibody could then bind its antigen with a high signal to background ratio. We further demonstrated that the antibody was still active after storage of the device for a week. Integration of the surface chemistry into the device as part of its fabrication process has potential to significantly simplify and shorten many experimental procedures involving microfluidic-based protein arrays. In turn, this will allow for broader dissemination of this important technology.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors.forename: Mirit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hen
authors.affiliation: Mina and Everard Goodman Life Science Faculty and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ronen
authors.affiliation: Mina and Everard Goodman Life Science Faculty and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deitch
authors.affiliation: Mina and Everard Goodman Life Science Faculty and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors.forename: Efrat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barbiro-Michaely
authors.affiliation: Israel Institute for Biological Research , P.O. Box 19, Nes Tziona 7410001, Israel.
authors.forename: Ziv
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Oren
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors.forename: Chaim N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Sukenik
authors.affiliation: Mina and Everard Goodman Life Science Faculty and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gerber