Abstract
Cells communicate by means of "messengers" known as extracellular vesicles, i.e. small (30‐1000 nm) cell derived
vesicles released from almost all eukaryotic cells into their extracellular environment and containing a variety of
proteins and RNAs [1]. It has been foreseen that the next generation of biomarkers for disease diagnostics and
prognostics may strongly depend on the vesicles being efficiently isolated, quantified and analyzed by e.g. reliable,
high‐throughput and possibly easy‐to‐operate microfluidic devices.
The results reported here extend the previously reported work by Chen et al. [2]: (i) the fabrication approach is
based on silicon as a micromolding master, which offers better dimensional control and durability than SU‐8
masters, (ii) a staggered herringbone micromixer [3] is introduced in three different channel configurations , (iii) the
device assembly allows straightforward integration of a large variety of surface chemistries by introducing prefunctionalized
glass slides; (iv) individual functionalization of the glass slide and the PDMS replica prior to assembly
permits combination of two differently biofunctionalized surfaces within the same fluidic device; (v) isolated
extracellular vesicles can be accessed directly for a variety of post‐analyses by opening the device assembly.
vesicles released from almost all eukaryotic cells into their extracellular environment and containing a variety of
proteins and RNAs [1]. It has been foreseen that the next generation of biomarkers for disease diagnostics and
prognostics may strongly depend on the vesicles being efficiently isolated, quantified and analyzed by e.g. reliable,
high‐throughput and possibly easy‐to‐operate microfluidic devices.
The results reported here extend the previously reported work by Chen et al. [2]: (i) the fabrication approach is
based on silicon as a micromolding master, which offers better dimensional control and durability than SU‐8
masters, (ii) a staggered herringbone micromixer [3] is introduced in three different channel configurations , (iii) the
device assembly allows straightforward integration of a large variety of surface chemistries by introducing prefunctionalized
glass slides; (iv) individual functionalization of the glass slide and the PDMS replica prior to assembly
permits combination of two differently biofunctionalized surfaces within the same fluidic device; (v) isolated
extracellular vesicles can be accessed directly for a variety of post‐analyses by opening the device assembly.