J Appl Biomed 10:137-153, 2012 | DOI: 10.2478/v10136-012-0011-1

Application of microreactors in medicine and biomedicine

Anita Šalić¹, Ana Tušek², Bruno Zelić^1,*

¹ University of Zagreb, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Zagreb, Croatia

² University of Zagreb, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Zagreb, Croatia

Microreactor technology is an interdisciplinary field that combines science and engineering. This new concept in production, analysis and research is finding increasing application in many different fields. Benefits of this new technology pose a vital influence on chemical industry, biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry and medicine, life science, clinical and environmental diagnostic. In the last few years, together with microplant development, a great part of research investigation is focused on integrated micro-systems, the so called micro-total-analysis-systems (μ-TAS) or lab-on-chip (LOC). They are devices that perform sampling, sample preparation, detection and date processing in integrated model. Cell sorting, cell lysis, single cell analysis and non-destructive single cell experiments on just one microreactor, makes the LOC platform possible. Clinical diagnostic devices are also leaning towards completely integrated, multiple sophisticated biochemical analyses (PCR amplification, cell lysis, separation and detection) all on a single platform and in real time. Special attention is also paid to the usage of microdevices in tissue. Tissue engineering is one of the most promising fields that can lead to in vitro tissue and organ reconstruction ready for implantation and microdevices can be used to promote the migration, proliferation and the differentiation of cells in controlled situations.

Keywords: microreactors; microfluidics; medicine; biomedicine; micro-total-analysis-system; lab-on-chip

Received: October 17, 2011; Revised: January 3, 2012; Published: July 31, 2012  Show citation