Analysis of Red Blood Cell Samples using a Handheld Shear-horizontal Surface Acoustic Wave Biosensor
Journal Title: International Journal of Biomedical and Clinical Analysis - Year 2023, Vol 3, Issue 1
Abstract
Human red blood cells (RBCs) are highly studied by researchers and clinicians alike because RBCs play an essential role in medical diagnostics. RBCs are the most abundant component of whole blood. The accurate analysis of blood samples for blood cells is crucial to help diagnose and management of several life-threatening diseases. Current techniques for analyzing blood cell counts are time-consuming and expensive, requiring a highly trained technician. Implementing a portable, label-free method enables analysis at small clinics and remote locations with reduced times of analysis and cost. The development of miniature, handheld shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) biosensors capable of accurately counting RBCs in liquid samples will improve medical diagnostics in resource-limited regions of the United States and parts of the world where access to centralized clinical laboratories is limited. A shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave is a horizontally polarized surface acoustic wave that is produced by a transducer that is fabricated onto a piezoelectric substrate such as lithium tantalate, lithium niobite, or quartz. We report a lithium tantalate SH-SAW biosensor and method for monitoring the RBC level (hematocrit level) from a whole blood sample using a shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave (SH-SAW) biosensor that uses a 500-picoliter sample well. Samples were introduced by directly pipetting whole blood onto the sample reservoir and washing away any excess material. The SH-SAW biosensor uses an immunoassay, where the antibody anti-glycophorin A is coated on the surface of the active area of the sensor. The sample is compared to a reference sample. Using Microsoft Excel statistical tools, we showed that the results demonstrate the concentration dependence of the samples with an average coefficient of variance (CV) within a sample group was 10% or less for all samples analyzed. Our successful demonstration offers proof of concept for handheld blood cell monitors for remote and resource-limited applications. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of an SH-SAW device being used for monitoring red blood cell counts.
Authors and Affiliations
Marlon Thomas
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP724384
- DOI https://doi.org/10.61797/ijbca.v3i1.203
- Views 120
- Downloads 0
COVID-19 and Neurological Complications
Coronavirus (covid-19) infection is an acute respiratory syndrome disease that started in 2019 and spread rapidly by undergoing continuous mutation. Thanks to this infection disease, which continues to show its effect al...
Neurological Complication Caused by Zika Virus: Guillain-Barré Syndrome
The Zika virus was given this name because it was first isolated in the Zika forests in Uganda. The Zika virus is a type of virus with the Flavivirus genome belonging to the family Falanridae. This virus has an icosohedr...
Modern Educational Technologies in Medical Education: A Dream that is a Reality
There is an increasing demand for accountability in higher education and, at the same time, an increasing focus on improved teaching and learning (1). Meanwhile, human society has entered the era of information explosion...
Chitosan: A Review of its’ Antimicrobial and Biological Properties and Use in Wound Care
Chitin is the second most abundant natural polymer on the planet and chitosan is a deacetylated derivative of chitin. Chitosan has a number of natural biological properties including broad spectrum antimicrobial activity...
Difficulties Faced by II MBBS Students While Learning Microbiology
MBBS students enter the medical field with high ambitions and lot of dreams. They start learning new subjects. In IInd year MBBS, they have Microbiology as a subject in their curriculum. The subject Microbiology deals wi...