Biology subjects

Benito-Lopez, F.

Publications and source records attributed to Benito-Lopez, F..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

CellStudio: a Modular, Tunable and Accessible Platform for Analysis of Growth Factors Secretions in Cell Cultures

Traditional cell culture methods face significant limitations in monitoring cell secretions with spatial and temporal precision. Advanced microsystems incorporating biosensors have been developed to address these challenges, but they tend to lack versatility, and their complexity, along with the requirement for specialized equipment, limits their broader adoption. CellStudio offers an innovative, user-friendly solution that exploits the Printing and Vacuum Lithography combined with bead-based assays to create modular and tunable cell patterns surrounded by biosensors. This platform allows for high-resolution, spatially resolved analysis of secreted proteins, such as VEGF and FGF-2, while being easily implementable in standard laboratory settings. CellStudios design is compatible with conventional laboratory equipment, facilitating its integration into existing workflows without the need for extensive training or specialized tools. Validation experiments using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and HeLa cells demonstrated that CellStudio can detect small secretion levels from small cell clusters with high sensitivity as well as analyze diffusion profiles, remarking the possibilities for studying cell behavior. By offering a standardized, cost-effective approach to detailed cellular analysis, CellStudio significantly enhances the capabilities of traditional cell culture techniques, with broad applications across biological and biomedical research.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Spatial and temporal detection of root exudates with a paper-based microfluidic device

Root exudates control critical processes in the rhizosphere, retaining water, selecting for beneficial microorganisms or solubilising nutrients prior to uptake by the plant. Analysing root exudation patterns however is challenging because existing methods are often destructive and unable to resolve spatial and temporal variations in the production of root exudates. Here, we present a paper-based microfluidic device with integrated colorimetric sensors for the continuous extraction of root exudates along plant roots. The microfluidic device used standard filter paper wax printer to create channels for water to carry the exudates towards the sensors. TiO2 nanotubes/alginate hydrogel-based sensors were used to analyse the glucose content of the root exudates of living plants. The study shows that the paper microfluidic substrate successfully extracts the released glucose from the root, and transfers it to the hydrogel-based sensor to be calorimetrically detected from independent sections of the root at different times, up to 7 days. The method was tested on two different wheat varieties Triticum aestivum (rgt Tocayo and Filon varieties), where significant differences in exudation patterns were recorded. The researchdemonstrates the feasibility of low cost technological solution for high precision screening and diagnostic of the biochemical composition of root exudates.

plant biology↗