A novel way to analyze the functioning of the heart is by making use of miniature

microfluidic chips. Mehdi Nikkhah and his group from Arizona State University

designed and validated a new heart-on-a-chip platform (Kitsaraa et al. 2019). These

are small rectangular silicone-based pieces of the size of a soda can tab and have

specially designed channels where cells are deposited. These cells organize and

develop into tissues mimicking organs at a much smaller scale (Zhang and Radisic

2017; Sidorov et al. 2017; Marsano et al. 2016). These tissues respond in the same

manner as a human heart would to pharmaceuticals and diseases (Selimović et al.

2013). This facilitates researchers to closely detect the responses without the poten-

tial for harmD cardiac tissue modeling is shown in Fig. 16.28. The next section deals

with possible future applications of microfluidics and nanofluidics.

16.8

Future Possible Expansion of Microfluidics

and Nanofluidics

Few possible applications in the field of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics in near

future have been listed below:

1. Accelerated progress in sophisticated and innovative technologies can be very

helpful in designing and manufacturing of microfluidic and nanofluidic systems

which could also promote their commercialization.

2. The first commercial 3D fluidics printer has been launched which could be

advantageously used for fluidically sealed devices (Shahzadi et al. 2021;

Esfandyarpour et al. 2017) such as valves, chips, connectors, fluid manifolds,

and other medical devices.

3. Recently, a manufacturer, Fluigent, has developed the MFCS™series of

microfluidic systems built on its patented FASTAB™technology which

Fig. 16.28 Microfluidic chip

for 3D cardiac tissue

modeling: schematic of the

microfluidic chip with inset of

US penny for scaling

(Veldhuizen et al. 2020)

300

K. Tankeshwar and S. Srivastava