Rapid multiplexed detection of cytokines with microfluidic chip

We report an immunological method that integrates microfluidic chip and encoded beads to improve the accuracy and rapidity of molecules detection. The microfluidic chip for isolating individual beads in array can detect multiple cytokines simultaneously. The different kinds of encoded beads ware generated via two different polymers mixed at specific ratios. The surface of the beads was chemically modified to obtain sandwich-beads, making it capture specific cytokines. Two emission light were combined to excite encoded beads and anti-body simultaneously. Then we used CCD camera to take images. Finally, the images was analyzed by image processing algorithm to drew standard curves. We applied it to detect the concentration of IL-2, IL-10 and IL-6 cytokines in one sample simultaneously, and the results reach the level of pg/ml. The method used in this article for detecting the rare concentration of multi-cytokine raises the efficiency of immunology.