Key Takeaways:
– Electrophoresis, a process involving electric fields, enables the rapid detection of different pathogens.
– Biomedical engineering researchers are developing pocket-sized versions of electrophoretic devices.
– Microfluidic electrophoresis could replace traditional analysis methods, offering quicker results, easier use, and lower costs.
– Potential applications include testing antibiotic efficiency and purifying bacteria-fighting viruses.
– With more improvements, the power of electric fields and microfluidics can speed up the detection and fight against pathogens.
Electricity is no stranger to our everyday lives. From powering household items to running our mobile devices – electricity has become indispensable. But its application does not end with charging gadgets! Let’s delve into the fascinating world of electrophoresis that harnesses electricity to analyze life molecules like proteins and DNA.
The Power of Electrophoresis
Ever since the early explorations of electricity in the 1600s by pioneers like Benjamin Franklin, our understanding has immensely broadened. Now, electricity plays a pivotal role in biology, providing major breakthroughs, one of which is Electrophoresis.
So, what exactly is electrophoresis? Tracked back to the 19th century, it was discovered when scientists applied electric voltage to clay particles. They observed how particles migrated through a layer of sand, effectively separating them based on their electrical charge. As simple as it sounds, understanding electrophoresis requires a fundamental knowledge of electric fields.
Electric fields, invisible forces that charged particles exert on each other. Remember the old saying “opposites attract”? It totally applies here. Our target, molecules like proteins and DNA, also carry charges. This is where electrophoresis comes into play.
In an electrophoresis setup, an electric field is established between two electrodes connected to a power supply. With a positive charge on one side and a negative on the other, a force field is created whizzing the charged molecules towards the oppositely charged electrode, in a process known as electrophoretic migration.
Electrophoresis as a Rapid Pathogen Detector
Why are scientists so smitten by electrophoresis? It’s quick, versatile, and applicable across various materials, making it a cornerstone for numerous research and clinical laboratories.
One key realization was when physicist Stanislav Dukhin and his team identified a specific electrophoretic migration, named nonlinear electrophoresis in 1972. This allowed particles to be differentiated not only based on their charge, but also their size and shape.
Fast forward to the current era, the advent of microfluidics allowed laboratories to shrink in size, fitting in your hand. Termed as microfluidic electrophoresis, they are mini labs that detect pathogens at a much higher speed. Microfluidics has made this process smarter and quicker because the particles don’t have to travel far within the device, ensuring easy detection while reducing the chances of loss.
Electrophoresis in the Fight Against Disease
The realization that microfluidic electrophoresis could identify intact pathogens by their distinct electrical charge was a game-changer. It enabled practitioners to distinguish between different bacteria within a twenty-minute timespan.
Moreover, these microdevices have greatly improved the speed and effectiveness of testing antibiotic efficiency. They can help determine if a pathogen is dead post-treatment, assisting doctors in prescribing the most suitable drug for their patients.
Apart from being used as testing tools, microelectrophoresis systems are also being developed for the purification of bacteriophage viruses, which are responsible for treating bacterial infections.
In conclusion, with more advancements and improvements, electrophoresis, particularly microfluidic electrophoresis, can serve as an instrumental tool in our fight against pathogenic diseases.