Within the complex milieu of a cell, which comprises a large number of different biomolecules, interactions are critical for function. In this post-reductionist era of biochemical research, the 'holy grail' for studying biomolecular interactions is to be able to characterize them in native environments. While there are a limited number of in situ experimental techniques currently available, there is a continuing need to develop new methods for the analysis of biomolecular complexes that can cope with the additional complexities introduced by native-like solutions. We think approaches that use microfluidics allow researchers to access native-like environments for studying biological problems. This review begins with a brief overview of the importance of studying biomolecular interactions and currently available methods for doing so. Basic principles of diffusion and microfluidics are introduced and this is followed by a review of previous studies that have used microfluidics to measure molecular diffusion and a discussion of the advantages and challenges of this technique.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9801160PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00249-022-01626-9DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

advantages challenges
8
studying biomolecular
8
biomolecular interactions
8
utility microfluidic
4
microfluidic systems
4
systems study
4
study protein
4
interactions
4
protein interactions
4
interactions advantages
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!