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REVIEW article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomaterials
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1507972
This article is part of the Research Topic Understanding and Improving Hemostatic Resuscitation Through the Lens of a Bioengineer: Why Surfaces and Materials Matter View all 6 articles

Advancing Microfluidic Point-of-Care Platelet Function Tests: Opportunities and Challenges from Bench to Market

Provisionally accepted
Minki Kang Minki Kang Christopher A. Bresette Christopher A. Bresette David Nelson Ku David Nelson Ku *
  • George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Platelets are critical for blood clotting, with shear-induced platelet aggregation (SIPA) playing a key role in hemostasis and the prevention of excessive bleeding. SIPA function potentially leads to lifethreatening diseases such as hemorrhage and myocardial infarction, which are leading causes of death globally. Point-of-care platelet function tests (POC PFTs) are developed to assess platelet dysfunction and distinguish between normal and abnormal platelet activity. Recent advances in microfluidic technology have been integrated into POC PFTs, showing promise for delivering more accurate, rapid, and differentiated results using minimal blood sample volumes, enabling more informed treatment decisions. However, current POC PFTs fall short of replicating high-shear thrombotic conditions in vitro, resulting in limited clinical SIPA diagnosis and actionable insights. In this review, we explore the current landscape of POC PFT technology, key challenges, and future opportunities. We highlight the importance of device design and scalable manufacturing to fully realize the potential of microfluidic POC PFTs and facilitate their widespread adoption in clinical practice, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

    Keywords: Platelet function testing, microfluidic, point of care, Shear-induced platelet aggregation, diagnostics

    Received: 08 Oct 2024; Accepted: 02 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Kang, Bresette and Ku. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: David Nelson Ku, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30313, Georgia, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.