Aroche Angélica F, Nissan Hannah E, Daniele Michael A
Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 911 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, 890 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
Adv Healthc Mater. 2025 Jan;14(1):e2401782. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202401782. Epub 2024 Nov 19.
Hydrogel-forming microneedles are constructed from or coated with polymeric, hydrophilic materials that swell upon insertion into the skin. Designed to dissolve or disintegrate postinsertion, these microneedles can deliver drugs, vaccines, or other therapeutics. Recent advancements have broadened their application scope to include the collection, transport, and extraction of dermal interstitial fluid (ISF) for medical diagnostics. This review presents a brief introduction to the characteristics of dermal ISF, methods for extraction and sampling, and critical assessment of the state-of-the-art in hydrogel-forming microneedles for ISF diagnostics. Key factors are evaluated including material composition, swelling behavior, biocompatibility, and mechanical strength necessary for effective microneedle performance and ISF collection. The review also discusses successful examples of dermal ISF assays and microneedle sensor integrations, highlighting notable achievements, identifying research opportunities, and addressing challenges with potential solutions. Despite the predominance of synthetic hydrogels in reported hydrogel-forming microneedle technologies due to their favorable swelling and gelation properties, there is a significant variety of biopolymers and composites reported in the literature. The field lacks consensus on the optimal material, composition, or fabrication methods, though emerging evidence suggests that processing and fabrication techniques are critical to the performance and utility of hydrogel-forming microneedles for ISF diagnostics.
形成水凝胶的微针由聚合物亲水材料构成或涂覆有这种材料，这些材料在插入皮肤后会膨胀。这些微针设计成在插入后溶解或崩解，能够递送药物、疫苗或其他治疗剂。最近的进展扩大了它们的应用范围，包括用于医学诊断的真皮间质液（ISF）的收集、运输和提取。本文综述简要介绍了真皮ISF的特性、提取和采样方法，以及对用于ISF诊断的形成水凝胶微针的最新技术水平的批判性评估。评估了关键因素，包括有效微针性能和ISF收集所需的材料组成、膨胀行为、生物相容性和机械强度。综述还讨论了真皮ISF检测和微针传感器集成的成功实例，突出了显著成就，确定了研究机会，并提出了潜在解决方案来应对挑战。尽管由于其良好的膨胀和凝胶化特性，合成水凝胶在已报道的形成水凝胶微针技术中占主导地位，但文献中也报道了大量的生物聚合物和复合材料。该领域在最佳材料、组成或制造方法上缺乏共识，不过新出现的证据表明，加工和制造技术对于用于ISF诊断的形成水凝胶微针的性能和实用性至关重要。
