Integrated circuits transformed our lives, and the potential for integrating biology with devices promises even greater transformations. A key question is how to effectively interface biological and microfabricated systems. Our approach is to “biofabricate” the biology-device interface using biological materials and mechanisms. Here, we review recent progress on three biofabrication approaches: the use of stimuli-responsive materials to recognize device-imposed electrical inputs to direct the assembly (i.e., to electrodeposit) of hydrogels; the use of enzymes to build structure by conjugating and crosslinking macromolecules; and the use of genetic techniques to engineer proteins for assembly. We further illustrate how these biofabrication approaches enable the biofunctionalization of previously fabricated microfluidic devices and suggest the potential for lab-on-chip analysis and the creation of experimental devices to study complex biological systems. We anticipate that the complementarity between biological and technological fabrication paradigms will provide broad opportunities to build structures that couple the power of electronics to the versatility of biology.
Integrated circuits transformed our lives, and the potential for integrating biology with devices promises even greater transformations. A key question is how to effectively interface biological and microfabricated systems. Our approach is to “biofabricate” the biology-device interface using biological materials and mechanisms. Here, we review recent progress on three biofabrication approaches: the use of stimuli-responsive materials to recognize device-imposed electrical inputs to direct the assembly (i.e., to electrodeposit) of hydrogels; the use of enzymes to build structure by conjugating and crosslinking macromolecules; and the use of genetic techniques to engineer proteins for assembly. We further illustrate how these biofabrication approaches enable the biofunctionalization of previously fabricated microfluidic devices and suggest the potential for lab-on-chip analysis and the creation of experimental devices to study complex biological systems. We anticipate that the complementarity between biological and technological fabrication paradigms will provide broad opportunities to build structures that couple the power of electronics to the versatility of biology.
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