# Protein Manipulation via Dielectrophoresis: Theoretical Principles and Emerging Microfluidic Platforms

## TL;DR

This review explores the use of dielectrophoresis for protein manipulation in microfluidic systems, highlighting challenges and theoretical considerations.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of DEP principles and challenges specific to protein manipulation at micro- to nano-scales.

## Key findings

- Protein manipulation via DEP is hindered by their small size, complex morphology, and sensitivity to environmental factors.
- Microfluidic platforms must account for electrohydrodynamic effects, electrolysis, and joule heating in protein DEP studies.
- A critical review of protein bioparticles investigated using DEP is presented, along with medium and platform considerations.

## Abstract

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been widely employed in microfluidic platforms for particle or cell manipulation in biomedical science applications due to its accurate, fast, label-free, and low-cost diagnostic technique. However, the application of the DEP technique towards protein manipulation has yet to be extensively explored due to the challenges of the complexity of protein itself, such as its complex morphologies, extremely minuscule particle size, inherent electrical properties, and temperature sensitivity, which make it relatively more challenging. Furthermore, given that protein DEP investigation requires entering the micro- to nano-scale level of DEP configuration, various challenging factors such as electrohydrodynamic effects, electrolysis, joule heating, and electrothermal force that emerge will make it more difficult in realizing protein DEP investigation. This review study has discussed the fundamental theory of DEP and considerations toward protein DEP manipulation. In particular, it focused on the DEP theoretical principle towards protein, protein DEP application challenges, microfluidic platform considerations, medium considerations, and a critically reviewed list of protein bioparticles that have been investigated were all highlighted.