Advances in microneedles for transdermal diagnostics and sensing applications

• DOI: 10.1007/s00604-024-06458-2
• Publication Date: 2024-06-19T19:02:32Z
• Authors: Lei Wang; Yingli Wang; Xiao Wu; Peipei Wang; Xiliang Luo; Shaoping Lv
• Keywords: Wearable Electronic Devices; Microinjections; Needles; Point-of-Care Systems; Humans; Animals; Biosensing Techniques; Skin

Microneedles, the miniaturized needles, which can pierce the skin with minimal invasiveness open up new possibilities for constructing personalized Point-of-Care (POC) diagnostic platforms. Recent advances in microneedle-based POC diagnostic systems, especially their successful implementation with wearable technologies, enable biochemical detection and physiological recordings in a user-friendly manner. This review presents an overview of the current advances in microneedle-based sensor devices, with emphasis on the biological basis of transdermal sensing, fabrication, and application of different types of microneedles, and a summary of microneedle devices based on various sensing strategies. It concludes with the challenges and future prospects of this swiftly growing field. The aim is to present a critical and thorough analysis of the state-of-the-art development of transdermal diagnostics and sensing devices based on microneedles, and to bridge the gap between microneedle technology and pragmatic applications.