Microfluidic Biochips for Single‐Cell Isolation and Single‐Cell Analysis of Multiomics and Exosomes

Abstract Single‐cell multiomic and exosome analyses are potent tools in various fields, such as cancer research, immunology, neuroscience, microbiology, and drug development. They facilitate the in‐depth exploration of biological systems, providing insights into disease mechanisms and aiding in treatment. Single‐cell isolation, which is crucial for single‐cell analysis, ensures reliable cell isolation and quality control for further downstream analyses. Microfluidic chips are small lightweight systems that facilitate efficient and high‐throughput single‐cell isolation and real‐time single‐cell analysis on‐ or off‐chip. Therefore, most current single‐cell isolation and analysis technologies are based on the single‐cell microfluidic technology. This review offers comprehensive guidance to researchers across different fields on the selection of appropriate microfluidic chip technologies for single‐cell isolation and analysis. This review describes the design principles, separation mechanisms, chip characteristics, and cellular effects of various microfluidic chips available for single‐cell isolation. Moreover, this review highlights the implications of using this technology for subsequent analyses, including single‐cell multiomic and exosome analyses. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects of microfluidic chip technology are outlined for multiplex single‐cell isolation and multiomic and exosome analyses.