Microchip imaging cytometer: making healthcare available, accessible, and affordable

The Microchip Imaging Cytometer (MIC) is a class of integrated point-of-care detection systems based on the combina-tion of optical microscopy and flow cytometry. MIC devices have the attributes of portability, cost-effectiveness, and ad-aptability while providing quantitative measurements to meet the needs of laboratory testing in a variety of healthcare set-tings. Based on the use of microfluidic chips, MIC requires less sample and can complete sample preparation automatic-ally. Therefore, they can provide quantitative testing results simply using a finger prick specimen. The decreased re-agent consumption and reduced form factor also help improve the accessibility and affordability of healthcare services in remote and resource-limited settings. In this article, we review recent developments of the Microchip Imaging Cytometer from the following aspects: clinical applications, microfluidic chip integration, imaging optics, and image acquisition. Fol-lowing, we provide an outlook of the field and remark on promising technologies that may enable significant progress in the near future.