Microbiochemical systems for enzymatic reactions

Summary form only given. This paper discusses microfabricated structures for biochemical studies. We have built microreactors using conventional microelectromechanical systems techniques: silicon anisotropic etching and glass-silicon anodic bonding. In the microreactors, luciferin-luciferase reaction was conducted as an example of enzymatic reactions. Firefly luciferase catalyzes oxidation of luciferin. Luminescence induced by this reaction was photographed on a extra-high speed film. Diffusion-based mixing in the microreactors was clearly visualized. Such information would be helpful for developing more complicated microbiochemical systems, and can be detected easily because of its luminescence.