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1.
We developed a microfluidic device to culture cellular spheroids of controlled sizes and suitable for live cell imaging by selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM). We cocultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) within the spheroids formed by hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and studied the distributions of the HUVECs over time. We observed that the migration of HUVECs depended on the size of spheroids. In the spheroids of ∼200 μm diameters, HUVECs migrated outwards to the edges within 48 h; while in the spheroids of ∼250 μm diameters, there was no outward migration of the HUVECs up to 72 h. In addition, we studied the effects of pro-angiogenic factors, namely, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (β-FGF), on the migration of HUVECs in the carcinoma cell spheroid. The outward migration of HUVECs in 200 μm spheroids was hindered by the treatment with VEGF and β-FGF. Moreover, some of the HUVECs formed hollow lumen within 72 h under VEGF and β-FGF treatment. The combination of SPIM and microfluidic devices gives high resolution in both spatial and temporal domains. The observation of HUVECs in spheroids provides us insight on tumor vascularization, an ideal disease model for drug screening and fundamental studies.  相似文献   

2.
We report a 3D microfluidic device with 32 detection channels and 64 sheath flow channels and embedded microball lens array for high throughput multicolor fluorescence detection. A throughput of 358 400 cells/s has been accomplished. This device is realized by utilizing solid immersion micro ball lens arrays for high sensitivity and parallel fluorescence detection. High refractive index micro ball lenses (n = 2.1) are embedded underneath PDMS channels close to cell detection zones in channels. This design permits patterning high N.A. micro ball lenses in a compact fashion for parallel fluorescence detection on a small footprint device. This device also utilizes 3D microfluidic fabrication to address fluid routing issues in two-dimensional parallel sheath focusing and allows simultaneous pumping of 32 sample channels and 64 sheath flow channels with only two inlets.  相似文献   

3.
Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) is a microfluidic size-based particle separation or filter technology with applications in cell separation and enrichment. Currently, there are no cost-effective manufacturing methods for this promising microfluidic technology. In this fabrication paper, however, we develop a simple, yet robust protocol for thermoplastic DLD devices using regulatory-approved materials and biocompatible methods. The final standalone device allowed for volumetric flow rates of 660 μl min−1 while reducing the manufacturing time to <1 h. Optical profilometry and image analysis were employed to assess manufacturing accuracy and precision; the average replicated post height was 0.48% less than the average post height on the master mold and the average replicated array pitch was 1.1% less than the original design with replicated posts heights of 62.1 ± 5.1 μm (mean ± 6 standard deviations) and replicated array pitches of 35.6 ± 0.31 μm.  相似文献   

4.
Single cell trapping increasingly serves as a key manipulation technique in single cell analysis for many cutting-edge cell studies. Due to their inherent advantages, microfluidic devices have been widely used to enable single cell immobilization. To further improve the single cell trapping efficiency, this paper reports on a passive hydrodynamic microfluidic device based on the “least flow resistance path” principle with geometry optimized in line with corresponding cell types. Different from serpentine structure, the core trapping structure of the micro-device consists of a series of concatenated T and inverse T junction pairs which function as bypassing channels and trapping constrictions. This new device enhances the single cell trapping efficiency from three aspects: (1) there is no need to deploy very long or complicated channels to adjust flow resistance, thus saving space for each trapping unit; (2) the trapping works in a “deterministic” manner, thus saving a great deal of cell samples; and (3) the compact configuration allows shorter flowing path of cells in multiple channels, thus increasing the speed and throughput of cell trapping. The mathematical model of the design was proposed and optimization of associated key geometric parameters was conducted based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. As a proof demonstration, two types of PDMS microfluidic devices were fabricated to trap HeLa and HEK-293T cells with relatively significant differences in cell sizes. Experimental results showed 100% cell trapping and 90% single cell trapping over 4 × 100 trap sites for these two cell types, respectively. The space saving is estimated to be 2-fold and the cell trapping speed enhancement to be 3-fold compared to previously reported devices. This device can be used for trapping various types of cells and expanded to trap cells in the order of tens of thousands on 1-cm2 scale area, as a promising tool to pattern large-scale single cells on specific substrates and facilitate on-chip cellular assay at the single cell level.  相似文献   

5.
We developed a novel strategy for fabrication of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) by selective wet etching of hydrophobic filter paper using a paper mask having a specific design. The fabrication process consists of two steps. First, the hydrophilic filter paper was patterned hydrophobic by using trimethoxyoctadecylsilane (TMOS) solution as the patterning agent. Next, a paper mask penetrated with NaOH solution (containing 30% glycerol) was aligned onto the hydrophobic filter paper, allowing the etching of the silanized filter paper by the etching reagent. The masked region turned highly hydrophilic whereas the unmasked region remains highly hydrophobic. Thus, hydrophilic channels, reservoirs, and detection zones were generated and delimited by the hydrophobic barriers. The effects of some factors including TMOS concentration, etching temperature, etching time, and NaOH concentration on fabrication of μPAD were studied. Being free of any expensive equipment, metal mask and expensive reagents, this rapid, simple, and cost-effective method could be used to fabricate μPAD by untrained personnel with minimum cost. A flower-shaped μPAD fabricated by this presented method was applied to the glucose assay in artificial urine samples with good performance, indicating its feasibility as a quantitative analysis device. We believe that this method would be very attractive to the development of simple microfluidic devices for point-of-care applications in clinical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental protection.  相似文献   

6.
Blood cell sorting is critical to sample preparation for both clinical diagnosis and therapeutic research. The spiral inertial microfluidic devices can achieve label-free, continuous separation of cell mixtures with high throughput and efficiency. The devices utilize hydrodynamic forces acting on cells within laminar flow, coupled with rotational Dean drag due to curvilinear microchannel geometry. Here, we report on optimized Archimedean spiral devices to achieve cell separation in less than 8 cm of downstream focusing length. These improved devices are small in size (<1 in.2), exhibit high separation efficiency (∼95%), and high throughput with rates up to 1 × 106 cells per minute. These device concepts offer a path towards possible development of a lab-on-chip for point-of-care blood analysis with high efficiency, low cost, and reduced analysis time.  相似文献   

7.
Microfluidic technology provides precise, controlled-environment, cost-effective, compact, integrated, and high-throughput microsystems that are promising substitutes for conventional biological laboratory methods. In recent years, microfluidic cell culture devices have been used for applications such as tissue engineering, diagnostics, drug screening, immunology, cancer studies, stem cell proliferation and differentiation, and neurite guidance. Microfluidic technology allows dynamic cell culture in microperfusion systems to deliver continuous nutrient supplies for long term cell culture. It offers many opportunities to mimic the cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions of tissues by creating gradient concentrations of biochemical signals such as growth factors, chemokines, and hormones. Other applications of cell cultivation in microfluidic systems include high resolution cell patterning on a modified substrate with adhesive patterns and the reconstruction of complicated tissue architectures. In this review, recent advances in microfluidic platforms for cell culturing and proliferation, for both simple monolayer (2D) cell seeding processes and 3D configurations as accurate models of in vivo conditions, are examined.  相似文献   

8.
Diffusion of autocrine and paracrine signaling molecules allows cells to communicate in the absence of physical contact. This chemical-based, long-range communication serves crucial roles in tissue function, activation of the immune system, and other physiological functions. Despite its importance, few in vitro methods to study cell-cell signaling through paracrine factors are available today. Here, we report the design and validation of a microfluidic platform that enables (i) soluble molecule-cell and/or (ii) cell-cell paracrine signaling. In the microfluidic platform, multiple cell populations can be introduced into parallel channels. The channels are separated by arrays of posts allowing diffusion of paracrine molecules between cell populations. A computational analysis was performed to aid design of the microfluidic platform. Specifically, it revealed that channel spacing affects both spatial and temporal distribution of signaling molecules, while the initial concentration of the signaling molecule mainly affects the concentration of the signaling molecules excreted by the cells. To validate the microfluidic platform, a model system composed of the signaling molecule lipopolysaccharide, mouse macrophages, and engineered human embryonic kidney cells was introduced into the platform. Upon diffusion from the first channel to the second channel, lipopolysaccharide activates the macrophages which begin to produce TNF-α. The TNF-α diffuses from the second channel to the third channel to stimulate the kidney cells, which express green fluorescent protein (GFP) in response. By increasing the initial lipopolysaccharide concentration an increase in fluorescent response was recorded, demonstrating the ability to quantify intercellular communication between 3D cellular constructs using the microfluidic platform reported here. Overall, these studies provide a detailed analysis on how concentration of the initial signaling molecules, spatiotemporal dynamics, and inter-channel spacing affect intercellular communication.  相似文献   

9.
The role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in disease diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring of the therapeutic efficacy, and clinical decision making is immense and has attracted tremendous focus in the last decade. We designed and fabricated simple, flat channel microfluidic devices polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS based) functionalized with locked nucleic acid (LNA) modified aptamers (targeting epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and nucleolin expression) for quick and efficient capture of CTCs and cancer cells. With optimized flow rates (10 μl/min), it was revealed that the aptamer modified devices offered reusability for up to six times while retaining optimal capture efficiency (>90%) and specificity. High capture sensitivity (92%) and specificity (100%) was observed in whole blood samples spiked with Caco-2 cells (10–100 cells/ml). Analysis of blood samples obtained from 25 head and neck cancer patients on the EpCAM LNA aptamer functionalized chip revealed that an average count of 5 ± 3 CTCs/ml of blood were captured from 22/25 samples (88%). EpCAM intracellular domain (EpICD) immunohistochemistry on 9 oral squamous cell carcinomas showed the EpICD positivity in the tumor cells, confirming the EpCAM expression in CTCs from head and neck cancers. These microfluidic devices also maintained viability for in vitro culture and characterization. Use of LNA modified aptamers provided added benefits in terms of cost effectiveness due to increased reusability and sustainability of the devices. Our results present a robust, quick, and efficient CTC capture platform with the use of simple PDMS based devices that are easy to fabricate at low cost and have an immense potential in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic planning.  相似文献   

10.
We present a microfluidic device designed for maintenance and culture of non-adherent mammalian cells, which enables both recirculation and refreshing of medium, as well as easy harvesting of cells from the device. We demonstrate fabrication of a novel microfluidic device utilizing Braille perfusion for peristaltic fluid flow to enable switching between recirculation and refresh flow modes. Utilizing fluid flow simulations and the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60, non-adherent cells, we demonstrate the utility of this RECIR-REFRESH device. With computer simulations, we profiled fluid flow and concentration gradients of autocrine factors and found that the geometry of the cell culture well plays a key role in cell entrapping and retaining autocrine and soluble factors. We subjected HL-60 cells, in the device, to a treatment regimen of 1.25% dimethylsulfoxide, every other day, to provoke differentiation and measured subsequent expression of CD11b on day 2 and day 4 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) on day 4. Our findings display perfusion sensitive CD11b expression, but not TNF-α build-up, by day 4 of culture, with a 1:1 ratio of recirculation to refresh flow yielding the greatest increase in CD11b levels. RECIR-REFRESH facilitates programmable levels of cell differentiation in a HL-60 non-adherent cell population and can be expanded to other types of non-adherent cells such as hematopoietic stem cells.  相似文献   

11.
The ability to engage and inspire younger generations in novel areas of science is important for bringing new researchers into a burgeoning field, such as lab-on-a-chip. We recently held a lab-on-a-chip workshop for secondary school students, for which we developed a number of hands-on activities that explained various aspects of microfluidic technology, including fabrication (milling and moulding of microfluidic devices, and wax printing of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices, so-called μPADs), flow regimes (gradient formation via diffusive mixing), and applications (tissue analysis and μPADs). Questionnaires completed by the students indicated that they found the workshop both interesting and informative, with all activities proving successful, while providing feedback that could be incorporated into later iterations of the event.  相似文献   

12.
Microfluidic devices have emerged as important tools for experimental physiology. They allow to study the effects of hydrodynamic flow on physiological and pathophysiological processes, e.g., in the circulatory system of the body. Such dynamic in vitro test systems are essential in order to address fundamental problems in drug delivery and targeted imaging, such as the binding of particles to cells under flow. In the present work an acoustically driven microfluidic platform is presented in which four miniature flow channels can be operated in parallel at distinct flow velocities with only slight inter-experimental variations. The device can accommodate various channel architectures and is fully compatible with cell culture as well as microscopy. Moreover, the flow channels can be readily separated from the surface acoustic wave pumps and subsequently channel-associated luminescence, absorbance, and/or fluorescence can be determined with a standard microplate reader. In order to create artificial blood vessels, different coatings were evaluated for the cultivation of endothelial cells in the microchannels. It was found that 0.01% fibronectin is the most suitable coating for growth of endothelial monolayers. Finally, the microfluidic system was used to study the binding of 1 μm polystyrene microspheres to three different types of endothelial cell monolayers (HUVEC, HUVECtert, HMEC-1) at different average shear rates. It demonstrated that average shear rates between 0.5 s−1 and 2.25 s−1 exert no significant effect on cytoadhesion of particles to all three types of endothelial monolayers. In conclusion, the multichannel microfluidic platform is a promising device to study the impact of hydrodynamic forces on cell physiology and binding of drug carriers to endothelium.  相似文献   

13.
The prostate biopsy method shows a high false negative result because the suspicious tissue considered as cancer is not confirmed during tissue sampling. Thus, repeated biopsy procedures and diagnostic errors in relation to prostate cancer frequently occur. The purpose of this research is to enhance the prostate cancer detection rate by using microfluidic electrical impedance spectroscopy (μEIS), which allows real-time measurement of the electrical impedance of a single human prostate normal cell and cancer cell. The μEIS was equipped with a movable flexible membrane, which is operated by pneumatic pressure to capture the single cell on the surface of sensing electrodes. The forced tight contact between the cell and electrodes makes it possible to measure the electrical characteristics of the cell with a high sensitivity. The μEIS discriminates well between normal human prostate cells (RWPE-1) and cancer cells (PC-3) at 8.7 kHz based on the electrical signal responses of the cells. The average difference rates of admittance magnitude and susceptance are 54.55% and 54.59%, respectively. The developed μEIS also shows high repeatability, which was verified by a deionized water test conducted before and after each cell assay; the maximum variance of both the impedance and admittance at 8.7 kHz was as small as 9.48%.  相似文献   

14.
In this report, we demonstrate a simple and low cost method that can be reproducibly used for fabrication of microfluidic devices in nitrocellulose. The fluidic patterns are created via a laser-based direct-write technique that induces polymerisation of a photo-polymer previously impregnated in the nitrocellulose. The resulting structures form hydrophobic barriers that extend through the thickness of the nitrocellulose and define an interconnected hydrophilic fluidic-flow pattern. Our experimental results show that using this method it is possible to achieve microfluidic channels with lateral dimensions of ∼100 μm using hydrophobic barriers that form the channel walls with dimensions of ∼60 μm; both of these values are considerably smaller than those that can be achieved with other current techniques used in the fabrication of nitrocellulose-based fluidic devices. A simple grid patterned nitrocellulose device was then used for the detection of C-reactive protein via a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which served as a useful proof-of-principle experiment.  相似文献   

15.
Despite the myriad of soft lithography based micropatterning methods available to researchers, it is still challenging to define small features (10–100 μm) that are spaced far apart (1–10 mm). In this report, we describe a combined microfluidic-microstencil patterning method that can produce multifunctional substrates of small features, O(10 μm), with a large pitch, O(1 mm). In that, we fabricate microstencils using an UV curable polyurethane (Norland Optical Adhesive 81) with dense arrays of 10–100 μm holes. Overlaying arrays of microfluidic channels over these microstencils allow for the control of the spacing between features and the ability to pattern multiple substrates. We show that this method is capable of patterning soluble proteins, fibrillar insoluble collagen, liposomes, cells, and nanoparticles. We demonstrate the utility of the method by measuring platelet adhesion under flow to three adhesive proteins (insoluble fibrillar collagen, laminin, and reconstituted acid solubilized collagen fibers) in a single assay.  相似文献   

16.
Although digital detection of nucleic acids has been achieved by amplification of single templates in uniform microfluidic droplets and widely used for genetic analysis, droplet-based digital detection of proteins has rarely been reported, largely due to the lack of an efficient target amplification method for protein in droplets. Here, we report a key step towards digital detection of proteins using a highly parallel microfluidic droplet approach for single enzyme molecule detection in picoliter droplets via enzyme catalyzed signal amplification. An integrated microfluidic chip was designed for high throughput uniform droplet generation, monolayer droplet collection, incubation, detection, and release. Single β-galatosidase (β-Gal) molecules and the fluorogenic substrate fluorescein di-β-D-galactopyranoside were injected from two separated inlets to form uniform 20 μm droplets in fluorinated oil at a frequency of 6.6 kHz. About 200 000 droplets were captured as a monolayer in a capture well on-chip for subsequent imaging detection. A series of β-Gal solutions at different concentrations were analyzed at the single-molecule level. With no enzyme present, no droplets were found to fluoresce, while brightly fluorescent droplets were observed under single-enzyme molecule conditions. Droplet fluorescence intensity distribution analysis showed that the distribution of enzyme molecules under single-molecule conditions matched well with theoretical prediction, further proving the feasibility of detecting single enzyme molecules in emulsion droplets. Moreover, the population of fluorescent droplets increased as the β-Gal concentration increased. Based on a digital counting method, the measured concentrations of the enzyme were found to match well with input enzyme concentration, establishing the accuracy of the digital detection method for the quantification of β-Gal enzyme molecules. The capability of highly parallel detection of single enzyme molecules in uniform picoliter droplets paves the way to microdroplet based digital detection of proteins.  相似文献   

17.
Hydrogels have several excellent characteristics suitable for biomedical use such as softness, biological inertness and solute permeability. Hence, integrating hydrogels into microfluidic devices is a promising approach for providing additional functions such as biocompatibility and porosity, to microfluidic devices. However, the poor mechanical strength of hydrogels has severely limited device design and fabrication. A tetra-poly(ethylene glycol) (tetra-PEG) hydrogel synthesized recently has high mechanical strength and is expected to overcome such a limitation. In this research, we have comprehensively studied the implementation of tetra-PEG gel into microfluidic device technology. First, the fabrication of tetra-PEG gel/PDMS hybrid microchannels was established by developing a simple and robust bonding technique. Second, some fundamental features of tetra-PEG gel/PDMS hybrid microchannels, particularly fluid flow and mass transfer, were studied. Finally, to demonstrate the unique application of tetra-PEG-gel-integrated microfluidic devices, the generation of patterned chemical modulation with the maximum concentration gradient: 10% per 20 μm in a hydrogel was performed. The techniques developed in this study are expected to provide fundamental and beneficial methods of developing various microfluidic devices for life science and biomedical applications.  相似文献   

18.
We present a novel 3D hybrid assembly of a polymer microfluidic chip with polycarbonate track-etched membrane (PCTEM) enabling membrane-supported cell culture. Two chip designs have been developed to establish either diffusive or convective reagent delivery using the integrated PCTEM. While it is well suited to a range of cell-based assays, we specifically employ this platform for the screening of a common antitumor chemotoxic agent (mitomycin C – MMC) on the HL60 myeloid leukemia cell line. The toxic activity of MMC is based on the generation of severe DNA damage in the cells. Using either mode of operation, the HL60 cells were cultured on-chip before, during, and after exposure to MMC at concentrations ranging from 0 to 50 μM. Cell viability was analysed off-chip by the trypan blue dye exclusion assay. The results of the on-chip viability assay were found to be consistent with those obtained off-chip and indicated ca. 40% cell survival at MMC concentration of 50 μM. The catalogue of capabilities of the here described cell assay platform comprises of (i) the culturing of cells either under shear-free conditions or under induced through-membrane flows, (ii) the tight time control of the reagent exposure, (iii) the straightforward assembly of devices, (iv) the flexibility on the choice of the membrane, and, prospectively, (v) the amenability for large-scale parallelization.  相似文献   

19.
While advances in genomics have enabled sensitive and highly parallel detection of nucleic acid targets, the isolation and extraction of the nucleic acids remain a critical bottleneck in the workflow. We present here a simple 3D printed microfluidic chip that allows for the vortex and centrifugation free extraction of nucleic acids. This novel microfluidic chip utilizes the presence of a water and oil interface to filter out the lysate contaminants. The pure nucleic acids, while bound on cellulose particles, are magnetically moved across the oil layer. We demonstrated efficient and rapid extraction of spiked Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 18 plasmids in specimen transport medium, in under 15 min. An overall extraction efficiency of 61% is observed across a range of HPV plasmid concentrations (5 × 101 to 5 × 106 copies/100 μl). The magnetic, interfacial, and viscous drag forces inside the microgeometries of the chip are modeled. We have also developed a kinetics model for the adsorption of nucleic acids on cellulose functionalized superparamagnetic beads. We also clarify here the role of carrier nucleic acids in the adsorption and isolation of nucleic acids. Based on the various mechanistic insights detailed here, customized microfluidic devices can be designed to meet the range of current and emerging point of care diagnostics needs.  相似文献   

20.
Definable surface chemistry is essential for many applications of microfluidic polymer systems. However, small cross-section channels with a high surface to volume ratio enhance passive adsorption of molecules that depletes active molecules in solution and contaminates the channel surface. Here, we present a one-step photochemical process to coat the inner surfaces of closed microfluidic channels with a nanometer thick layer of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), well known to strongly reduce non-specific adsorption, using only commercially available reagents in an aqueous environment. The coating consists of PEG diacrylate (PEGDA) covalently grafted to polymer surfaces via UV light activation of the water soluble photoinitiator benzoyl benzylamine, a benzophenone derivative. The PEGDA coating was shown to efficiently limit the adsorption of antibodies and other proteins to <5% of the adsorbed amount on uncoated polymer surfaces. The coating could also efficiently suppress the adhesion of mammalian cells as demonstrated using the HT-29 cancer cell line. In a subsequent equivalent process step, protein in aqueous solution could be anchored onto the PEGDA coating in spatially defined patterns with a resolution of <15 μm using an inverted microscope as a projection lithography system. Surface patterns of the cell binding protein fibronectin were photochemically defined inside a closed microfluidic device that was initially homogeneously coated by PEGDA. The resulting fibronectin patterns were shown to greatly improve cell adhesion compared to unexposed areas. This method opens for easy surface modification of closed microfluidic systems through combining a low protein binding PEG-based coating with spatially defined protein patterns of interest.  相似文献   

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