1. A passive microfluidic device for chemotaxis studies
- Author
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Maria Antonia D'Attimo, Ennio Carbone, Costanza Maria Cristiani, Enzo Di Fabrizio, Gerardo Perozziello, Ulrich Krühne, Giovanni Cuda, Francesco Guzzi, Elvira Immacolata Parrotta, Patrizio Candeloro, Elisabetta Dattola, Maria Laura Coluccio, E. Lamanna, Coluccio, M. L., D'Attimo, M. A., Cristiani, C. M., Candeloro, P., Parrotta, E., Dattola, E., Guzzi, F., Cuda, G., Lamanna, E., Carbone, E., Kruhne, U., Di Fabrizio, E., and Perozziello, G.
- Subjects
Materials science ,Microscope ,Gravity force ,Diffusion ,lcsh:Mechanical engineering and machinery ,Microfluidics ,02 engineering and technology ,Mini incubator ,01 natural sciences ,Passive microfluidic device ,Article ,law.invention ,law ,lcsh:TJ1-1570 ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,chemotaxis ,business.industry ,Mechanical Engineering ,Chemotaxis ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Incubator ,Chemotaxi ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,0104 chemical sciences ,Volumetric flow rate ,Control and Systems Engineering ,Optoelectronics ,0210 nano-technology ,business ,Concentration gradient - Abstract
This work presents a disposable passive microfluidic system, allowing chemotaxis studies, through the generation of a concentration gradient. The device can handle liquid flows without an external supply of pressure or electric gradients, but simply using gravity force. It is able to ensure flow rates of 10 µ, L/h decreasing linearly with 2.5% in 24 h. The device is made of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), a biocompatible material, and it is fabricated by micro-milling and solvent assisted bonding. It is assembled into a mini incubator, designed properly for cell biology studies in passive microfluidic devices, which provides control of temperature and humidity levels, a contamination-free environment for cells with air and 5% of CO2. Furthermore, the mini incubator can be mounted on standard inverted optical microscopes. By using our microfluidic device integrated into the mini incubator, we are able to evaluate and follow in real-time the migration of any cell line to a chemotactic agent. The device is validated by showing cell migration at a rate of 0.36 µ, m/min, comparable with the rates present in scientific literature.
- Published
- 2019