Generating Nonlinear Concentration Gradients in Microfluidic Devices for Cell Studies

We describe a microfluidic device for generating nonlinear (exponential and sigmoidal) concentration gradients, coupled with a microwell array for cell storage and analysis. The device has two inputs for coflowing multiple aqueous solutions, a main coflow channel and an asymmetrical grid of fluidic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analytical chemistry (Washington) 2011-03, Vol.83 (6), p.2020-2028
Main Authors: Selimović, Šeila, Sim, Woo Young, Kim, Sang Bok, Jang, Yun Ho, Lee, Won Gu, Khabiry, Masoud, Bae, Hojae, Jambovane, Sachin, Hong, Jong Wook, Khademhosseini, Ali
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Applied fluid mechanics
Aqueous solutions
Cell Survival - drug effects
Cells
Cytological Techniques - instrumentation
Cytotoxins - toxicity
Diffusion
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Exact sciences and technology
Fluid dynamics
Fluidics
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
Hydrogen peroxide
Mice
Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
NIH 3T3 Cells
Nonlinear Dynamics
Nonnative species
Physics
Studies
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Summary:We describe a microfluidic device for generating nonlinear (exponential and sigmoidal) concentration gradients, coupled with a microwell array for cell storage and analysis. The device has two inputs for coflowing multiple aqueous solutions, a main coflow channel and an asymmetrical grid of fluidic channels that allows the two solutions to combine at intersection points without fully mixing. Due to this asymmetry and diffusion of the two species in the coflow channel, varying amounts of the two solutions enter each fluidic path. This induces exponential and sigmoidal concentration gradients at low and high flow rates, respectively, making the microfluidic device versatile. A key feature of this design is that it is space-saving, as it does not require multiplexing or a separate array of mixing channels. Furthermore, the gradient structure can be utilized in concert with cell experiments, to expose cells captured in microwells to various concentrations of soluble factors. We demonstrate the utility of this design to assess the viability of fibroblast cells in response to a range of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations.
ISSN:0003-2700
1520-6882
DOI:10.1021/ac2001737