A multi-purpose microfluidic perfusion system with combinatorial choice of inputs, mixtures, gradient patterns, and flow rates.

ABSTRACT: Microfluidic perfusion systems, characterized by deterministic flow, low reagent consumption, small dead volumes, large integration in small footprints, high-throughput operation, and low-cost fabrication, are being increasingly used for cell culture studies in applications such as basic cell biology, molecular biological assays, tissue engineering, and systems biology. We report a multipurpose, pressure-driven and computer-controlled microfluidic perfusion device containing sixteen inlets and a large cell culture chamber. The user can choose, with sub-second temporal resolution, (a) to feed the chamber with one of 16 inlets, all 16 inlets, or one of 64 combinations of 2, 4, or 8 inlets using a binary multiplexer; (b) to introduce into the chamber a heterogeneous laminar flow of the inlets

SUBMITTER: Cooksey GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2857932 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature