Harnessing surface-bound enzymatic reactions to organize microcapsules in solution.

ABSTRACT: By developing new computational models, we examine how enzymatic reactions on an underlying surface can be harnessed to direct the motion and organization of reagent-laden microcapsules in a fluid-filled microchannel. In the presence of appropriate reagents, surface-bound enzymes can act as pumps, which drive large-scale fluid flows. When the reagents diffuse through the capsules' porous shells, they can react with enzymatic sites on the bottom surface. The ensuing reaction generates fluid density variations, which result in fluid flows. These flows carry the suspended microcapsules and drive them to aggregate into "colonies" on and near the enzyme-covered sites. This aggregation continues until the reagent has been depleted and the convection stops. We show that the shape of the assembled

SUBMITTER: Shklyaev OE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4805431 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature