Long-term micropatterned cell cultures in heterogeneous microfluidic environments

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell Biology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Skeletal muscle differentiation requires controlled environments for cell fusion and development.
• Dynamic chemical stimulation is crucial for studying cellular responses and signaling pathways.
• Microfluidic platforms offer precise control over cellular microenvironments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate microfluidic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) devices for long-term skeletal muscle cell culture.
• To enable dynamic application of chemical stimuli to cells within a microfluidic platform.
• To demonstrate the utility of these devices for cell differentiation and molecular assays.

Main Methods:

• Construction of microfluidic devices with orthogonal fluidic networks for perfusion and stimulation.
• Micropatterning of skeletal muscle cells within microfluidic channels using surface modification.
• Culturing cells under continuous flow to promote fusion into polynucleated myotubes.
• Utilizing heterogeneous laminar flows for localized cellular assays.

Main Results:

• Successful long-term culture of skeletal muscle cells within PDMS microfluidic devices.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve skeletal muscle cell differentiation and myotube formation.
• Enabled dynamic and selective application of chemical stimuli to cultured cells.
• Achieved precise spatial confinement of a membrane receptor labeling assay using laminar flow.

Conclusions:

• Microfluidic PDMS devices serve as effective platforms for skeletal muscle cell culture and differentiation.
• These devices allow for dynamic chemical stimulation and precise control over cellular microenvironments.
• The technology facilitates advanced cellular assays with high spatial resolution, aiding in muscle biology research.