An acoustically driven microliter flow chamber on a chip (muFCC) for cell-cell and cell-surface interaction studies

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Microfluidic devices are crucial for studying biological processes at the cellular level.
• Precise control over small liquid volumes is essential for microfluidic applications.
• Existing microfluidic systems may have limitations in architectural flexibility and cell culture integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel microfluidic flow chamber using surface acoustic waves (SAW) for precise liquid pumping.
• To create a versatile platform for reconstructing complex flow scenarios and culturing cells on-chip.
• To investigate cell-cell adhesion dynamics and phenomena like blood clotting under controlled flow conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized surface acoustic waves (SAW) for pumping very small liquid volumes (mul).
• Designed a planar microfluidic flow chamber with architectural freedom for complex flow path reconstruction.
• Integrated polymer walls for on-chip cell culturing and adhesion studies.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a microfluidic chip capable of handling minute liquid volumes with high precision.
• Successfully reconstructed complex flow scenarios including curvatures, bifurcations, and stenosis.
• Enabled on-chip cell culturing and investigation of cell-cell adhesion dynamics under flow.
• Showcased applications in studying blood clotting and various stages of cell adhesion.

Conclusions:

• The SAW-driven microfluidic chip offers a flexible and powerful platform for diverse microfluidic investigations.
• The system facilitates the study of cellular behavior and fluid dynamics in complex, biologically relevant scenarios.
• This technology holds significant potential for advancing research in areas such as hematology and cell adhesion.