Effect of channel geometry on cell adhesion in microfluidic devices

Microfluidic channels coated with ligands are a versatile platform for the separation or enrichment of cells from small sample volumes. This adhesion-based mode of separation is mediated by ligand-receptor bonds between the cells and channel surface and also by fluid shear stress. This paper demonstrates how aspects of microchannel geometry can play an additional role in controlling cell adhesion. With a combination of computational fluid dynamics modeling and cell adhesion experiments, channels with sharp turns are shown to have regions with near-zero velocity at the turn regions where large numbers of cells adhere or become collected. The lack of uniform adhesion in the turn regions compared to other regions of these channels, together with the large variability in observed cell adhesion indicates that channels with sharp turns are not optimal for cell-capture applications where predictable cell adhesion is desired. Channels with curved turns, on the other hand are shown to provide more uniform and predictable cell adhesion provided the gap between parallel arms of the channels is sufficiently wide. The magnitude of cell adhesion in these curved channels is comparable to that in straight channels with no turns.