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Biological implications of polydimethylsiloxane-based microfluidic cell culture
Keil J Regehr1, Maribella Domenech, Justin T Koepsel
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1609, USA.
Lab on a Chip
|July 17, 2009
Summary
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) leaches uncured oligomers into cell cultures and absorbs hydrophobic molecules like estrogen, impacting cell behavior in microfluidic devices. Careful material consideration is crucial for biological experiments.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Microfluidics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is widely used in microfluidics due to its favorable material properties.
- Its application as a cell culture platform necessitates understanding its biological interactions.
- PDMS material properties, including oligomer leaching and molecule absorption, require biological context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the leaching of uncured PDMS oligomers into microchannel media.
- To assess the absorption of small, hydrophobic molecules, such as estrogen, by PDMS.
- To evaluate the impact of these PDMS properties on cell culture and biological experiments.
Main Methods:
- Detection of PDMS oligomers using MALDI-MS.
- Analysis of cell response to hormones (prolactin, estrogen) in PDMS microchannels.
- Quantification of estrogen absorption into PDMS using ELISA.
- Cell culture on PDMS inserts and in microchannels.
Main Results:
- Uncured PDMS oligomers were detected in microchannel media and within cell membranes, even after extraction.
- PDMS absorbed hydrophobic estrogen from media, significantly reducing cellular response in a serum-dependent manner.
- Estrogen partitioned rapidly into PDMS at an approximate 9:1 ratio, unaffected by pretreatment methods.
Conclusions:
- PDMS material properties, specifically oligomer leaching and hydrophobic molecule absorption, significantly influence biological experiments.
- These interactions can alter cellular responses and experimental outcomes.
- Careful consideration of PDMS material characteristics is essential for designing reliable microfluidic cell culture platforms.
