Macro- and microscale fluid flow systems for endothelial cell biology

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Cell Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Microfluidics enables study of flow-induced effects on mammalian cells.
• Applications span cardiovascular, bone, and cancer biology.
• Current microscale systems offer unique advantages over macroscale systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• Critically evaluate cell culture flow (CCF) systems for studying mechanical forces on endothelial cells (ECs) in vitro.
• Summarize EC properties and native environments to inform CCF system design.
• Identify new opportunities for microfluidic technologies in biological research.

Main Methods:

• Review of macro- and microscale cell culture flow systems.
• Evaluation of system principles, advantages, and limitations.
• Discussion of EC properties and native environments.

Main Results:

• Microfluidic systems offer unique advantages but often lack user-friendliness, hindering widespread adoption.
• A critical evaluation of existing CCF systems is presented.
• New technological opportunities exist to improve experimental efficiency and address complex biological questions.

Conclusions:

• Widespread acceptance requires collaboration between microfluidics engineers and cell biologists.
• Addressing user-friendliness and technical challenges is crucial for future microfluidic applications.
• Microfluidics holds significant potential for advancing biological research.