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Polydimethylsiloxane-polycarbonate Microfluidic Devices for Cell Migration Studies Under Perpendicular Chemical and Oxygen Gradients
Published on: February 23, 2017
Oxygen gradients for open well cellular cultures via microfluidic substrates
Joe F Lo1, Elly Sinkala, David T Eddington
1Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60607, USA.
Lab on a Chip
|June 19, 2010
Summary
Microfluidic devices enable precise control of oxygen levels for studying cellular responses to oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS). This method allows for controlled ROS modulation in cells, improving upon standard oxygen culturing techniques.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Precise control of oxygen concentration is crucial for studying cellular processes like oxidative stress, ischemia, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathways.
- Existing methods for oxygen control in cell cultures often involve mechanical stress or reduced culture volumes.
- Microfluidic gradient generation offers a potential solution for localized and controlled oxygen delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a microfluidic gradient generation system in an open-well culture model for precise oxygen control.
- To investigate the modulation of intracellular ROS levels in Madin- Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells using oxygen microgradients.
- To compare the efficacy of this new method with standard ROS induction techniques and assess the impact of antioxidants.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microfluidic gradient generation in an open-well system with a gas-permeable substrate for oxygen diffusion.
- Delivered controlled oxygen gradients to MDCK cells, creating localized hypoxic and hyperoxic conditions.
- Measured intracellular ROS levels and assessed the effect of vitamin C incubation on ROS modulation.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated and applied oxygen microgradients to MDCK cells without mechanical stress or volume reduction.
- Observed significant increases in intracellular ROS levels, comparable to standard hydrogen peroxide induction.
- Demonstrated that vitamin C effectively counteracted ROS increases under both hypoxic and hyperoxic conditions.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic gradient generation provides a novel, shear-free method for precise oxygen control in cell cultures.
- This technique enables effective modulation of intracellular ROS levels, mimicking conditions of oxidative stress and hypoxia.
- The developed system offers significant improvements over conventional oxygen culturing methods for studying ROS-mediated cellular pathways.
