Numerical Analysis of Hydrodynamic Flow in Microfluidic Biochip for Single-Cell Trapping Application

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cellular Biology
• Microfluidics

Background:

• Single-cell analysis provides critical insights into cellular functions and diseases.
• Effective cell isolation is essential for accurate single-cell analysis.
• Microfluidic biochips are increasingly utilized for cell manipulation and analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a finite element simulation model for single-cell trapping.
• To optimize cell trapping based on hydrodynamic flow resistance (Rh) in microfluidic channels.
• To provide a design guideline for microfluidic single-cell trapping systems.

Main Methods:

• Finite element analysis (FEA) using ABAQUS-FEA™ software.
• Modeling hydrodynamic flow resistance (Rh) in main and trap channels.
• Simulation of single yeast cell trapping within a microfluidic environment.

Main Results:

• The finite element model successfully demonstrated single-cell trapping in a fluidic environment.
• Velocity profiles and streamline plots illustrated successful and unsuccessful trapping scenarios.
• A guideline for designing and optimizing single-cell trapping models was proposed.

Conclusions:

• The developed finite element model is effective for simulating single-cell trapping.
• The study provides a valuable framework for designing microfluidic chips for biomedical applications.
• Hydrodynamic flow resistance is a key factor in achieving successful single-cell isolation.