BaroFuse, a novel pressure-driven, adjustable-throughput perfusion system for tissue maintenance and assessment
Austin Rountree1, Amit Karkamkar2, Gamal Khalil3
1UW Diabetes Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
Heliyon
|December 21, 2016
Summary
A new 3D-printed microfluidic system, BaroFuse, uses gas pressure for scalable, low-flow perfusion, enabling precise kinetic analysis of small tissue samples for drug testing and personalized medicine.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microfluidics
- Physiological Assays
Background:
- Microfluidic perfusion systems are crucial for cell and tissue function assessment.
- Conventional systems using peristaltic pumps are not scalable for high-throughput applications.
- There is a need for scalable microfluidic systems for low-flow rate experiments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable multichannel microfluidics system for assessing kinetic responses of small tissue amounts.
- To enable high-throughput drug screening and physiological studies.
- To overcome limitations of existing perfusion systems.
Main Methods:
- Developed the BaroFuse, a 3D-printed multichannel microfluidics device.
- Utilized gas pressure for driving parallel perfusion experiments.
- Incorporated an oxygen detection system for measuring oxygen consumption rate (OCR).
Main Results:
- Achieved stable, low flow rates (1-20 μL/min/channel) controlled by a single pressure regulator.
- Demonstrated precise flow control in 0.2 μL/min increments.
- Successfully resolved changes in OCR with small numbers of islets (1-10) and showed dose-dependent effects of acetaminophen on liver slices.
Conclusions:
- The BaroFuse system enables efficient generation of kinetic profiles from small primary tissue samples.
- Its simplicity and low flow rates support long-duration physiological studies and pharmaceutical assessments.
- Offers a powerful tool for drug effect evaluation and personalized medicine.
