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Determination of the temperature-dependent cell membrane permeabilities using microfluidics with integrated flow and
Cifeng Fang1, Fujun Ji2, Zhiquan Shu3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. dayong@uw.edu.
Lab on a Chip
|February 16, 2017
Summary
We created a microfluidic device for precise cell temperature control. This tool accurately measures cell membrane transport properties, crucial for optimizing cryopreservation and cell manipulation.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Microfluidics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Precise control over cellular microenvironments is essential for accurate biophysical measurements.
- Understanding cell membrane transport properties is critical for applications like cryopreservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an integrated microfluidic platform for instantaneous flow and localized temperature control.
- To measure temperature-dependent membrane transport properties of Jurkat cells.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a microfluidic device with flow-focusing and cross-junction regions.
- Integration of a microheater and active feedback control for precise temperature regulation.
- Measurement of cell membrane permeabilities (water and DMSO) and osmotically inactive cell volume.
Main Results:
- Successfully measured Jurkat cell membrane transport properties (Vb, Lp, Ps) at various temperatures.
- Calculated activation energies for water and cryoprotective agent transport.
- Validated the platform's reliability for temperature-dependent cell studies.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic platform offers precise temperature control for cell manipulation.
- The platform provides valuable data for understanding cell behavior and optimizing cryopreservation.
- This technology serves as a reliable tool for various cell-based research applications.
