Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026
12:19
Construction of an Affordable and Easy-to-Build Zebrafish Facility
Published on: November 22, 2014
17.1K
An easy-to-build and re-usable microfluidic system for live-cell imaging.
Julien Babic1, Laurent Griscom1, Jeremy Cramer2
1SyntheCell team, Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, CNRS UMR 6290, 2 avenue du Pr. Léon Bernard, 35043, Rennes, France.
BMC Cell Biology
|June 22, 2018
Summary
Researchers developed simple, reusable microfluidic devices for precise live-cell imaging. These easy-to-build systems enable simultaneous control of multiple cellular environment parameters, advancing cell biology research.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Microfluidics
- Live-Cell Imaging
Background:
- Real-time monitoring of cellular responses is crucial but challenging for live-cell imaging due to precision and time resolution limitations.
- Simultaneously altering multiple environmental parameters for cells under microscopy is a significant hurdle.
- Microfluidics offers control over cellular environments but is under-exploited due to complex microfabrication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop simple, accessible microfluidic devices for live-cell imaging.
- To enable precise, real-time monitoring of cellular responses to dynamic environmental changes.
- To facilitate the simultaneous control of multiple parameters in cellular microenvironments.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of microfluidic devices using a robust, readily available elastomer with excellent bonding properties to glass coverslips.
- Integration of complex, customized fluidic networks and multiplexing of independent assays on a single device.
- Demonstration of device re-usability and compatibility with standard microscopy setups.
Main Results:
- Developed simple, powerful microfluidic devices specifically for live-cell imaging applications.
- Demonstrated ease of fabrication without sophisticated equipment, making microfluidics more accessible.
- Showcased dynamic, accurate, and simultaneous control over multiple cellular environment parameters.
- Confirmed device re-usability, reducing costs and promoting wider adoption.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic chips offer a simple, versatile, and attractive alternative to complex, costly microdevices.
- These easily fabricated and usable devices democratize microfluidics for cell biology research.
- Enable a larger number of research teams to leverage advanced methods for cell biology investigations.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Movement Joints in Buildings
358
Movement joints in buildings are essential design elements that accommodate inevitable motions caused by various factors such as temperature changes, moisture content variations, and structural deflections. These motions, if not considered in design and construction, can lead to unsightly or dangerous damage. Movement joints are incorporated in different forms to manage these stresses and allow materials to move without causing distress.
The simplest type of movement joints, working joints, are...
The simplest type of movement joints, working joints, are...
358
01:30Types of Building Stone
457
Building stones, essential materials for construction, are extracted from natural rock deposits and processed into specific forms and dimensions suitable for various building applications. These stones are broadly classified into three types based on their geological formation: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
Igneous rocks are formed from the solidification of magma or lava. An example is granite, known for its durability and resistance to weathering, making it ideal for parts of...
Igneous rocks are formed from the solidification of magma or lava. An example is granite, known for its durability and resistance to weathering, making it ideal for parts of...
457
01:23Types of Building Separation Joints
631
Building separation joints divide large or complex building structures into smaller, discrete units that can move independently. These joints are categorized into three types: volume-change joints, settlement joints, and seismic separation joints.
Volume-change joints address the effects of expansion and contraction due to temperature and moisture variations. They are strategically placed at discontinuities in a building's mass where cracking is most likely and are spaced about 150 to 200...
Volume-change joints address the effects of expansion and contraction due to temperature and moisture variations. They are strategically placed at discontinuities in a building's mass where cracking is most likely and are spaced about 150 to 200...
631
01:26Design Example: Sustainability in Concrete Building
424
As the construction industry moves towards more eco-friendly practices, concrete's adaptability and its ability to incorporate sustainable features make it a key material in the drive towards greener building solutions.
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground...
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground...
424
01:19Protein Dynamics in Living Cells
2.7K
Different fluorescence-based techniques are used to study the protein dynamics in living cells. These techniques include FRAP, FRET, and PET.
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
2.7K
02:58Chemistry of the Cell
48.1K
The cell is chemically composed of water, organic molecules and inorganic ions.
Water
The polarity of the water molecule and its resulting hydrogen bonding makes water a unique substance with special properties that are intimately tied to the processes of life. Life originally evolved in an aqueous environment, and most of an organism’s cellular chemistry and metabolism occur inside the aqueous contents of the cell’s cytoplasm. Special properties of water are its high heat capacity...
Water
The polarity of the water molecule and its resulting hydrogen bonding makes water a unique substance with special properties that are intimately tied to the processes of life. Life originally evolved in an aqueous environment, and most of an organism’s cellular chemistry and metabolism occur inside the aqueous contents of the cell’s cytoplasm. Special properties of water are its high heat capacity...
48.1K