Microfabricated tuneable and transferable porous PDMS membranes for Organs-on-Chips
W F Quirós-Solano1, N Gaio2,3, O M J A Stassen4
1Delft University of Technology, Department of Microelectronics, Electronic Components, Technology and Materials (ECTM), Delft, 2628, CD, The Netherlands. w.f.quirossolano@tudelft.nl.
Scientific Reports
|September 12, 2018
Summary
We developed a new method using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to create transferable porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes for organs-on-chips (OOCs). This technique ensures high reproducibility and cell viability for advanced physiological studies.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Materials Science
- Microfabrication
Background:
- Organs-on-Chips (OOCs) require specialized membranes for cell culture and physiological modeling.
- Existing methods for fabricating porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes face challenges in reproducibility, scalability, and transferability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, reproducible process for fabricating transferable porous PDMS membranes for OOC applications.
- To enable precise control over membrane pore size and porosity for advanced cell studies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques.
- Incorporated a sacrificial layer for easy membrane transfer from silicon carriers to OOCs.
- Fabricated membranes with pore sizes down to 2.0 μm and porosity ranging from 2-65%.
Main Results:
- Achieved highly reproducible fabrication of thin (<10 μm) porous PDMS membranes.
- Demonstrated successful transfer of membranes to OOCs with an 85% success rate.
- Confirmed cell viability and biocompatibility by culturing Human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC) and MDA-MB-231 (MDA) cells.
Conclusions:
- The developed MEMS-based process offers a scalable and reliable method for creating functional porous PDMS membranes for OOCs.
- Controlled membrane features facilitate the study of cellular mechanisms like transmigration and barrier function.
- This technology enhances the potential of OOCs for investigating human physiology and pathology.
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