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Microscale impeller pump for recirculating flow in organs-on-chip and microreactors.

Sophie R Cook¹, Hannah B Musgrove¹, Amy L Throckmorton²

¹Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, 248 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA. rpompano@virginia.edu.

|January 6, 2022

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We developed a 3D-printed impeller pump for microfluidic devices, enabling biomimetic fluid flow within incubators without tubing. This technology supports cell recirculation and viability for organ-on-chip applications.

Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Microfluidics
Organ-on-Chip Technology

Background:

Fluid flow is crucial for microfluidic and organ-on-chip systems, mimicking physiological conditions.
Existing pumps often face limitations like incubator incompatibility, complex tubing, and large footprints.
There is a need for compact, user-friendly pumping solutions for on-chip fluid recirculation.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel, user-friendly impeller pump for on-chip fluid recirculation in microfluidic devices.
To enable biomimetic fluid exchange and shear stress application within standard cell culture incubators.
To demonstrate the pump's compatibility with cell viability and its potential for studying organ communication.

Main Methods:

Designed and 3D-printed a microfluidic device with an integrated impeller pump.

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Utilized a rotating magnetic field from a computer fan to drive impeller rotation.

Employed computational modeling to predict fluid dynamics, shear stress, and pressure.

Validated pump performance by recirculating primary murine splenocytes and Jurkat T cells.

Main Results:

The impeller pump achieved biomimetic fluid velocities (50-6400 μm s⁻¹) controllable by design and speed.
Predicted shear stress was within the physiological range, crucial for cell function.
The pump supported recirculation of splenocytes for 1 hour and Jurkat T cells for 24 hours without affecting cell viability.
The system accommodated up to 36 devices simultaneously in a standard incubator without external tubing.

Conclusions:

The developed 3D-printed impeller pump offers a tubing-free, incubator-compatible solution for on-chip fluid recirculation.
This technology effectively supports white blood cell recirculation, demonstrating feasibility for various organ-on-chip applications.
The pump's design allows for tunable flow rates and shear stress, paving the way for advanced studies on inter-organ communication.