A 3D Printed Meridian-Arrayed Microfluidic Device for Dual-Physical Fields Induced Highly Efficient Intracellular...

Intracellular delivery is a critical process in various biological studies and applications, encompassing genomic manipulation, biomanufacturing, and cell-based therapeutics. Traditional macro-scale delivery approaches have been hindered by cumbersome and lengthy processes, resulting in low cell viability and limited scalability. Microfluidic and nanoengineering-based platforms have shown promise due to their scale compatibility with individual cells. However, the inherent planar-constrained configuration and prerequisite of microfabrication present challenges for multiple-channel arrangement and high-throughput delivery. Here, we introduce a 3D-printed monolithic microfluidic device (3D-MED), which, coupled with electric and hydrodynamic dual physical fields, induces intracellular delivery of exogenous materials into cells. By exploiting the third dimension, we have engineered 12 microchannels with a radial array and meridian-line-like distribution. This configuration enables a high flow rate, achieving a processing capacity of up to 4 million cells per minute, making a significant departure from a conventional 2D-constructed microfluidic system. The platform eliminates the pulse-wave high voltage, instead employing a low DC voltage (approximately 110 V), which is enabled by variations in channel geometry-induced field amplification and hydrodynamic shear. We demonstrate that this nonviral method is compatible with various cargo materials, including 500 kDa dextran, CRISPR-Cas9 plasmid, and QDs, as well as a range of cell types. Particularly, the system improved the after-process viability of human primary T cells (∼80%), compared with conventional electroporation (∼40%). Collectively, our method demonstrates rapid and efficient intracellular delivery, enabling an alternative microfluidic tool for next-generation cell-based therapeutics with a 3D spatially arranged microarchitecture.