title: A microfluidic flow distributor generating stepwise concentrations for high-throughput biochemical processing.
abstract: In this paper, we describe a microfluidic device in which solutions with stepwise concentrations can be accurately generated by continuously introducing two kinds of miscible liquids from each inlet, and biochemical processing can be conducted at the various conditions. Introduced liquid flows are geometrically divided into a number of downstream flows through multiple distribution channels, and each divided flow is then mixed with the divided flow of another liquid at a confluent point. The lengths of the precisely designed distribution channels determine the mixing ratio of the two liquids, without the influence of flow rate. In this study, a PDMS microfluidic device able to generate nine different concentrations was fabricated, and the performance of this device was estimated via colorimetric assay. As a biological application of this device, cell cultivation was performed under different concentration conditions. Due to its simplicity of operation, this microfluidic flow distributor will be applied to various kinds of biological analysis and screening systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. tt37169@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Takaya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seki
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000494:pharmacology; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004867:Equipment Design; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D000431:Ethanol; D020723:Glucuronic Acid