title: Cell culture chip using low-shear mass transport.
abstract: We have developed a flow cell that allows culturing adherent cells as well as suspended cells in a stable, homogeneous, and low-shear force environment. The device features continuous medium supply and waste exchange. In this paper, a simple and fast protocol for device design, fabrication, and assembly (sealing) based on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PMDS)/glass slide hybrid structure is described. The cell culture system performance was monitored, and the effective shear force inside the culture well was also determined. By manipulating the device dimensions and volumetric flow rate, shear stress was controlled during experiments. Cell adhesion, growth, proliferation, and death over long-term culture periods were observed by microscopy. The growth of both endothelial and suspension cells in this device exhibited comparable characteristics to those of traditional approaches. The low-shear culture device significantly reduced shear stress encountered in microfluidic systems, allowing both adherent and suspended cells to be grown in a simple device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1061, USA.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rajasekar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pitchimani
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pappas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D033081:Shear Strength; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013997:Time Factors