A microfluidic cell culture platform for real-time cellular imaging.
This study reports a new microfluidic cell culture platform for real-time, in vitro microscopic observation and evaluation of cellular functions. Microheaters, a micro temperature sensor, and micropumps are integrated into the system to achieve a self-contained, perfusion-based, cell culture microenvironment. The key feature of the platform includes a unique, ultra-thin, culture chamber with a depth of 180 mum, allowing for real-time, high-resolution cellular imaging by combining bright field and fluorescent optics to visualize nanoparticle-cell/organelle interactions. The cell plating, culturing, harvesting and replenishing processes are performed automatically. The developed platform also enables drug screening and real-time, in situ investigation of the cellular and sub-cellular delivery process of nano vectors. The mitotic activity and the interaction between cells and the nano drug carriers (conjugated quantum dots-epirubicin) are successfully monitored in this device. This developed system could be a promising platform for a wide variety of applications such as high-throughput, cell-based studies and as a diagnostic cellular imaging system.
Department of Engineering Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Chia-Chun
CC
Hsieh
Song-Bin
SB
Huang
Ping-Ching
PC
Wu
Dar-Bin
DB
Shieh
Gwo-Bin
GB
Lee
D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D045663:Quantum Dots
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015251:Epirubicin