title: A circular cross-section PDMS microfluidics system for replication of cardiovascular flow conditions.
abstract: Since the inception of soft lithography, microfluidic devices for cardiovascular research have been fabricated easily and cost-effectively using the soft lithography method. The drawback of this method was the fabrication of microchannels with rectangular cross-sections, which did not replicate the circular cross-sections of blood vessels. This article presents a novel, straightforward approach for the fabrication of microchannels with circular cross-sections in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), using soft lithography. The method exploits the polymerization of the liquid silicone oligomer around a gas stream when both of them are coaxially introduced in the microchannel with a rectangular cross-section. We demonstrate (i) the ability to control the diameter of circular cross-sections of microchannels from ca. 40-100 mum; (ii) the fabrication of microchannels with constrictions, and (iii) the capability to grow endothelial cells on the inner surface of the microchannels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Lindsey K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Fiddes
authors.forename: Neta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raz
authors.forename: Suthan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srigunapalan
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tumarkan
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Aaron R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kumacheva
mesh_terms: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes