title: Multiphysics simulation of a microfluidic perfusion chamber for brain slice physiology.
abstract: Understanding and optimizing fluid flows through in vitro microfluidic perfusion systems is essential in mimicking in vivo conditions for biological research. In a previous study a microfluidic brain slice device (microBSD) was developed for microscale electrophysiology investigations. The device consisted of a standard perfusion chamber bonded to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel substrate. Our objective in this study is to characterize the flows through the microBSD by using multiphysics simulations of injections into a pourous matrix to identify optimal spacing of ports. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations are performed with CFD-ACE + software to model, simulate, and assess the transport of soluble factors through the perfusion bath, the microchannels, and a material that mimics the porosity, permeability and tortuosity of brain tissue. Additionally, experimental soluble factor transport through a brain slice is predicted by and compared to simulated fluid flow in a volume that represents a porous matrix material. The computational results are validated with fluorescent dye experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Hector H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Caicedo
authors.forename: Maximiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Fall
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Eddington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008954:Models, Biological; D010477:Perfusion / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010825:Physics; D016062:Porosity
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; C013830:baysilon
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