title: Integrated and diffusion-based micro-injectors for open access cell assays.
abstract: Currently, most microfluidic devices are fabricated with embedded micro-channels and other elements in a close form with outward connections. Although much functionality has been demonstrated and a large number of applications have been developed, they are not easy for routine operation in biology laboratories where most in vitro cell processing still relies on the use of culture dishes, glass slides, multi-well plates, tubes, pipettes, etc. We report here an open access device which consists of an array of isolated micro-channels plated on a large culture surface, each of them having tiny nozzles for localized drug delivery. In a diffusion dominant regime, steady gradients of molecule concentration could be obtained and varied by changing the flow rate inside the micro-channels. As assay examples, cell staining and drug-induced cell apoptosis were demonstrated, showing fast cell responses in close proximity of the nozzles.
authors.affiliation: Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS-ENS-UPMC UMR 8640, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ken-ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kusumi
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zhenjie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051379:Mice; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008845:Microinjections / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells