title: Systematic prevention of bubble formation and accumulation for long-term culture of pancreatic islet cells in microfluidic device.
abstract: Reliable long-term cell culture in microfluidic system is limited by air bubble formation and accumulation. In this study, we developed a bubble removal system capable of both trapping and discharging air bubbles in a consistent and reliable manner. Combined with PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) hydrophilic surface treatment and vacuum filling, a microfluidic perifusion system equipped with the bubble trap was successfully applied for long-term culture of mouse pancreatic islets with no bubble formation and no flow interruption. In addition to demonstrating normal cell viability and islet morphology, post-cultured islets exhibited normal insulin secretion kinetics, intracellular calcium signaling, and changes in mitochondrial potentials in response to glucose challenge. This design could be easily adapted by other microfluidic systems due to its simple design, ease of fabrication, and portability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transplant/Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 South Wood Street, Clinical Sciences Building, Suite 402, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dongyoung
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hyojin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Joshua E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mendoza-Elias
authors.forename: Tricia A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Harvat
authors.forename: Sarah Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Eddington
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oberholzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002470:Cell Survival; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000378:metabolism; D004867:Equipment Design; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D007328:Insulin; C013830:baysilon; D005947:Glucose