title: Polyester μ-assay chip for stem cell studies.
abstract: The application of microfluidic technologies to stem cell research is of great interest to biologists and bioengineers. This is chiefly due to the intricate ability to control the cellular environment, the reduction of reagent volume, experimentation time and cost, and the high-throughput screening capabilities of microscale devices. Despite this importance, a simple-to-use microfluidic platform for studying the effects of growth factors on stem cell differentiation has not yet emerged. With this consideration, we have designed and characterized a microfluidic device that is easy to fabricate and operate, yet contains several functional elements. Our device is a simple polyester-based microfluidic chip capable of simultaneously screening multiple independent stem cell culture conditions. Generated by laser ablation and stacking of multiple layers of polyester film, this device integrates a 10 × 10 microwell array for cell culture with a continuous perfusion system and a non-linear concentration gradient generator. We performed numerical calculations to predict the gradient formation and calculate the shear stress acting on the cells inside the device. The device operation was validated by culturing murine embryonic stem cells inside the microwells for 5 days. Furthermore, we showed the ability to maintain the pluripotency of stem cell aggregates in response to concentrations of leukemia inhibitory factor ranging from 0 to ∼1000 U/ml. Given its simplicity, fast manufacturing method, scalability, and the cell-compatible nature of the device, it may be a useful platform for long-term stem cell culture and studies.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy ; Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA ; Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piraino
authors.forename: Seila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Selimović
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pero
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manoucheri
authors.forename: Sang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bok Kim
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demarchi
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khademhosseini