title: Practical fabrication of microfluidic platforms for live-cell microscopy.
abstract: We describe a simple fabrication technique - targeted towards non-specialists - that allows for the production of leak-proof polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices that are compatible with live-cell microscopy. Thin PDMS base membranes were spin-coated onto a glass-bottom cell culture dish and then partially cured via microwave irradiation. PDMS chips were generated using a replica molding technique, and then sealed to the PDMS base membrane by microwave irradiation. Once a mold was generated, devices could be rapidly fabricated within hours. Fibronectin pre-treatment of the PDMS improved cell attachment. Coupling the device to programmable pumps allowed application of precise fluid flow rates through the channels. The transparency and minimal thickness of the device enabled compatibility with inverted light microscopy techniques (e.g. phase-contrast, fluorescence imaging, etc.). The key benefits of this technique are the use of standard laboratory equipment during fabrication and ease of implementation, helping to extend applications in live-cell microfluidics for scientists outside the engineering and core microdevice communities.
authors: Bone and Joint Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. dloruss@uwo.ca.|Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. dloruss@uwo.ca.|Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. dloruss@uwo.ca.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Lorusso
authors: Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors: Hristo N
authors: HN
authors: Nikolov
authors: Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors: Jaques S
authors: JS
authors: Milner
authors: Bone and Joint Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.|Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors: Noelle M
authors: NM
authors: Ochotny
authors: Bone and Joint Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.|Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors: Stephen M
authors: SM
authors: Sims
authors: Bone and Joint Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.|Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors: S Jeffrey
authors: SJ
authors: Dixon
authors: Bone and Joint Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.|Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.|Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.|Department of Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors: David W
authors: DW
authors: Holdsworth
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D004867:Equipment Design; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009757:Nylons
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D009757:Nylons; C085707:poly(dimethylsiloxane)-polyamide copolymer
keywords: Computational fluid dynamics; Fluid shear stress; Micro-particle image velocimetry; Microfluidics; Microscopy; Microwave; PDMS