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Controlled microfluidic switching in arbitrary time-sequences with low drag.

Niman, Cassandra LU ; Beech, Jason LU ; Tegenfeldt, Jonas LU orcid ; Curmi, Paul M G ; Woolfson, Derek N ; Forde, Nancy R and Linke, Heiner LU orcid (2013) In Lab on a Chip 13(12). p.2389-2396
Abstract
The ability to test the response of cells and proteins to a changing biochemical environment is of interest for studies of fundamental cell physiology and molecular interactions. In a common experimental scheme the cells or molecules of interest are attached to a surface and the composition of the surrounding fluid is changed. It is desirable to be able to switch several different biochemical reagents in any arbitrary order, and to keep the flow velocity low enough so that the cells and molecules remain attached and can be expected to retain their function. Here we develop a device with these capabilities, using U-shaped access channels. We use total-internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to characterize the time-dependent change in... (More)
The ability to test the response of cells and proteins to a changing biochemical environment is of interest for studies of fundamental cell physiology and molecular interactions. In a common experimental scheme the cells or molecules of interest are attached to a surface and the composition of the surrounding fluid is changed. It is desirable to be able to switch several different biochemical reagents in any arbitrary order, and to keep the flow velocity low enough so that the cells and molecules remain attached and can be expected to retain their function. Here we develop a device with these capabilities, using U-shaped access channels. We use total-internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to characterize the time-dependent change in concentration during switching of solutions near the device surface. Well-defined fluid interfaces are formed in the immediate vicinity of the surface ensuring distinct switching events. We show that the experimental data agrees well with Taylor-Aris theory in its range of validity. In addition, we find that well-defined interfaces are achieved also in the immediate vicinity of the surface, where analytic approaches and numerical models become inaccurate. Assisted by finite-element modelling, the details of our device were designed for use with a specific artificial protein motor, but the key results are general and can be applied to a wide range of biochemical studies in which switching is important. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Lab on a Chip
volume
13
issue
12
pages
2389 - 2396
publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
external identifiers
  • wos:000319285500022
  • pmid:23657706
  • scopus:84878055091
  • pmid:23657706
ISSN
1473-0189
DOI
10.1039/c3lc50194a
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
576eb974-803a-4882-9cfd-6ee06c359532 (old id 3804740)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:24:18
date last changed
2023-08-31 01:52:38
@article{576eb974-803a-4882-9cfd-6ee06c359532,
  abstract     = {{The ability to test the response of cells and proteins to a changing biochemical environment is of interest for studies of fundamental cell physiology and molecular interactions. In a common experimental scheme the cells or molecules of interest are attached to a surface and the composition of the surrounding fluid is changed. It is desirable to be able to switch several different biochemical reagents in any arbitrary order, and to keep the flow velocity low enough so that the cells and molecules remain attached and can be expected to retain their function. Here we develop a device with these capabilities, using U-shaped access channels. We use total-internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to characterize the time-dependent change in concentration during switching of solutions near the device surface. Well-defined fluid interfaces are formed in the immediate vicinity of the surface ensuring distinct switching events. We show that the experimental data agrees well with Taylor-Aris theory in its range of validity. In addition, we find that well-defined interfaces are achieved also in the immediate vicinity of the surface, where analytic approaches and numerical models become inaccurate. Assisted by finite-element modelling, the details of our device were designed for use with a specific artificial protein motor, but the key results are general and can be applied to a wide range of biochemical studies in which switching is important.}},
  author       = {{Niman, Cassandra and Beech, Jason and Tegenfeldt, Jonas and Curmi, Paul M G and Woolfson, Derek N and Forde, Nancy R and Linke, Heiner}},
  issn         = {{1473-0189}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{2389--2396}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society of Chemistry}},
  series       = {{Lab on a Chip}},
  title        = {{Controlled microfluidic switching in arbitrary time-sequences with low drag.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c3lc50194a}},
  doi          = {{10.1039/c3lc50194a}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}