Abstract
This paper describes fabrication and fluidic characterization of 3D microperfusion systems that could extend the viability of high-density 3D cultures in vitro. High-aspect ratio towers serve as 3D scaffolds to support the cultures and contain injection sites for interstitial delivery of nutrients, drugs, and other reagents. Hollow and solid-top tower arrays with laser ablated side-ports were fabricated using SU-8. Appropriate sizing of fluidic ports improves the control of agent delivery. Microfluidic perfusion can be used to continuously deliver equal amount of nutrients through all ports, or more media can be delivered at some ports than the others, thus allowing spatial control of steady concentration gradients throughout the culture thickness. The induced 3D flow around towers was validated using micro particle image velocimetry. Based on experimental data, the flow rates from the characteristic ports were found to follow the analytical predictions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. Baviere, F. Ayela, S. Le Person, M. Favre-Marinet, Phys. Fluids 17, 098105.1 (2005)
J. Bolinder, Technical report, ISSN 0282–1990 (1999)
D.K. Cullen, J. Vukasinovic, A. Glezer, M.C. LaPlaca, J. Neural Eng. 4, 159 (2007)
J.W. Fawcett, R.A. Barker, S.B. Dunnett, Exp. Brain. Res. 106, 275 (1995)
P. Griss, G. Stemme, J. Microelectromech. Syst. 12, 296 (2003)
M. Hahn, T. Glass, J. Koke, Cytobios 102, 7 (2000)
C.M. Ho, Y.C. Tai, Annu. Rev.Fluid Mech. 30, 579 (1998)
E. Leclerc, Y. Sakai, T. Fujii, Biomed. Microdev. 5, 109 (2003)
C.D. Meinhart, S.T. Wereley, J.G. Santiago, J. Fluids Eng. 122, 285 (2000)
W. Michaeli, C. Ziegmann, Microsyst. Technol. 9, 427 (2003)
B.R. Munson, D.F. Young, T.H. Okiishi, Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, 3rd edn. (Wiley, Inc., 1998)
M.G. Olsen, R.J. Adrian, Opt. Laser Technol. 32, 621 (2000)
D.J. Phares, G.T. Smedley, Phys. Fluids 16, 1267 (2004)
S.M. Potter, T.B. DeMarse, J. Neurosci. Methods 11, 0, 17 (2001)
J.G. Santiago, S.T. Wereley, C.D. Meinhart, D.J. Beebee, R.J. Adrian, Exp. Fluids 25, 316 (1998)
J.G. Santiago, R.J. Adrian, Exp. Fluids 36, 741 (2004)
K.V. Sharp, R.J. Adrian, J.G. Santiago, J.I. Molho, Liquid flow in microchannels, in MEMS Handbook, ed. by M. Gad-el-Hak. (CRP Press, 2001)
A. Tourovskaia, X. Figueroa-Masot, A. Folch, Lab Chip 1, 14 (2005)
J. Vukasinovic, A. Glezer, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 48, 192 (2003)
J. Vukasinovic, A. Glezer, Proc. ASME IMECE, (Anaheim, 2004)
J. Vukasinovic, A. Glezer, Proc. ASME Summer Bioeng. (Amelia Island, 2006)
S.T. Wereley, C.D. Meinhart, Micron resolution particle image velocimetry, in Diagnostic techniques in microfluidics, ed. by K. Breuer. (Springer Verlag, New York, 2004)
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bioengineering Research Partnership Grant (1 R01 EB00786).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix
Appendix
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Choi, Y., Vukasinovic, J., Glezer, A. et al. MEMS-based fabrication and microfluidic analysis of three-dimensional perfusion systems. Biomed Microdevices 10, 437–446 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-007-9153-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-007-9153-4