A multiplexed micromechanical cell stimulator for studying magnitude-dependent cell responses

作者：Wang Qian; Zhang Xu; Zhao Yi^*

来源：Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 2015, 18(3): 415-425.

DOI：10.1007/s10404-014-1453-4

• Multiplexing
• Micromechanical stimulator
• Cell loading
• Lab on chip
• Equivalent circuit analogy

Cellular mechanical stimulators with multiplexing and high-throughput capability often use multiple external pumps, which compromise simplicity and miniaturization. In this study, we report a bilayered microfluidic device driven by one single pump to deliver in-plane surface strains toward four membranes with proportional center strain magnitudes. The maximal strain magnitudes exhibited a constant proportionality (i.e., 1:2:3:4) under both static and dynamic loading conditions. The influences of the loading frequency and the total membrane number were examined. Proof-of-concept cell loading showed that the device can be used to investigate magnitude-dependent cell responses to mechanical stimuli, thus promising broad applications in cell mechanobiological studies where delivery of mechanical signals with controlled and varying magnitudes toward multiple loading sites is needed.

• 出版日期2015-3