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The global lab-on-chip and microfluidic markets for cell-based assays have been predicted to grow considerably, as novel microfluidic systems enable cell biologists to perform in vitro experiments at an unprecedented level of experimental control. Nevertheless, microfluidic assays must, in order to compete with conventional assays, be made available at easily affordable costs, and in addition be made simple to operate for users having no previous experience with microfluidics. We have to this end developed a multifunctional microfluidic capsule that can be mass-produced at low cost in thermoplastic material. The capsule enables straightforward operation of elastomer inserts of optional design, here exemplified with insert designs for molecular gradient formation in microfluidic cell culture systems. The integrated macro–micro interface of the capsule ensures reliable connection of the elastomer fluidic structures to an external perfusion system. A separate compartment in the capsule filled with superabsorbent material is used for internal waste absorption. The capsule assembly process is made easy by integrated snap-fits, and samples within the closed capsule can be analyzed using both inverted and upright microscopes. Taken together, the capsule concept presented here could help accelerate the use of microfluidic-based biological assays in the life science sector.

An acoustic mixer for glass channel microfluidic systems is presented. An acoustic standing wave, perpendicular to the fluid flow, is generated by the excitation of a miniaturized piezoelectric transducer operated around 10 MHz. The transducer is fabricated into a planar printed circuit board structure, constituting the bottom channel wall, which makes the mixer simple to integrate with a wide selection of microfluidic channel designs. The mixing occurs at a fluid-fluid density interface due to the acoustic radiation force; an analytical expression is derived to qualitatively describe this phenomenon. Only a small density difference in the range of 2–5% is required to achieve 150–270% peak broadening of a fluorescent sample between sheath flows, which we use as a measure of the mixing efficiency. The mixing efficiency is measured with regard to its sensitivity to the density difference, the fluid velocity and the transducer driving frequency. Transducers at different positions along the microchannel make it possible to compare the mixing of straight versus diagonal flows across the transducer surface. We finally demonstrate enhanced chemical lysis of E. coli K12 cells in the device due to active fluid mixing.

An acoustic microfluidic system for miniaturized fluorescence-activated   cell sorting (mu FACS) is presented. By excitation of a miniaturized   piezoelectric transducer at 10 MHz in the microfluidic channel bottom, an acoustic standing wave is formed in the channel. The acoustic   radiation force acting on a density interface causes fluidic movement, and the particles or cells on either side of the fluid interface are displaced in a direction perpendicular to the standing wave direction. The small size of the transducer enables individual manipulation of   cells passing the transducer surface. At constant transducer activation   the system was shown to accomplish up to 700 mu m sideways displacement   of 10 mu m beads in a 1 mm wide channel. This is much larger than if   utilizing the acoustic radiation force acting directly on particles, where the limitation in maximum displacement is between a node and an antinode which at 10 MHz is 35 mu m. In the automatic sorting setup,   the system was demonstrated to successfully sort single cells of E-GFP expressing beta-cells.

A new method for instant oxidation of closed, bonded microchannels is presented and evaluated. By placing the tip-formed electrode of a corona plasma equipment in the reservoir of a PDMS microstructure, the plasma spark can spread into the microchannel and oxidize the inner PDMS channel walls. By applying this process, the non-specific adsorption of hydrophobic affinity analytes is markedly decreased, here evaluated with the fluorescent dye Rhodamine B and standard protein BSA. The results show that the surface adsorption in plasma-treated channels is reduced significantly, e.g. the amount of BSA adsorbed at 35 mm distance from the reservoir is only 35% of the amount of BSA adsorbed in non-treated channels. The surface shows very low adsorption during the first 200 min after oxidation, and has recovered (90%) its hydrophobicity first after 24 h. This method of instant surface oxidation has in our group been widely used to simplify microfluidic studies of microstructure prototypes, since the need of other more complicated surface modifications to lower analyte adsorption is eliminated.

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) has become an attractive material when working in the field of microfluidics, mainly because of the rapid prototyping process it involves. The increased surface volume ratio in microchannels makes the interaction between sample and material surface highly important, evident when handling complex biological samples such as plasma or blood. This study demonstrates a new grade of non-covalent heparin surface that adds efficient anticoagulant property to the PDMS material. The surface modification is a simple and fast one-step process performed at neutral pH, optimal when working with closed microsystems. The heparin formed a uniform and functional coating on hydrophobic PDMS with comparatively high level of antithrombin-binding capacity. In addition, long-term studies revelaed that the immobilized heparin was more or less stable in the microchannels over a time of three weeks. Recalcified plasma in contact with native PDMS showed complete coagulation after 1 h, while no fibrin formation was detected in plasma incubated on heparin-coated PDMS within the same time. In conclusion, we see the heparin coating developed and evaluated in this study as a tool that greatly facilitates the use of PDMS in microfluidics dealing with plasma or blood samples.