Microfluidic perfusion: medium switch and custom flow patterns in IBIDI© chips

Material

Perfusion pack [perfusion_rebound]

Set-up diagram

The Ibidi© chips used in this application note are closed flow chambers. They come in different versions with different channel volumes and with up to 6 channels on the same chip, between which the medium switch can be performed. The large observation area makes them perfectly suited for microscopy monitoring.

Using 6 channels simultaneously allows for a higher throughput for statistical data. It is also possible to run the experiment under different conditions to study the effect of these conditions.

Smooth sample switch

Using the 12/1 valve and the ESI software, it is possible to easily perform a sample switch without any disruptive flow.

Check out our related application note that will walk you through the different steps.

The 0.005 %FS stability allows a 10 µbar pressure stability for the smaller pressure range. This high resolution ensures a smooth and stable flow and no damage to the cells.

Physiological condition mimicking

High resolution and fast response time allow the use of accurate custom pressure patterns to mimic physiological conditions. To do so, one has to input a .txt file.

In the following example, we apply one shear stress waveform to cultured cells. The 835ms is set to mimic heart rate through a vessel. It is possible to apply these waveforms repeatedly to the cultured cells for days.

Using the geometry of these slides and the desired shear stress, the necessary flow rates for each waveform and for each chip are also given in the attachment.

Here is average shear stress of interest for us in order to mimic the heartbeat and monitor cell behavior. It corresponds to the systolic blood pressure.

We input the waveform as a .txt file and monitor the read pressure (equals the average shear stress). One can also use in addition a flow sensor if the flow rate is of interest.

Set-up automation

The powerful and user-friendly software enhances flow control and setup automation for long run experiments.

Elveflow offers a high-resolution microfluidic flow controller, perfectly suited to mimic physiological conditions.  This hardware is backed with a powerful and user-friendly software allowing setup automation for days. The combination of this flow controller along with valves, and IBIDI© chips is the perfect partner for cell-based assays.