Cell Culture Chip with Low-Shear Mass Transport

We have developed a flow cell that allows culturing adherent cells as well as suspended cells in a stable, homogeneous, and low shear force environment. The device features continuous medium supply and waste exchange. In this paper, a simple and fast protocol for device design, fabrication and assembly (sealing) based on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PMDS)/glass slide hybrid structure is described. The cell culture system performance was monitored, and the effective shear force inside the culture well was also determined. By manipulating the device dimensions and volumetric flow rate shear stress was controlled during experiments. Cell adhesion, growth, proliferation and death over long-term culture periods were observed by microscopy. The growth of both endothelial and suspension cells in this device exhibited comparable characteristics to traditional approaches. The low shear culture device significantly reduced shear stress encountered in microfluidic systems, allowing both adhe