Fluorescent image of the Live and Dead test of the 3T3 cells on fibronectin coated microfluidic device. (a) A very Low density of the cells, almost single cell. (b) A low density of the cells.
Lab-on-a-chip
A lab-on-a-chip is a miniaturized device that integrates onto a single chip one or several analyses, such as DNA sequencing or biochemical detection.
The goal of this project was the real-time biochemical detection of the cells in different environments. For this purpose, we needed to culture cells on the microfluidic devices which were made of PDMS. PDMS has been used extensively in medical implants and biomedical devices due to their biocompatibility, transparency, low cost, and ease of fabrication. However, its high intrinsic hydrophobicity renders a surface incompatible with cell adhesion and culturing.
Therefore, the surface of PDMS was prepared locally with the protein-coating method. Fibronectin and collagen were chosen for this purpose. Then the 3T3 cells were cultured on the different parts of the devices, and for evaluation, Live and Dead test was employed.
