A flexible microdevice for mechanical cell stimulation and compression in microfluidic settings

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dc.contributor.authorNock, Volker
dc.contributor.authorOnal, Sevgi
dc.contributor.authorAlkaisi, Maan
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-10T03:49:17Z
dc.date.available2021-06-10T03:49:17Z
dc.date.issued2021en
dc.date.updated2021-05-07T06:34:18Z
dc.descriptionEvidence continues to emerge that cancer is not only a disease of genetic mutations, but also of altered mechanobiological profiles of the cells and microenvironment. This mutation-independent element might be a key factor in promoting development and spread of cancer. Biomechanical forces regulate tumor microenvironment by solid stress, matrix mechanics, interstitial pressure and flow. Compressive stress by tumor growth and stromal tissue alters the cell deformation, and recapitulates the biophysical properties of cells to grow, differentiate, spread or invade. Such a solid stress can be introduced externally to change the cell response and to mechanically induce cell lysis by dynamic compression. In this work we report a microfluidic cell-culture platform with an integrated, actively-modulated actuator for the application of compressive forces on cancer cells. Our platform is composed of a control microchannel in a top layer for introducing external force and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane with monolithically integrated actuators. The integrated actuator, herein called micro-piston, was used to apply compression on SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells in a dynamic and controlled manner by modulating applied gas pressure, localization, shape and size of the micro-piston. We report fabrication of the platform, characterization of the mechanical actuator experimentally and computationally, as well as cell loading and culture in the device. We further show use of the actuator to perform both, repeated dynamic cell compression at physiological pressure levels, and end-point mechanical cell lysis, demonstrating suitability for mechanical stimulation to study the role of compressive forces in cancer microenvironments. Finally, we extend cell compression applications in our device to investigating mechanobiologically-related protein and nuclei profile in cyclically compressed cells.en
dc.identifier.citationOnal S, Alkaisi M, Nock V (2021). A flexible microdevice for mechanical cell stimulation and compression in microfluidic settings. Frontiers in Physics.en
dc.identifier.doihttp://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2021.654918
dc.identifier.issn2296-424X
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10092/102009
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAll rights reserved unless otherwise stateden
dc.rights.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10092/17651en
dc.subjectMicrofluidicsen
dc.subjectMechanical actuationen
dc.subjectPolydimethylsiloxane micropistonen
dc.subjectCell compressionen
dc.subjectCancer biomechanicsen
dc.subjectSKOV-3en
dc.subject.anzsrcFields of Research::32 - Biomedical and clinical sciences::3211 - Oncology and carcinogenesis::321101 - Cancer cell biologyen
dc.subject.anzsrcFields of Research::40 - Engineering::4003 - Biomedical engineering::400303 - Biomechanical engineeringen
dc.subject.anzsrcFields of Research::40 - Engineering::4003 - Biomedical engineering::400308 - Medical devicesen
dc.subject.anzsrcFields of Research::31 - Biological sciences::3101 - Biochemistry and cell biology::310105 - Cellular interactions (incl. adhesion, matrix, cell wall)en
dc.titleA flexible microdevice for mechanical cell stimulation and compression in microfluidic settingsen
dc.typeJournal Articleen
uc.collegeFaculty of Engineering
uc.departmentElectrical and Computer Engineering
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