Gradient-on-a-chip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10940475-B2
Application number	US-201815939744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a cell culture device and its applications of creating gradient of chemicals or gradient of cells to mimic the in vivo physiological conditions of homeostasis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An open cell culture device for creating a “gradient on a chip”, comprising from bottom to top:
an optically transparent and machinable bottom fixture;
a moldable/castable silicone/rubber material-based microfluidic spacer with laser defined microchannels;
a paper bifurcating mixer, wherein the dimensions of the paper bifurcating mixer are configured to fit into the microchannels of the microfluidic spacer;
an optically transparent polymer film-based membrane with laser defined micro-apertures, wherein the micro-apertures are positioned downstream to the microchannels; and
an optically transparent and machinable cover fixture with an exposure aperture as cell culture chamber, and at least two inlets and one outlet for tubing,
wherein said optically transparent and machinable cover fixture and said optically transparent polymer film-based membrane have aligned holes that connect to said paper bifurcating mixer and said microfluidic spacer configured to allow said at least two inlets and one outlet to pass through and directly reach the microfluidic microchannels,
wherein said at least two inlets and one outlet are configured to go through said aligned holes, from top to bottom, in the optically transparent and machinable cover fixture and the optically transparent polymer film-based membrane, and reach the paper bifurcating mixer that is inserted in the microfluidic spacer, wherein said two inlets are on the side of bifurcating channels for mixing two fluids and said one outlet is on the opposite side of the bifurcating channels to collect fluids from the microchannels.

2. The open cell culture device of claim 1 , further comprising a smooth hydrophilic cellulose-based film for cell culture over the area of micro-apertures of the polymer film-based membrane, wherein said area of micro-apertures allows fluid to go up from the laser-defined microchannels of the microfluidic spacer into the exposure chamber where cells are cultured.

3. The open cell culture device of claim 1 , wherein the microchannels are about 200 μm deep.

4. The open cell culture device of claim 1 , wherein the micro-apertures are evenly distributed over an area of the exposure aperture's size, configured to have adequate access to an underlying chemical gradient and to maintain the stiffness to keep the paper mixer inside the microchannels.

5. The open cell culture device of claim 1 , wherein the bottom and cover fixtures are acrylic plate with each about 5 mm thick.

6. The open cell culture device of claim 1 wherein the paper bifurcating mixer is porous hygroscopic material that is cellulose-based providing capillary forces for continuous, leak-less flow.

7. The open cell culture device of claim 1 , wherein the paper-based mixer is a hydrophilic cellulose-based film.

8. The open cell culture device of claim 1 , wherein the moldable/castable silicone/rubber material-based microfluidic spacer is made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

9. The open cell culture device of claim 1 , wherein the optically transparent polymer-based membrane is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membrane.

Assignees

• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Lelièvre Sophie Andree
• Ziaie Babak
• Ochoa Manuel P
• Rahimi Rahim
• Atrian Farzaneh
• Chittiboyina Shirisha

Classifications

• B01L3/502715 Primary

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title

• B01F35/81

  Forming mixtures with changing ratios or gradients · CPC title

• B01F33/30

  Micromixers · CPC title

• B01F25/4323

  using elements provided with a plurality of channels or using a plurality of tubes which can either be placed between common spaces or collectors · CPC title

• B01F25/4331

  Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow · CPC title