Issue 7, 2012

A parallel diffusion-based microfluidic device for bacterial chemotaxis analysis

Abstract

We developed a multiple-channel microfluidic device for bacterial chemotaxis detection. Some characteristics such as easy operation, parallel sample adding design and fast result readout make this device convenient for most biology labs. The characteristic feature of the design is the agarose gel channels, which serve as a semi-permeable membrane. They can stop the fluid flow and prevent bacteria getting across, but permit the diffusion of small molecules. In the device fabrication process a novel thermal-based method was used to control the shape of agarose gel in the microfluidic channel. The chemical gradient is established by diffusion which can be precisely controlled and measured. Combined with an 8-channel pipette, different attractants, repellent chemicals or different bacteria were analyzed by a two step operation with a readout time of one hour. This device may be useful in the high throughput detection of chemotaxis related molecules and genes.

Graphical abstract: A parallel diffusion-based microfluidic device for bacterial chemotaxis analysis

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Dec 2011
Accepted
31 Jan 2012
First published
31 Jan 2012

Lab Chip, 2012,12, 1389-1394

A parallel diffusion-based microfluidic device for bacterial chemotaxis analysis

G. Si, W. Yang, S. Bi, C. Luo and Q. Ouyang, Lab Chip, 2012, 12, 1389 DOI: 10.1039/C2LC21219F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements