Issue 12, 2015

Generation of stable orthogonal gradients of chemical concentration and substrate stiffness in a microfluidic device

Abstract

Cellular responses to chemical cues are at the core of a myriad of fundamental biological processes ranging from embryonic development to cancer metastasis. Most of these biological processes are also influenced by mechanical cues such as the stiffness of the extracellular matrix. How a biological function is influenced by a synergy between chemical concentration and extracellular matrix stiffness is largely unknown, however, because no current strategy enables the integration of both types of cues in a single experiment. Here we present a robust microfluidic device that generates a stable, linear and diffusive chemical gradient over a biocompatible hydrogel with a well-defined stiffness gradient. Device fabrication relies on patterned PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive) stacks that can be implemented with minimal cost and lab equipment. This technique is suitable for long-term observation of cell migration and application of traction force microscopy. We validate our device by testing MDCK cell scattering in response to perpendicular gradients of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and substrate stiffness.

Graphical abstract: Generation of stable orthogonal gradients of chemical concentration and substrate stiffness in a microfluidic device

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Feb 2015
Accepted
29 Apr 2015
First published
29 Apr 2015

Lab Chip, 2015,15, 2606-2614

Author version available

Generation of stable orthogonal gradients of chemical concentration and substrate stiffness in a microfluidic device

S. García, R. Sunyer, A. Olivares, J. Noailly, J. Atencia and X. Trepat, Lab Chip, 2015, 15, 2606 DOI: 10.1039/C5LC00140D

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