Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, CNRS UMR8552, Département de Physique et Institut de Biologie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6, 46 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.
Lab Chip. 2012 Apr 7;12(7):1340-6. doi: 10.1039/c2lc20994b. Epub 2012 Feb 20.
In this paper we first introduce a novel fabrication process, which allows for easy integration of thin track-etched nanoporous membranes, within 2D or 3D microchannel networks. In these networks, soluble chemical compounds can diffuse out of the channels through well-defined and spatially organized microfabricated porous openings. Interestingly, multiple micron-scale porous areas can be integrated in the same device and each of these areas can be connected to a different microfluidic channel and reservoir. We then present and characterize several membrane-based microdevices and their use for the generation of stable diffusible concentration gradients and complex dynamic chemical landscapes under shear free conditions. We also demonstrate how a simple flow-focusing geometry can be used to generate "on-demand" concentration profiles. In turn, these devices should provide an ideal experimental framework for high throughput cell-based assays: long term high-resolution video microscopy experiments can be performed, under multiple spatially and temporally controlled chemical conditions, with simple protocols and in a cell-friendly environment.
在本文中，我们首先介绍了一种新颖的制造工艺，该工艺允许将薄的刻蚀纳米多孔膜轻松集成到 2D 或 3D 微通道网络中。在这些网络中，可溶性化合物可以通过明确定义且空间上组织良好的微加工多孔开口从通道中扩散出来。有趣的是，多个微米级多孔区域可以集成在同一设备中，并且这些区域中的每一个都可以连接到不同的微流控通道和储液器。然后，我们展示并表征了几种基于膜的微器件及其在无剪切条件下生成稳定可扩散浓度梯度和复杂动态化学景观的用途。我们还演示了如何使用简单的流聚焦几何形状来生成“按需”浓度分布。反过来，这些设备应该为高通量基于细胞的测定提供理想的实验框架：可以在简单的方案和细胞友好的环境下，在多个空间和时间控制的化学条件下进行长期高分辨率视频显微镜实验。
