Microfluidic Research Institute, Dalian University, Dalian, China.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2013 Jul 15;72(1):231-43. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.03.035. Epub 2013 May 9.
Algal assay using marine microalgae has emerged as an important method to evaluate the toxicity of chemicals, which is currently undertaken using conventional culture and additional detection of physiological cellular endpoints. While effective, this approach can be labor-intensive and thus could benefit from a more streamlined, integrated approach. Microfluidics offers a way to accomplish this goal. Here, we demonstrate a microfluidic device which consists of a concentration gradient generator (CGG), diffusible culturing module and power-free valve system. It allows the processes of chemical liquid dilution and diffusion, micro-scale microalgal culture (in batch or chemostatic conditions), cell stimulation and on-lined screening to be integrated into a single device. Using the device, marine microalgae were successfully cultured and stressed on-chip. The simple assay provides multi-biological response measurements of cell division rate, autofluorescence and esterase activity. This work showed promising in developing a microfluidic platform for toxicity screening based on marine microalgal culture.
利用海洋微藻进行藻类分析已成为评估化学物质毒性的重要方法，目前采用常规培养和额外检测生理细胞终点的方法来进行。虽然这种方法有效，但它可能很繁琐，因此可以从更精简、集成的方法中受益。微流控技术提供了一种实现这一目标的方法。在这里，我们展示了一种微流控装置，它由浓度梯度发生器（CGG）、可扩散培养模块和无动力阀系统组成。它允许化学液体稀释和扩散、微尺度微藻培养（分批或恒化条件下）、细胞刺激和在线筛选等过程集成到一个单一的设备中。使用该设备，成功地在芯片上培养和刺激了海洋微藻。简单的分析提供了细胞分裂率、自发荧光和酯酶活性的多种生物学反应测量。这项工作为基于海洋微藻培养的毒性筛选开发微流控平台展示了广阔的前景。
