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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
2006-6-1
pubmed:abstractText
This paper describes a microfluidic multi-injector (MMI) that can generate temporal and spatial concentration gradients of soluble molecules. Compared to conventional glass micropipette-based methods that generate a single gradient, the MMI exploits microfluidic integration and actuation of multiple pulsatile injectors to generate arbitrary overlapping gradients that have not previously been possible. The MMI device is fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) using multi-layer soft lithography and consists of fluidic channels and control channels with pneumatically actuated on-chip barrier valves. Repetitive actuation of on-chip valves control pulsatile release of solution that establishes microscopic chemical gradients around the orifice. The volume of solution released per actuation cycle ranged from 30 picolitres to several hundred picolitres and increased linearly with the duration of valve opening. The shape of the measured gradient profile agreed closely with the simulated diffusion profile from a point source. Steady state gradient profiles could be attained within 10 minutes, or less with an optimized pulse sequence. Overlapping gradients from 2 injectors were generated and characterized to highlight the advantages of MMI over conventional micropipette assays. The MMI platform should be useful for a wide range of basic and applied studies on chemotaxis and axon guidance.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
1473-0197
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
6
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
764-8
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2006
pubmed:articleTitle
A microfluidic multi-injector for gradient generation.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. njeon@uci.edu
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article