Fabrication of a Microfluidic System to Generate Micro-carrier Beads for Cell Culture

Abstract

Current procedures used to make microfluidic systems can range up to thousands of dollars. The objective of this project was to create a cost-effective four-inlet microfluidic system that can produce uniform microcarrier beads ranging from 100 μm to 1000 μm in diameter. To create this device, research was done on sodium alginate and gelatin, bead components, properties, and their interactions with one another within a microfluidic system. The device was fabricated using a 3D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic design mold and encasing the mold in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). After cleaning the device with acetone, Harvard syringe pumps were used to inject sodium alginate, gelatin, and oil and varying flow rates to produce microcarrier beads. It was found that device was able to produce uniform beads that decreased in diameter as the oil flow rate increased.