Microfluidic Lab-on-Chip System Development for Cell Culture Cultivation

Lab-on-chip systems are microfluidic devices that can be used as powerful tools for research
in fields of molecular biology and bioengineering. Novel chip systems such as miniaturized
microfluidic human tissue and organ models are powerful platforms to ex vivo study functional units
of any important biological and physiological parameters of their in vivo counterparts. Also,
development of microfluidic system with mathematical modeling described fluid dynamics in a chip
can be used in real-time monitoring of the transport, efficacy, and cytotoxicity of potential drugs on
the same platform.
We have developed a Chip system that is suitable for cultivation of cells or primitive tissues.
The sandwich chip design is composed of acrylic plates - material that is transparent for easy optical
following of cells growing. It is manufactured by milling processes performed on in-house developed
3D CNC router– 3D CNC milling machine and by the FDM 3D printing process on Creality 3D CR-
10max printer. The main components are: i) bottom plate with cylindrical main chamber for cells
growing and two supplying channels; ii) top plate with other half of the channel as well as two holes
for tubing fittings.
Connection of Chip to a peristaltic pump gives a microfluidic system physiologically relevant
microenvironment for cell growth. Fluidic control mimics conditions in real in vivo systems and leads
to successful cell proliferation.
Organ-on-a-chip concept is relatively new technology, and it will take a greater impact on
research in the upcoming years. In combination with computational modeling, organ-on-a-chip device
can bring faster, safer, and more useful findings in organ(s) behavior.
In near future, organ-on-chip systems promise to be powerful platforms for ex vivo studies of
functional units of some organs, for specific biological processes, for examination of tumor with its
microenvironment. Also, these small devices can be used for personalized/precision medicine and
drug screening for direct treatment decision-making. The chip model that we developed can be used
for successful growth of cells or smaller tissues in conditions as suitable as in a living system.