Browsing by Author "Fu, Chien-Yu"

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A microfluidic chip with a U-shaped microstructure array for multicellular spheroid formation, culturing and analysis
(2014-03-01)
Fu, Chien-Yu
;
Tseng, Sheng-Yang
;
Yang, Shih-Mo
;
Hsu, Long
;
Liu, Cheng-Hsien
Multicellular spheroids (MCS), formed by self-assembly of single cells, are commonly used as a three-dimensional cell culture model to bridge the gap between in vitro monolayer culture and in vivo tissues. However, current methods for MCS generation and analysis still suffer drawbacks such as being labor-intensive and of poor controllability, and are not suitable for high-throughput applications. This study demonstrates a novel microfluidic chip to facilitate MCS formation, culturing and analysis. The chip contains an array of U-shaped microstructures fabricated by photopolymerizing the poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogel through defining the ultraviolet light exposure pattern with a photomask. The geometry of the U-shaped microstructures allowed trapping cells into the pocket through the actions of fluid flow and the force of gravity. The hydrogel is non-adherent for cells, promoting the formation of MCS. Its permselective property also facilitates exchange of nutrients and waste for MCS, while providing protection of MCS from shearing stress during the medium perfusion. Heterotypic MCS can be formed easily by manipulating the cell trapping steps. Subsequent drug susceptibility analysis and long-term culture could also be achieved within the same chip. This MCS formation and culture platform can be used as a micro-scale bioreactor and applied in many cell biology and drug testing studies.
Fabrication of PEG Hydrogel Microstructures in Microfluidic System for Multicellular Spheroid Formation, Culturing and Analysis
(2011)
Fu, Chien-Yu
;
Tseng, Sheng-Yang
;
Yang, Shih-Mo
;
Hsu, Long
;
Liu, Cheng-Hsien
This study presents a novel microfluidic device for 3 dimension cell culturing and analysis. Through defining the exposure to ultra-violet light by a photomask, localized photopolymerization of poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogels form biocompatible and permselective microstructures within a microfluidic device. The designed geometry of microstructures allowed cells to be trapped into structures and to form spheroids in situ. Subsequent analysis and long-term three-dimension cell culture can achieve within the same device. This technique may apply as a microscale bioreactor or a platform for spheroid-based drug screening and study.
Integration of organic opto-electrowetting and poly(ethylene) glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) microfluidics for droplets manipulation
(2013-04-01)
Yu, Tung-Ming
;
Yang, Shih-Mo
;
Fu, Chien-Yu
;
Liu, Ming-Huei
;
Hsu, Long
This paper reports a fabrication technology which integrates organic opto-electrowetting (OEW) with PEGDA-based microfluidics between stacked ITO glass chips for droplets generation and manipulation. Organic OEW can be realized by using titanium oxide phthalocyanine (TiOPc) as a photoconductive layer. Optical images can be projected on an organic OEW area to induce the local virtual electrodes which reduce the surface energy for actuating droplets. Low-molecular-weight (LMW) PEGDA (poly(ethylene) glycol diacrylate) material is used to form stable and biocompatible microchannels between the stacked ITO glass chips by UV photopolymerization process. PEGDA-based microfluidics provides a simpler way to enhance droplets applications in organic OEW. We demonstrate (1) the droplet formation in PEGDA microstructure, (2) the motion of droplet-in-air and droplet-in-oil operated by TiOPc OEW in this platform. This technology requires only spin-coating and UV exposure and is more cost-effective than previous methods. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.