Abstract

Multiplexed Microfluidic System for the Automated Analysis of Stem Cell Characteristics

Nicolas Szita, Professor, University College London

Advantages of microfluidic system have unique advantages unattainable by larger systems. To be viable for stem cell biology and bioprocessing, these systems need not only to successfully and finely control the microenvironment over the cells but equally so provide a capacity to detect non-invasively, ideally in real-time, key characteristics of a cell culture. These characteristics include cell numbers, proliferation, morphology and oxygen uptake rates. Only then can the impact of different culture conditions on the stem cells truly be investigated and the kinetics of a cell culture established. This then enables to discover transients and responses to culture condition changes, to discover deviations from expected behaviour. More importantly, this will then truly lead to a quantification of the behaviour of adherent cell cultures and with that the establishment of robust process protocols. We present a unique microfluidic device design which offers direct access to the cell culture chamber and by extension use of standard cell seeeding protocols. We also present a multiplexed system based on this device design. And we show how the implementation of automation, novel image processing approaches, non-invasive monitoring of oxygen tensions with our multiplexed system offers the real-time detection of cell numbers and specific oxygen uptake rates of a mouse embryonic stem cell culture.