Background What We Can Offer? Workflow Why Choose Us? Published Data FAQs Featured Services Feature Products
Accelerate Your Research and Development!
Are you currently facing long drug development cycles, poor predictability from traditional 2D cell models, or challenges in recreating the intricate in vivo microenvironment? Creative Biolabs' service helps you accelerate drug discovery, obtain physiologically relevant data, and streamline your R&D processes through advanced microfluidic chip design, innovative cell culture techniques, and comprehensive validation.
Contact our team to get an inquiry now!
Background
Traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture has been the cornerstone of biological research for decades. However, it fails to replicate the complex three-dimensional (3D) cellular microenvironment found in living organisms. As a result, 2D models often provide inaccurate and misleading data, particularly in areas like drug discovery and toxicology. Three-dimensional cell culture offers a more physiologically relevant alternative by allowing cells to grow and interact in a manner that more closely mimics in vivo conditions.
Fig.1 Microfluidic 3D cell culture.1,4
Microfluidic chips, also known as "labs-on-a-chip," elevate 3D cell culture by providing precise, dynamic control over the cellular microenvironment. These devices utilize micro-scale channels and chambers to manipulate fluid flow, nutrient delivery, and waste removal. This enables researchers to create complex gradients and apply mechanical forces like shear stress, which are crucial for the proper function of cells in tissues and organs. The integration of 3D cell culture with microfluidic technology allows for the creation of sophisticated models that can more accurately predict drug efficacy and toxicity, opening new frontiers in personalized medicine and disease modeling.
Fig.2 Gel‐free 3D microfluidic cell culture system for A549 cells.2,4
Applications
The applications of 3D cell culture microfluidic chips are vast and rapidly expanding, providing a more robust platform for a variety of research areas:
Drug Discovery and Screening
High-throughput screening of drug candidates using more predictive models to accelerate lead compound identification.
Toxicology and Safety Assessment
Accurate evaluation of a compound's toxicity in a physiologically relevant context, reducing reliance on animal models.
Disease Modeling
Creating complex in vitro models of diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious diseases to study disease progression and test potential therapies.
Personalized Medicine
Developing patient-specific "organ-on-a-chip" models using cells from an individual to test drug efficacy and side effects before treatment.
Stem Cell Research
Culturing and differentiating stem cells in a controlled 3D environment to study organogenesis and tissue development.
What We Can Offer
Creative Biolabs offers a comprehensive suite of services and products designed to meet all your microfluidic needs. We don't just provide products; we deliver a complete solution.
We offer a selection of pre-validated, off-the-shelf chips for common research applications, providing a rapid solution for your needs.
We design and fabricate custom chips tailored to your specific research requirements.
We provide fabrication services for your own chip designs, ensuring the highest quality and precision.
Our end-to-end service includes design, fabrication, protocol development, and validation, allowing you to focus on your research goals.
Leverage our specialized benefits—Request a quotation today
Workflow
Why Choose Us?
Creative Biolabs stands apart due to our unwavering commitment to scientific excellence and client collaboration. Our interdisciplinary team of biologists, engineers, and material scientists works seamlessly to bring your vision to life. We offer a true one-stop solution, from initial design consultation to final protocol delivery. Our chips are designed with superior precision, offering unparalleled control over the cellular microenvironment and providing highly reproducible results.
Advantages:
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Unmatched Expertise: Our team possesses deep expertise in both microfluidics and cell biology, ensuring a scientifically sound approach to every project.
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Full Customization: We don't offer off-the-shelf products. Each solution is custom-built to meet your specific research needs.
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Integrated Solutions: Our services cover the entire workflow, from design to validation, simplifying the process for you.
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Superior Quality Control: Every chip is subject to rigorous testing to ensure reliability and reproducibility.
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Accelerated Timelines: Our streamlined process and experienced team help reduce your project timelines and accelerate your research.
Published Data
Fig.3 Schematic of a microfluidic chip with a nanofiber scaffold.3,4
Published research has demonstrated the effectiveness of microfluidic chips in creating physiologically relevant 3D cell culture models. One study highlighted a platform embracing a nanofiber scaffold, successfully culturing cells with 3D-specific morphology within the chip's microenvironment. The chip's perfusion system enabled real-time monitoring of cell status, revealing the production of key biomarkers like albumin and alpha-fetoprotein over a 14-day period. This innovative approach validated the ability of such systems to not only support cell growth but also to provide continuous, dynamic feedback on cellular function, which is critical for drug development and disease modeling.
FAQs
Q: Why choose a microfluidic chip over a standard 3D scaffold for cell culture?
A: Microfluidic chips provide unparalleled dynamic control over the cellular microenvironment. Unlike static 3D scaffolds, these devices allow for the precise regulation of nutrient and oxygen gradients, continuous fluid flow, and the application of specific mechanical forces. These capabilities are crucial for accurately mimicking in vivo conditions and generating more physiologically relevant data.
Q: What types of cells are compatible with microfluidic culture systems?
A: Microfluidic technology is compatible with a wide range of cell types, including primary cells, stem cells (iPSCs, MSCs), various cancer cell lines, and specialized cells like endothelial and neuronal cells. The systems can be optimized to support the growth and function of diverse cell types for a variety of research applications.
Q: What materials are typically used for microfluidic chips, and can they be customized?
A: Microfluidic chips are commonly fabricated from materials like polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and various thermoplastics due to their optical transparency and biocompatibility. However, the choice of material is often project-specific and can be fully customized based on factors like the required chemical resistance, optical properties, or specific biological assay needs. We can collaborate to select the optimal material for your application.
Q: How is quality and reproducibility ensured in microfluidic chip fabrication?
A: Ensuring quality and reproducibility is a primary focus throughout the fabrication process. This involves meticulous quality control checks on materials, precise photolithography and molding processes, and rigorous performance testing on each chip batch. Validating key metrics such as fluidic behavior, cell viability, and functional response provides confidence in the reliability of the devices.
Q: Can these chips be used for multi-tissue or "organ-on-a-chip" models?
A: Yes, microfluidic chips are an excellent platform for creating complex, multi-tissue models. The technology allows for the connection of multiple cell culture chambers, enabling researchers to study the interactions between different organ systems. This provides a powerful tool for understanding systemic drug effects, disease progression, and the interplay between various cell types.
Featured Services
Feature Products
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CAT No
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Material
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Product Name
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Application
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MFCH-001
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Glass
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Herringbone Microfluidic Chip
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Processing samples and reagents in nucleic acid analysis, blood analysis, immunoassays, and point-of-care diagnostics.
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MFMM-0723-JS12
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Glass
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Double Emulsion Droplet Chip
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Our double emulsion microfluidic chip, incorporating localized modifications and a classic flow-focusing structure, is specifically designed to generate stable and uniform double emulsion droplets.
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MFCH-005
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PDMS
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3D Cell Culture Chip-Neuron
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Neuron cell culture and study of axon transport, axon protein synthesis, axon damage/regeneration, signal transduction of axon to somatic signal.
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MFCH-009
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PDMS
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Synvivo-Idealized Co-Culture Network Chips (IMN2 radial)
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SynBBB 3D Blood Brain Barrier Model/SynRAM 3D Inflammation Model/SynTumor 3D Cancer Model/SynTox 3D Toxicology Model
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MFMM1-GJS4
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COC
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BE-Doubleflow Standard
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Studying circulating particles, cell interactions and simple organ on chip system construction.
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MFMM1-GJS6
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COC
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BE-Transflow Custom
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Used to construct cell interface or Air-Liquid interface (ALI) to study more complex culture systems.
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Click here to explore our complete product catalog.
For detailed inquiries regarding our offerings, reach out to our specialists.
References
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Limongi, Tania et al. "Microfluidics for 3D Cell and Tissue Cultures: Microfabricative and Ethical Aspects Updates." Cellsvol. 11,10 1699. 20 May. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11101699
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Gupta, Nilesh et al. "Microfluidics-based 3D cell culture models: Utility in novel drug discovery and delivery research." Bioengineering & translational medicine vol. 1,1 63-81. 5 Jul. 2016, https://doi.org/10.1002/btm2.10013
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Kim, Jeong Hwa et al. "A Microfluidic Chip Embracing a Nanofiber Scaffold for 3D Cell Culture and Real-Time Monitoring." Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 9,4 588. 10 Apr. 2019, https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9040588
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Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.
