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Are you currently facing challenges with traditional, low-throughput methods for analyzing cell biomechanics, such as micropipette aspiration or atomic force microscopy? Our Microfluidic Chip Development Service for Cell Biomechanics Analysis helps you achieve high-throughput, precision analysis of single cells through the power of custom-engineered microfluidic technology.
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Cell biomechanics, the study of the mechanical properties of cells and their interactions with their physical environment, is a rapidly emerging field with profound implications for biology and medicine. Mechanical properties such as cell stiffness, viscoelasticity, and deformability are not merely structural characteristics; they are dynamic indicators of cellular health, function, and disease state. For instance, the mechanical properties of cells are known to change during key biological processes such as differentiation, aging, and disease progression, including cancer metastasis and red blood cell disorders like malaria.
Traditional methods for measuring these properties often suffer from limitations such as low throughput, high cost, and the need for significant operator expertise. Microfluidics has revolutionized this landscape by enabling the precise manipulation and analysis of fluids at the micro- and nanoscale. Microfluidic chips can generate controlled fluid flow and shear stress, allowing for the mechanical deformation of single cells in a highly reproducible and quantitative manner. This technology provides a powerful platform for studying cellular behavior in response to mechanical stimuli with high spatial and temporal resolution, opening up new avenues for research, diagnostics, and drug screening.
Fig.1 Mechanical stimuli applied to cells.1,3
The analysis of cellular biomechanics with microfluidic chips has a wide range of applications, providing critical insights across various fields.
Changes in cellular mechanics can be used as a label-free biomarker for assessing drug efficacy and toxicity. Our service allows for high-throughput screening of drug candidates based on their effect on cell stiffness or deformability, as a single cell has a different drug response than a group of cells.
The mechanical properties of cancer cells are known to be distinct from those of healthy cells, often being more deformable to facilitate metastasis. Microfluidic analysis can be used to study the invasive potential of cancer cells, monitor cancer progression, and evaluate the effectiveness of anti-cancer therapies.
Altered cell mechanics are a key indicator for various diseases, including malaria and sickle cell anemia, where red blood cell stiffness is changed. Our platforms can be used to develop rapid, label-free diagnostic tools for these conditions.
The biomechanics of immune cells, such as T-cells and neutrophils, play a crucial role in their function, including migration, adhesion, and interaction with pathogens. Our services can help you investigate how mechanical cues influence immune responses.
The mechanical properties of stem cells are closely linked to their differentiation fate. Microfluidic analysis provides a tool to characterize stem cells and monitor their differentiation in real-time.
Creative Biolabs provides a comprehensive suite of services to meet your specific research needs. We are your one-stop-shop for microfluidic solutions.
We design and fabricate bespoke microfluidic chips tailored to your unique experimental requirements, including specific channel geometries, integrated valves, and specialized structures for cell trapping and sorting.
We offer fabrication services for a wide range of microfluidic chip types, from simple PDMS devices to complex multi-layer chips.
Our end-to-end service includes everything from initial concept and design to experimental execution, data analysis, and final reporting, providing a seamless experience.
We also offer a range of pre-fabricated, off-the-shelf microfluidic chips for common applications, allowing you to get started quickly with your experiments.
We perform a variety of biomechanical analyses on your cell samples using our advanced microfluidic platforms, including cell deformability, stiffness, and viscoelasticity measurements.
Leverage our specialized benefits—Request a quotation today
Our deep expertise in microfluidics and cell biomechanics, combined with our commitment to quality and innovation, makes Creative Biolabs a leader in the field.
Fig.2 A flexible microfluidic device for mechanical cell stimulation and compression.2,3
An important study highlights the efficacy of a flexible microfluidic device for applying dynamic compressive forces to cancer cells. The experiment used SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells and a "micro-piston" to demonstrate the platform's ability to precisely control mechanical stimulation. The results showed that the microdevice successfully induced and enabled the observation of morphological, cytoskeletal, and nuclear changes in the cells, confirming its utility as a tool for studying mechanobiology. A key finding was that the cells exhibited deformation as a protective mechanism against mechanical stress, highlighting the platform's capacity to reveal fundamental cellular responses to external forces. This work validates the power of microfluidic platforms to provide high-resolution, controlled environments for biomechanical studies.
A: A key advantage of microfluidic technology is its ability to operate with minimal sample volumes. Most analyses can be conducted with just a few microliters of a cell suspension, which significantly reduces the consumption of expensive reagents and the need for large quantities of precious biological samples.
A: The platforms are designed to be highly biocompatible and have been successfully utilized for a wide variety of cell types. This includes robust cell lines, delicate primary cells, and sensitive stem cells. Specific protocols can be tailored to accommodate the unique handling requirements of different cell types.
A: Accuracy is achieved through the precise control of the cellular microenvironment, including fluid flow and applied forces. The reproducibility of results is maintained through standardized, automated protocols and high-resolution imaging systems that provide consistent data acquisition across experiments.
A: Yes, one of the powerful features of microfluidic systems is their versatility. Chips can be engineered to integrate multiple functionalities, allowing for simultaneous analysis of a cell's biomechanical response alongside its reaction to a controlled chemical gradient, for example. To explore complex experimental setups, further discussion is encouraged.
A: Microfluidic platforms offer a significant improvement over traditional methods by providing higher throughput, precise spatial and temporal control over mechanical and chemical stimuli, and the ability to more accurately mimic the in vivo cellular environment. These capabilities enable more robust and physiologically relevant data collection.
| CAT No | Material | Product Name | Application |
| MFCH-001 | Glass | Herringbone Microfluidic Chip | Processing samples and reagents in nucleic acid analysis, blood analysis, immunoassays and point-of-care diagnostics. |
| MFMM-0723-JS12 | Glass | Double Emulsion Droplet Chip | 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. |
| MFCH-005 | PDMS | 3D Cell Culture Chip-Neuron | Neuron cell culture and study of axon transport, axon protein synthesis, axon damage/regeneration, signal transduction of axon to somatic signal. |
| MFCH-009 | PDMS | Synvivo-Idealized Co-Culture Network Chips (IMN2 radial) | SynBBB 3D Blood Brain Barrier Model/SynRAM 3D Inflammation Model/SynTumor 3D Cancer Model/SynTox 3D Toxicology Model |
| MFMM1-GJS4 | COC | BE-Doubleflow Standard | Studying circulating particles, cell interactions and simple organ on chip system construction. |
| MFMM1-GJS6 | COC | BE-Transflow Custom | Used to construct cell interface or Air-Liquid interface (ALI) to study more complex culture systems. |
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References
For Research Use Only. Not For Clinical Use.
