Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/3094
Date of Award
6-2025
Degree Name
MS in Biomedical Engineering
Department/Program
Biomedical Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Benjamin G. Hawkins
Advisor Department
Biomedical Engineering
Advisor College
College of Engineering
Abstract
Cell culture is an essential technique utilized in biotechnology and medicine to remove systemic influences to study cellular behavior and morphological development of individual cell lines. However, conventional cell culture is two-dimensional and static meaning it can’t easily mimic in vivo conditions such as multicellular cell to cell interactions, fluid perfusion, or 3D structures which might alter cellular behavior and morphology. Microfluidic cell culture allows for the incorporation of in vivo conditions such as perfusion and chemical gradients allowing for more physiologically accurate models. The goal of this study is to develop a protocol for testing a microfluidic chip designed and fabricated to culture mammalian cells in 70 μm deep wells, featuring a gradient generator that delivers varying concentrations to each well. Our approach is to utilize microfluidics to allow continuous media perfusion through the device for long term culture and check cell viability through morphology and cell adhesion. We have successfully observed cell adhesion and proliferation in all 16 culture wells with an initial 3-hour static incubation period followed by a 24-hour continuous media perfusion at a perfusion rate of 9 μL/hr. Observations indicated that cells required to be seeded at full confluency and have media exchanged every 3 hours to allow for cell proliferation.