Active micromixer based on cilia of microoraganisms

We demonstrate mixing of two solutions by ciliary motion of Vorticella canvallaria. We fabricated a micromixer channel and located Vorticella in it. After the cells adhered, two solutions were introduced. One of the solutions contained fluorescent particles with a diameter of 0.5 μm to visualize mixing. Vorticella mixed the low diffusion coefficient of particles in the channel. Mixing of the particles progressed as a flow moved downstream. The mixing performance was quantified by characterizing intensity profiles across the flow channel. 15 cells of Vorticella decreased the mixing index from 0.6 to 0.42 in 8,000 μm at 40 μm/s.