Long-term micropatterned cell cultures in heterogeneous microfluidic environments

Microfluidic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) devices were constructed and used as long-term cell culture platforms for skeletal muscle cell differentiation and for dynamic application of chemical stimuli to the cells. The devices featured two orthogonal fluidic networks: one for long-term cell perfusion at minimal rates and the other one for short-term selective cell treatment and stimulation with biologically relevant molecules. The cells were micropatterned within the microfluidic channels using surface modification techniques, cultured under continuous flow, and allowed to fuse into polynucleated myotubes (a major milestone in muscle cell differentiation). By exposing cells to heterogeneous laminar flows, it was possible to confine a membrane receptor labeling assay to a region smaller than a cell.