Beyond the Culture Flask: How Membrane- and Microfluidic-based Platforms can create more Physiologically Relevant Tissue Culture Systems

For more than a century, breakthroughs in biological sciences have relied on the ability to study cells outside of respective organisms.  While majority of cell culturing is still performed using conventional tissue culture treated plastic surfaces, there are growing emphasis and need for non-conventional culture-wares utilizing microporous membranes and microfluidics to create more physiologically relevant in vitro systems.  Here we describe the novel microfluidic-based dynamic live cell imaging platform CellASIC ONIX2, where physiologically relevant microenvironmental parameters such as the perfusion of media/reagent, temperature, and gas compositions can be precisely controlled on-demand via software during the entire imaging experiment.  Unlike most live imaging platforms merely aiming to maintain temperature and gas at certain levels, CellASIC® ONIX2 platform’s ability to control fluidics and perfusion offers true on-demand control of cellular micro-environment during live cell imaging, and its standard plate form factor can instantly upgrade any existing inverted microscopes into a fully capable live cell imaging platform.  Overview of applications covering hypoxia, apoptosis, migration, and suspension immune cell imaging will be presented with appropriate emphasis coupled to microporous membrane based tissue models and assays. Specific attention will be given to microfluidic designs targeted for use with different cell types and fluorescent probes for live cell imaging.  Any scientists interested in creating membrane-based tissue models, as well as imaging scientists wanting to broaden their applications will benefit from this webinar.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how the ability to control fluidics and perfusion can provide true, on-demand control of cellular micro-environment during live cell imaging

2. Learn about specific microfluidic designs targeted for use with different cell types and fluorescent probes for live cell imaging