Macrophages are heterogeneous innate immune cells that are functionally shaped by their surroundi... more Macrophages are heterogeneous innate immune cells that are functionally shaped by their surrounding microenvironment. Diverse macrophage populations have multifaceted differences related to their morphology, metabolism, expressed markers, and functions, where the identification of the different phenotypes is of an utmost importance in modelling immune response. While expressed markers are the most used signature to classify phenotypes, multiple reports indicate that macrophage morphology and autofluorescence are also valuable clues that can be used in the identification process. In this work, we investigated macrophage autofluorescence as a distinct feature for classifying six different macrophage phenotypes, namely: M0, M1, M2a, M2b, M2c, and M2d. The identification was based on extracted signals from multi-channel/multi-wavelength flow cytometer. To achieve the identification, we constructed a dataset containing 152,438 cell events each having a response vector of 45 optical signa...
Skin is exposed to a variety of potential stressors and stimulators that may impact homeostasis, ... more Skin is exposed to a variety of potential stressors and stimulators that may impact homeostasis, healing, tumor development, inflammation, and irritation. As such it is important to understand the impact that these stimuli have on skin health and function, and to develop therapeutic interventions. Animal experiments have been the gold standard for testing the safety and efficacy of therapeutics and observing disease pathology for centuries. However, complex ethics, costs, time consumption, and interspecies variation limit the transferability of results to humans and reduce their repeatability and reliability. Furthermore, traditional 2D cell studies are not representative of human tissue. Skin tissue is a dynamic environment, and when cells are isolated in unphysiologically stiff, static petri dishes their behavior, and phenotypic expression is altered. Increasingly complex in vitro models of human skin, including organoids, 3D bioprinting, and skin‐on‐a‐chip platforms, present the opportunity to gain insight into how stressors affect tissue at a cellular level in a controlled and repeatable environment. This insight can be leveraged to further understand pathological skin conditions and better formulate and validate drugs and therapeutics. Here, we will discuss the application of in vitro skin modeling to investigating the effects of mechanical, electromagnetic, and chemical stressors on skin.
Volume 6: ASME Power Transmission and Gearing Conference; 3rd International Conference on Micro- and Nanosystems; 11th International Conference on Advanced Vehicle and Tire Technologies, 2009
ABSTRACT This paper presents the design and simulation of a 3-D active micromixer. The mixer util... more ABSTRACT This paper presents the design and simulation of a 3-D active micromixer. The mixer utilises two magnetic rotors to agitate the entering flows. Each rotor has three blades connected through a hub. The width of the blades increases linearly to enhance their impact on the surrounding flow. The performance of the mixer is studied within the rotation speeds of 150–275 rpm. Results indicate that the mixing efficiency increases linearly from 88.91% to 93.58% within the range of 150–250 rpm. Further increasing of rotor speed does not improve the mixing due to the resistance of corner flows. The proposed mixer can be applied as a component of lab-on-a-chip systems for medical applications.
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an integral membrane glycoprotein present at high levels in ne... more Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an integral membrane glycoprotein present at high levels in nerve cells. Two soluble secreted forms, sAPPa and sAPPb, are processed from APP by two mutually exclusive proteolytic pathways. sAPPa shows a range of neuroprotective and growth factor properties, including reduction of neuronal injury and improvement in memory performance, in contrast to the generally less potent sAPPb. In addition, sAPPa has been shown to increase the proliferation of both embryonic neural stem cells and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult brain. However, an effect of sAPPa (or sAPPb) on adult hippocampal progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation has not previously been observed. In this study, we examined the effect of both the aand b-cleaved ectodomains of sAPP on adult NPCs isolated from the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the rat hippocampus in the presence or absence of depolarizing conditions. Assays were performed to examine the effect of sAPPa and sAPPb on SGZ-derived adult NPC proliferation in parallel with SVZ-derived cells and on differentiation with SGZ-derived cells. We observed both sAPPa and sAPPb increased the proliferation of SGZderived NPCs in vitro. Further, treatment of SGZ-derived NPCs with either sAPPa or sAPPb increased the number of cells expressing the astrocytic marker GFAP and promoted cell survival. The effect on differential fate was observed in both the presence and absence of depolarizing conditions. Thus, both sAPPa and sAPPb exert a complex range of effects on SGZ-derived adult NPCs, including increasing NPC proliferation, maintaining cell viability, yet promoting glial over neuronal differentiation. These findings provide the first direct support for the secreted forms of APP regulating SGZ-derived NPCs, and raise the possibility some or all of the effects may have therapeutic benefit in models of neurological disease. V
Newcastle disease is one of the main concerns of poultry farmers. Detection of virulent strains o... more Newcastle disease is one of the main concerns of poultry farmers. Detection of virulent strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has a great impact on control measures against the disease. In this study RT-PCR was optimized in high sen-sitivity in order to differentiate ...
Here, we describe a motorized cam-driven system for the cyclic stretch of aortic endothelial cell... more Here, we describe a motorized cam-driven system for the cyclic stretch of aortic endothelial cells. Our modular design allows for generating customized spatiotemporal stretch profiles by varying the profile and size of 3D printed cam and follower elements. The system is controllable, compact, inexpensive, and amenable for parallelization and long-term experiments. Experiments using human aortic endothelial cells show significant changes in the cytoskeletal structure and morphology of cells following exposure to 5 and 10% cyclic stretch over 9 and 16 h. The system provides upportunities for exploring the complex molecular and cellular processes governing the response of mechanosensitive cells under cyclic stretch.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an early-stage acute phase protein and highly upregulated in response... more C-reactive protein (CRP) is an early-stage acute phase protein and highly upregulated in response to inflammatory reactions. We recently identified a novel mechanism that leads to a conformational change from the native, functionally relatively inert, pentameric CRP (pCRP) structure to a pentameric CRP intermediate (pCRP*) and ultimately to the monomeric CRP (mCRP) form, both exhibiting highly pro-inflammatory effects. This transition in the inflammatory profile of CRP is mediated by binding of pCRP to activated/damaged cell membranes via exposed phosphocholine lipid head groups. We designed a tool compound as a low molecular weight CRP inhibitor using the structure of phosphocholine as a template. X-ray crystallography revealed specific binding to the phosphocholine binding pockets of pCRP. We provide in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept data demonstrating that the low molecular weight tool compound inhibits CRP-driven exacerbation of local inflammatory responses, while potentially preserving pathogendefense functions of CRP. The inhibition of the conformational change generating pro-inflammatory CRP isoforms via phosphocholine-mimicking compounds represents a promising, potentially broadly applicable anti-inflammatory therapy.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) refers to the use of light to modulate cellular processes, and has demon... more Photobiomodulation (PBM) refers to the use of light to modulate cellular processes, and has demonstrated utility in improving wound healing outcomes, and reducing pain and inflammation. Despite the potential benefits of PBM, the precise molecular mechanisms through which it influences cell behavior are not yet well understood. Inconsistent reporting of key light parameters has created uncertainty around optimal exposure profiles. In addition, very low intensities of light, < 0.1 J/cm2, have not been thoroughly examined for their use in PBM. Here, we present a custom-made compact, and modular LED-based exposure system for studying the effects of very low-intensity visible light (cell proliferation, migration, ROS production, and mitochondrial membrane potential) of three different wavelengths in a parallel manner. The device allows for six repeats of three different exposure conditions plus a non-irradiated control on a single 24-well plate. The immortalised human keratinocyte cel...
This work reports a new class of inertial microfluidic systems capable of generating dynamic vort... more This work reports a new class of inertial microfluidic systems capable of generating dynamic vortex patterns at low static flow rates via tube oscillation.
This work describes a 3D printed dynamic gravity pump for studying the response of mechanorespons... more This work describes a 3D printed dynamic gravity pump for studying the response of mechanoresponsive cells expressing Piezo1 ion channels under transient flows.
The detection of cancer cells at the single-cell level enables many novel functionalities such as... more The detection of cancer cells at the single-cell level enables many novel functionalities such as next-generation cancer prognosis and accurate cellular analysis. While surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely considered as an effective tool in a low-cost and label-free manner, however, it is challenging to discriminate single cancer cells with an accuracy above 90% mainly due to the poor biocompatibility of the noble-metal-based SERS agents. Here, we report a dual-functional nanoprobe based on dopant-driven plasmonic oxides, demonstrating a maximum accuracy above 90% in distinguishing single THP-1 cell from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 from human macrophage cell line U937 based on their SERS patterns. Furthermore, this nanoprobe can be triggered by the bio-redox response from individual cells towards stimuli, empowering another complementary colorimetric cell detection, approximately achieving the unity discrimination accuracy at a single-cell level. Our strategy could potentially enable the future accurate and low-cost detection of cancer cells from mixed cell samples.
We assessed intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) in endothelial and HEK293 cells to study the e... more We assessed intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) in endothelial and HEK293 cells to study the effects of shear stress on the activation of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) by the ...
2017 Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium - Fall (PIERS - FALL), 2017
Public exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (... more Public exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) technology devices such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi, smart meters and different medical equipment has increased significantly in the last decade. With more than 200 times increase in mobile phone use in the last 10 years, health concerns regarding significant increase in exposure to low power RF/MW radiation have been raised. In response, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designed a research agenda that is based on the views of the leading international experts in RF bioeffect research. Research agenda items include animal and human studies, dosimetry and risk communication research, and in vitro mechanistic studies. A number of studies were undertaken to investigate biological and health effects of low-level exposures in the range of 900–2600 MHz (3G and 4G mobile networks). It was shown that RF-EMF can target cellular plasma membrane enzymes and receptors, and hence can control the c...
The human circulatory system is a marvelous fluidic system, which is very sensitive to biophysica... more The human circulatory system is a marvelous fluidic system, which is very sensitive to biophysical and biochemical cues. The current animal and cell culture models do not recapitulate the functional properties of the human circulatory system, limiting our ability to fully understand the complex biological processes underlying the dysfunction of this multifaceted system. In this review, we discuss the unique ability of microfluidic systems to recapitulate the biophysical, biochemical, and functional properties of the human circulatory system. We also describe the remarkable capacity of microfluidic technologies for exploring the complex mechanobiology of the cardiovascular system, mechanistic studying of cardiovascular diseases, and screening cardiovascular drugs with the additional benefit of reducing the need for animal models. We also discuss opportunities for further advancement in this exciting field.
Generation of tunable harmonic flows at low cost in microfluidic systems is a persistent and sign... more Generation of tunable harmonic flows at low cost in microfluidic systems is a persistent and significant obstacle to this field, substantially limiting its potential to address major scientific questions and applications. This work introduces a simple and elegant way to overcome this obstacle. Harmonic flow patterns can be generated in microfluidic structures by simply oscillating the inlet tubes. Complex rib and vortex patterns can be dynamically modulated by changing the frequency and magnitude of tube oscillation and the viscosity of liquid. Highly complex rib patterns and synchronous vortices can be generated in serially connected microfluidic chambers. Similar dynamic patterns can be generated using whole or diluted blood samples without damaging the sample. This method offers unique opportunities for studying complex fluids and soft materials, chemical synthesis of various compounds, and mimicking harmonic flows in biological systems using compact, tunable and low-cost devices.
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Here, we demonstrate a multi-layered microfluidic system integrated with commercially available p... more Here, we demonstrate a multi-layered microfluidic system integrated with commercially available polymer tubes for controlling the temperature of the sample under various static and dynamic conditions. Highly controllable temperature profiles can be produced by modulating the flow rate or inlet temperature of the water passing through the tubes. Customised temperature gradients can be created across the length or width of a channel by mismatching the inlet temperature of the tubes. Temperature cycles can also be produced by repeatedly switching the tubes between hot and cold flasks. Proof-of-concept experiments demonstrate the utility of this system for studying the drug-induced calcium signalling of human monocytes under dynamic thermal conditions. The versatility and simplicity of our system provides opportunities for studying temperature-sensitive chemical, biochemical and biological samples under various operating conditions.
Macrophages are heterogeneous innate immune cells that are functionally shaped by their surroundi... more Macrophages are heterogeneous innate immune cells that are functionally shaped by their surrounding microenvironment. Diverse macrophage populations have multifaceted differences related to their morphology, metabolism, expressed markers, and functions, where the identification of the different phenotypes is of an utmost importance in modelling immune response. While expressed markers are the most used signature to classify phenotypes, multiple reports indicate that macrophage morphology and autofluorescence are also valuable clues that can be used in the identification process. In this work, we investigated macrophage autofluorescence as a distinct feature for classifying six different macrophage phenotypes, namely: M0, M1, M2a, M2b, M2c, and M2d. The identification was based on extracted signals from multi-channel/multi-wavelength flow cytometer. To achieve the identification, we constructed a dataset containing 152,438 cell events each having a response vector of 45 optical signa...
Skin is exposed to a variety of potential stressors and stimulators that may impact homeostasis, ... more Skin is exposed to a variety of potential stressors and stimulators that may impact homeostasis, healing, tumor development, inflammation, and irritation. As such it is important to understand the impact that these stimuli have on skin health and function, and to develop therapeutic interventions. Animal experiments have been the gold standard for testing the safety and efficacy of therapeutics and observing disease pathology for centuries. However, complex ethics, costs, time consumption, and interspecies variation limit the transferability of results to humans and reduce their repeatability and reliability. Furthermore, traditional 2D cell studies are not representative of human tissue. Skin tissue is a dynamic environment, and when cells are isolated in unphysiologically stiff, static petri dishes their behavior, and phenotypic expression is altered. Increasingly complex in vitro models of human skin, including organoids, 3D bioprinting, and skin‐on‐a‐chip platforms, present the opportunity to gain insight into how stressors affect tissue at a cellular level in a controlled and repeatable environment. This insight can be leveraged to further understand pathological skin conditions and better formulate and validate drugs and therapeutics. Here, we will discuss the application of in vitro skin modeling to investigating the effects of mechanical, electromagnetic, and chemical stressors on skin.
Volume 6: ASME Power Transmission and Gearing Conference; 3rd International Conference on Micro- and Nanosystems; 11th International Conference on Advanced Vehicle and Tire Technologies, 2009
ABSTRACT This paper presents the design and simulation of a 3-D active micromixer. The mixer util... more ABSTRACT This paper presents the design and simulation of a 3-D active micromixer. The mixer utilises two magnetic rotors to agitate the entering flows. Each rotor has three blades connected through a hub. The width of the blades increases linearly to enhance their impact on the surrounding flow. The performance of the mixer is studied within the rotation speeds of 150–275 rpm. Results indicate that the mixing efficiency increases linearly from 88.91% to 93.58% within the range of 150–250 rpm. Further increasing of rotor speed does not improve the mixing due to the resistance of corner flows. The proposed mixer can be applied as a component of lab-on-a-chip systems for medical applications.
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an integral membrane glycoprotein present at high levels in ne... more Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is an integral membrane glycoprotein present at high levels in nerve cells. Two soluble secreted forms, sAPPa and sAPPb, are processed from APP by two mutually exclusive proteolytic pathways. sAPPa shows a range of neuroprotective and growth factor properties, including reduction of neuronal injury and improvement in memory performance, in contrast to the generally less potent sAPPb. In addition, sAPPa has been shown to increase the proliferation of both embryonic neural stem cells and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult brain. However, an effect of sAPPa (or sAPPb) on adult hippocampal progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation has not previously been observed. In this study, we examined the effect of both the aand b-cleaved ectodomains of sAPP on adult NPCs isolated from the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the rat hippocampus in the presence or absence of depolarizing conditions. Assays were performed to examine the effect of sAPPa and sAPPb on SGZ-derived adult NPC proliferation in parallel with SVZ-derived cells and on differentiation with SGZ-derived cells. We observed both sAPPa and sAPPb increased the proliferation of SGZderived NPCs in vitro. Further, treatment of SGZ-derived NPCs with either sAPPa or sAPPb increased the number of cells expressing the astrocytic marker GFAP and promoted cell survival. The effect on differential fate was observed in both the presence and absence of depolarizing conditions. Thus, both sAPPa and sAPPb exert a complex range of effects on SGZ-derived adult NPCs, including increasing NPC proliferation, maintaining cell viability, yet promoting glial over neuronal differentiation. These findings provide the first direct support for the secreted forms of APP regulating SGZ-derived NPCs, and raise the possibility some or all of the effects may have therapeutic benefit in models of neurological disease. V
Newcastle disease is one of the main concerns of poultry farmers. Detection of virulent strains o... more Newcastle disease is one of the main concerns of poultry farmers. Detection of virulent strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has a great impact on control measures against the disease. In this study RT-PCR was optimized in high sen-sitivity in order to differentiate ...
Here, we describe a motorized cam-driven system for the cyclic stretch of aortic endothelial cell... more Here, we describe a motorized cam-driven system for the cyclic stretch of aortic endothelial cells. Our modular design allows for generating customized spatiotemporal stretch profiles by varying the profile and size of 3D printed cam and follower elements. The system is controllable, compact, inexpensive, and amenable for parallelization and long-term experiments. Experiments using human aortic endothelial cells show significant changes in the cytoskeletal structure and morphology of cells following exposure to 5 and 10% cyclic stretch over 9 and 16 h. The system provides upportunities for exploring the complex molecular and cellular processes governing the response of mechanosensitive cells under cyclic stretch.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an early-stage acute phase protein and highly upregulated in response... more C-reactive protein (CRP) is an early-stage acute phase protein and highly upregulated in response to inflammatory reactions. We recently identified a novel mechanism that leads to a conformational change from the native, functionally relatively inert, pentameric CRP (pCRP) structure to a pentameric CRP intermediate (pCRP*) and ultimately to the monomeric CRP (mCRP) form, both exhibiting highly pro-inflammatory effects. This transition in the inflammatory profile of CRP is mediated by binding of pCRP to activated/damaged cell membranes via exposed phosphocholine lipid head groups. We designed a tool compound as a low molecular weight CRP inhibitor using the structure of phosphocholine as a template. X-ray crystallography revealed specific binding to the phosphocholine binding pockets of pCRP. We provide in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept data demonstrating that the low molecular weight tool compound inhibits CRP-driven exacerbation of local inflammatory responses, while potentially preserving pathogendefense functions of CRP. The inhibition of the conformational change generating pro-inflammatory CRP isoforms via phosphocholine-mimicking compounds represents a promising, potentially broadly applicable anti-inflammatory therapy.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) refers to the use of light to modulate cellular processes, and has demon... more Photobiomodulation (PBM) refers to the use of light to modulate cellular processes, and has demonstrated utility in improving wound healing outcomes, and reducing pain and inflammation. Despite the potential benefits of PBM, the precise molecular mechanisms through which it influences cell behavior are not yet well understood. Inconsistent reporting of key light parameters has created uncertainty around optimal exposure profiles. In addition, very low intensities of light, < 0.1 J/cm2, have not been thoroughly examined for their use in PBM. Here, we present a custom-made compact, and modular LED-based exposure system for studying the effects of very low-intensity visible light (cell proliferation, migration, ROS production, and mitochondrial membrane potential) of three different wavelengths in a parallel manner. The device allows for six repeats of three different exposure conditions plus a non-irradiated control on a single 24-well plate. The immortalised human keratinocyte cel...
This work reports a new class of inertial microfluidic systems capable of generating dynamic vort... more This work reports a new class of inertial microfluidic systems capable of generating dynamic vortex patterns at low static flow rates via tube oscillation.
This work describes a 3D printed dynamic gravity pump for studying the response of mechanorespons... more This work describes a 3D printed dynamic gravity pump for studying the response of mechanoresponsive cells expressing Piezo1 ion channels under transient flows.
The detection of cancer cells at the single-cell level enables many novel functionalities such as... more The detection of cancer cells at the single-cell level enables many novel functionalities such as next-generation cancer prognosis and accurate cellular analysis. While surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely considered as an effective tool in a low-cost and label-free manner, however, it is challenging to discriminate single cancer cells with an accuracy above 90% mainly due to the poor biocompatibility of the noble-metal-based SERS agents. Here, we report a dual-functional nanoprobe based on dopant-driven plasmonic oxides, demonstrating a maximum accuracy above 90% in distinguishing single THP-1 cell from peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 from human macrophage cell line U937 based on their SERS patterns. Furthermore, this nanoprobe can be triggered by the bio-redox response from individual cells towards stimuli, empowering another complementary colorimetric cell detection, approximately achieving the unity discrimination accuracy at a single-cell level. Our strategy could potentially enable the future accurate and low-cost detection of cancer cells from mixed cell samples.
We assessed intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) in endothelial and HEK293 cells to study the e... more We assessed intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) in endothelial and HEK293 cells to study the effects of shear stress on the activation of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) by the ...
2017 Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium - Fall (PIERS - FALL), 2017
Public exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (... more Public exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) technology devices such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi, smart meters and different medical equipment has increased significantly in the last decade. With more than 200 times increase in mobile phone use in the last 10 years, health concerns regarding significant increase in exposure to low power RF/MW radiation have been raised. In response, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designed a research agenda that is based on the views of the leading international experts in RF bioeffect research. Research agenda items include animal and human studies, dosimetry and risk communication research, and in vitro mechanistic studies. A number of studies were undertaken to investigate biological and health effects of low-level exposures in the range of 900–2600 MHz (3G and 4G mobile networks). It was shown that RF-EMF can target cellular plasma membrane enzymes and receptors, and hence can control the c...
The human circulatory system is a marvelous fluidic system, which is very sensitive to biophysica... more The human circulatory system is a marvelous fluidic system, which is very sensitive to biophysical and biochemical cues. The current animal and cell culture models do not recapitulate the functional properties of the human circulatory system, limiting our ability to fully understand the complex biological processes underlying the dysfunction of this multifaceted system. In this review, we discuss the unique ability of microfluidic systems to recapitulate the biophysical, biochemical, and functional properties of the human circulatory system. We also describe the remarkable capacity of microfluidic technologies for exploring the complex mechanobiology of the cardiovascular system, mechanistic studying of cardiovascular diseases, and screening cardiovascular drugs with the additional benefit of reducing the need for animal models. We also discuss opportunities for further advancement in this exciting field.
Generation of tunable harmonic flows at low cost in microfluidic systems is a persistent and sign... more Generation of tunable harmonic flows at low cost in microfluidic systems is a persistent and significant obstacle to this field, substantially limiting its potential to address major scientific questions and applications. This work introduces a simple and elegant way to overcome this obstacle. Harmonic flow patterns can be generated in microfluidic structures by simply oscillating the inlet tubes. Complex rib and vortex patterns can be dynamically modulated by changing the frequency and magnitude of tube oscillation and the viscosity of liquid. Highly complex rib patterns and synchronous vortices can be generated in serially connected microfluidic chambers. Similar dynamic patterns can be generated using whole or diluted blood samples without damaging the sample. This method offers unique opportunities for studying complex fluids and soft materials, chemical synthesis of various compounds, and mimicking harmonic flows in biological systems using compact, tunable and low-cost devices.
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Here, we demonstrate a multi-layered microfluidic system integrated with commercially available p... more Here, we demonstrate a multi-layered microfluidic system integrated with commercially available polymer tubes for controlling the temperature of the sample under various static and dynamic conditions. Highly controllable temperature profiles can be produced by modulating the flow rate or inlet temperature of the water passing through the tubes. Customised temperature gradients can be created across the length or width of a channel by mismatching the inlet temperature of the tubes. Temperature cycles can also be produced by repeatedly switching the tubes between hot and cold flasks. Proof-of-concept experiments demonstrate the utility of this system for studying the drug-induced calcium signalling of human monocytes under dynamic thermal conditions. The versatility and simplicity of our system provides opportunities for studying temperature-sensitive chemical, biochemical and biological samples under various operating conditions.
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Papers by Sara Baratchi