Team:TU Eindhoven/Microfluidics/Cell Encapsulation Device
From 2014.igem.org
Cell Encapsulation Device
The cell encapsulation device is based on the droplet device shown earlier. However this time there are two water phases (co-flow) that come together at the first flow-focusing cross junction. One containing cells and the other containing a PEG solution. At this point the two laminar water phases will flow next to each other. At the second flow-focusing cross junction encapsulation of cells will take place according to the same principle as the droplet device. Once droplets are formed they pass through a bumpy mixer. This will ensure the content is homogeneously distributed in the droplet.
Next the droplets will pass through a so called droplet chamber. This chamber is designed to hold up to a thousand droplets evenly distributed. The 10 pillars inside the chamber prevent the chamber from collapsing. After the flows are stabilized and droplets are formed they can be trapped in the chamber. In the end the inlets and outlet can be cauterized to prevent the droplets from escaping. Now the droplets can simply be analyzed with a microscope.
For an AutoCAD design of this microfluidic cell encapsulation device, download here. Design by Leroy Tan, Boris Arts & Rafiq Lubken.
![](https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2014/c/c9/TU_Eindhoven_Droplet_Device.png)
Figure 1. A droplet device with 1 oil inlet (top), 1 water inlet (middle) and an outlet (bottom). Number 1 is the filter and number 2 is the flow focusing cross junction where the droplets are formed.
Bibliography
Song H, Chen DL, Ismagilov RF. Reactions in droplets in microfluidic channels. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2006;45:7336–7356
Mazutis, L., Gilbert, J., Ung. W.L., Weitz, D.A., Griffiths, A.D. & Heyman J.A. (2013). Single-cell analysis and sorting using droplet-based microfluidics. Nature, 8(5), pp. 870-91.
Song H, Chen DL, Ismagilov RF. Reactions in droplets in microfluidic channels. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2006;45:7336–7356