Microfluidic Be-Flow2D3

A versatile microfluidic device with three independent channels

Be-Flow2D3 is a versatile microfluidic device that consists of three independent channels, each connected by wells with an upper channel.

It is possible to introduce cells seeded in a hydrogel into the lower part of the device, with the gel rising right up to the interface with the upper channel. It is then possible to plant epithelial or endothelial cells that grow in 2D on top of the hydrogel interface, and apply a flow through the upper channel to reproduce physical stimuli. In this simple way, it is possible to recreate a common blood capillary: a tissue zone (3D cells), a vascular zone (the endothelial cells forming the capillary) and the bloodstream (the upper channel flow).

Example applications include:

• Immune system in vitro modelling.
• Vascular-atheroma plaque formation.
• Cancer cell invasion.
• Epithelial adhesion.

Features:

• 3 channels allow triplicate experiments on a single chip.
• Compatible with any laboratory pumping system.
• Allows for vast reduction in media and supplement required for experiments.
• Excellent optical properties, with high transparency and low auto-fluorescence, allows real-time imagine through microscopy.