Analysis of intercellular communication by flexible hydrodynamic gating on a microfluidic chip

Anal Bioanal Chem. 2013 Jan;405(1):307-14. doi: 10.1007/s00216-012-6447-z. Epub 2012 Oct 6.

Abstract

Intercellular Ca(2+) waves are propagation of Ca(2+) transients among cells that could be initiated by chemical stimulation. Current methods for analyzing intercellular Ca(2+) waves are difficult to realize localized chemical stimulations upon the target cell without interfering with adjacent contacting cells. In this paper, a simple and flexible microfluidic method was developed for investigating the intercellular communication of Ca(2+) signals. A cross-patterned microfluidic chip was designed and fabricated with polydimethylsiloxane as the structural material. Localized chemical stimulation was achieved by a new strategy based on hydrodynamic gating technique. Clusters of target cells were seeded at the location within 300 μm downstream of the intersection of the cross-shaped microchannel. Confined lateral molecular diffusion largely minimized the interference from diffusion-induced stimulation of adjacent cells. Localized stimulation of the target cell with adenosine 5'-triphosphate successfully induced the propagation of intercellular Ca(2+) waves among a population of adjacent contacting cells. Further inhibition studies verified that the propagation of calcium signals among NIH-3 T3 cells was dependent on direct cytosolic transfer via gap junctions. The developed microfluidic method provides a versatile platform for investigating the dynamics of intercellular communications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Buffers
  • Calcium / chemistry*
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Calcium Signaling
  • Cell Communication
  • Computer Simulation
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Dimethylpolysiloxanes / chemistry
  • Equipment Design
  • Gap Junctions / metabolism
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Mice
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Microfluidics
  • Models, Chemical
  • Models, Theoretical
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Buffers
  • Dimethylpolysiloxanes
  • baysilon
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Calcium