Microfluidic Chambers for Cell Migration and Neuroscience Research

This chapter describes the fabrication and use microfluidic chambers for cell migration and neuroscience research. Both microfluidicchambers are made using soft lithography and replica molding. The main advantages of using soft lithography to create microfluidicchambers are reproducibility, ease of use, and straightforward fabrication procedures. The devices can be fabricated in biologyand chemistry laboratories with minimal access to clean-room facilities. First, a microfluidic chemotaxis chamber, which hasbeen used in investigating chemotaxis of neutrophils, human breast cancer cells, and other cell types, is described. Preciseand stable gradients of chemoattractants with arbitrary shapes can be generated for different applications. Second, a multicompartmentculture chamber that can fluidically isolate neuronal processes from cell bodies is described. The design of this chamberis such that only neurites grow through a series of microgrooves embedded in a physical barrier. Both devices are compatiblewith phase, differential interference contrast, and fluorescence microscopy.