Microfluidic Shear Flow
Microfluidic Shear Flow - Related Videos
10:10
Platelet Adhesion and Aggregation Under Flow using Microfluidic Flow Cells
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Cited by 29 •
2009
The platelet adhesion cascade takes place in the presence of shear flow, a factor not accounted for in conventional (static) well-plate assays. This article reports on a platelet-aggregation assay utilizing a microfluidic well-plate format to emulate physiological shear flow conditions.
09:20
The Assembly and Application of 'Shear Rings': A Novel Endothelial Model for Orbital, Unidirectional and Periodic Fluid Flow and Shear Stress
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Cited by 10 •
2016
Different levels and patterns of fluid shear are known to modulate endothelial gene expression, phenotype and susceptibility to disease. We discuss the assembly and use of 'shear rings': a model that produces unidirectional, periodic shear stress patterns. Shear rings are simple to assemble, economical and can produce high cell yields.
10:35
Designing Microfluidic Devices for Studying Cellular Responses Under Single or Coexisting Chemical/Electrical/Shear Stress Stimuli
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Cited by 4 •
2016
Micro-fabricated devices integrated with fluidic components provide an in vitro platform for cell studies mimicking the in vivo micro-environment. We developed polymethylmethacrylate-based microfluidic chips for studying cellular responses under single or coexisting chemical/electrical/shear stress stimuli.
12:43
Parallel-plate Flow Chamber and Continuous Flow Circuit to Evaluate Endothelial Progenitor Cells under Laminar Flow Shear Stress
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Cited by 51 •
2012
We are describing a method to subject adherent cells to laminar flow shear stress in a sterile continuous flow circuit. The cells' adhesion, morphology can be studied through the transparent chamber, samples obtained from the circuit for metabolite analysis and cells harvested after shear exposure for future experiments or culture.
10:35
Studies of Bacterial Chemotaxis Using Microfluidics - Interview
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Cited by 1 •
2007
FAQs
Wall shear stress is shaped by three controllable features: flow rate, fluid viscosity, and channel geometry. Changing any of these alters the mechanical force experienced at the cell surface, while the micrometer-scale channel confines motion sufficiently for controlled adjustment. This allows investigators to compare cellular responses under different force conditions rather than treating flow as a fixed environmental variable.
Cells can convert an imposed mechanical stimulus into biological responses, a process termed mechanotransduction. In microfluidic shear-flow experiments, those responses may appear as changes in adhesion, migration, or vascular function. Linking a defined shear condition with a visible cellular outcome helps researchers examine how mechanical forces participate in cell behavior and disease-related processes.
Channel geometry helps determine the shear environment at the cell surface, not merely the direction or presence of fluid movement. Researchers can therefore design conditions that represent particular biological interfaces and compare cellular responses under distinct mechanical settings. This precision is especially useful for vascular or airway studies, where controlled flow conditions can improve the physiological relevance of in vitro experiments.
A typical experiment uses cells positioned at a channel surface, selects a fluid condition, and adjusts flow rate, viscosity, or geometry to establish the desired wall shear stress. Researchers then monitor the cells in real time under the imposed flow. These observations connect a controlled mechanical exposure with immediate or evolving changes in cellular behavior.
Researchers can vary flow rate, fluid viscosity, and channel geometry to change the wall shear stress applied to cells. They can also use the system's small-volume format and real-time observation capability to examine responses under defined conditions. Adjusting these variables helps isolate how the mechanical environment influences adhesion, migration, mechanotransduction, or vascular function.
Blood vessels, airways, and other biological interfaces are key settings for these experiments because cells in those locations encounter moving fluids. Microfluidic shear flow lets investigators reproduce a controlled mechanical environment while observing cellular behavior. The resulting measurements can support studies of vascular function, adhesion, migration, and mechanotransduction, while improving the physiological relevance of in vitro biology.