Microfluidics |
Photolithography |
Chamber height1: 10–500μm Minimum feature size2: 5–10μm Length of culture: 2 days 3D culture: difficult Ease of handling: moderate High throughput: yes |
1. High chamber height reduces shear.2. Small feature size allow efficient packing of device. |
Stereolithography |
Chamber height1: 100–1000μm Minimum feature size2: 25μm Length of culture: 7–10 days 3D culture: easy Ease of handling: easy High throughput: difficult |
Microstencils |
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Ease of handling1: very easy Size of “holes”: 5–500μm Cell types: 2–3 Shape of cell-cell interface: arbitrary Incorporation in microfluidics: difficult |
1. Small size of holes present difficulty in introducing cells. |
Nanofabrication |
Capillary force lithography |
Feature size1: >10nm Sample size2: 5cm Shape of features: arbitrary Material compatibility: UV assisted polymerization Length of culture: 1–21 days Ease of handling: very easy Cost: low Microscopy: any Incorporation in microfluidics: easy |
1. Possibility to obtain smaller feature size allow a higher flexibility to create a more biomimetic ECM microenvironment.2. Large sample size allow biochemical experiments. |
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Electrospinning |
Feature size: 10–100nm Sample size1: >1cm3 Shape of features: grooves Material compatibility: limited Length of culture: 1–15 days Ease of handling: moderately easy Cost: moderate Microscopy: confocal |
1. Electrospinning allows only 3D samples. |
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Nanoimprinting |
Feature size: 10–100nm Sample size1: >1cm3 Shape of features: grooves, pillars Material compatibility: UV or thermal curable materials Microscopy: any Cost: moderate Incorporation in microfluidics: easy |
Nanoimprinting equipment is required. |
Mechanical Gradients in Microfluidics |
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) gradients |
FDA approved: yes Range of rigidity1,86: 50–500kPa Mode of polymerization: UV/chemical Ease of preparation: moderately difficult Ease of ECM coating: moderately easy |
1. Range of rigidity achieved by change in cross-linker concentration. |
Polyacrylamide gradients |
FDA approved: no Range of rigidity1,86: 0.01–100kPa Mode of polymerization: UV/chemical Ease of preparation: moderately easy Ease of ECM coating1: difficult |
1. ECM coating on PAAM presents complications. |
PDMS gradients |
FDA approved: no Range of rigidity86: 10–1000kPa Mode of polymerization: UV/chemical Ease of ECM coating: easy Ease of preparation: moderately difficult Ease of gradients: difficult |
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Nanofabrication of polymers |
Ease of preparation1: difficult Ease of handling: easy Gradient shape: arbitrary Ease of ECM coating: easy |
1. Unlike microfluidics based gradient generation, nanofabricated samples require complex fabrication procedures. |