Abstract

The study of the mechanical behavior of cells is an active area of academic research and as such, is an increasingly important component of biomedical engineering education. However, in delivering engineering courses, practical experience with experimental cell mechanics is often challenging to provide for untrained undergraduate students, as the lab work involved is expensive, delicate and usually requires substantial experimental skill. This article reports the development of a novel lab experience for senior undergraduate students, for which a microfabricated system was designed and constructed to conduct micropipette aspiration of single cells. Application of the microfabricated system to measure the elastic modulus of primary heart valve fibroblasts produced results comparable to those made with a conventional micropipette aspiration system. The relative simplicity and affordability of the system made it accessible to undergraduate students in a laboratory course, who judged the lab as a strongly positive learning experience.

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