Abstract
The automated transport of cells can enable far-reaching cell culture research. However, to date, such automated transport has been achieved with large pump systems that often come with long fluidic connections and a large power consumption. Improvement is possible with space- and energy-efficient piezoelectric micro diaphragm pumps, though a precondition for a successful use is to enable transport with little to no mechanical stress on the cell suspension. This study evaluates the impact of the microfluidic transport of cells with the piezoelectric micro diaphragm pump developed by our group. It includes the investigation of different actuation signals. Therewith, we aim to achieve optimal fluidic performance while maximizing the cell viability. The investigation of fluidic properties proves a similar performance with a hybrid actuation signal that is a rectangular waveform with sinusoidal flanks, compared to the fluidically optimal rectangular actuation. The comparison of the cell transport with three actuation signals, sinusoidal, rectangular, and hybrid actuation shows that the hybrid actuation causes less damage than the rectangular actuation. With a 5% reduction of the cell viability it causes similar strain to the transport with sinusoidal actuation. Piezoelectric micro diaphragm pumps with the fluidically efficient hybrid signal actuation are therefore an interesting option for integrable microfluidic workflows.
Highlights
To enable cell transport for in situ bioprinting or on chip analysis application with high performance micropumps, we investigated the influence of our piezoelectric micro diaphragm pumps with spring valves on viable cell suspensions
Cell transport with very limited available space is a challenging task. Both damage on the cells caused by the pump as well as pump degradation due to cell transport are possible
Micro diaphragm pump characterisation includes the evaluation of the general properties of the pump as well as an investigation of the single stroke with different actuation mechanisms
Summary
The detailed experimental analysis of biological systems on a microscale is a common subject of current research. Within the last 30 years, micro fluidic systems developed rapidly and already offer solutions for various experimental setups [1,2]. The sample transport either relies on passive capillary forces or requires systems with bulky external pumps for active transport that often have a high power consumption and are connected with long tubing, which leads to a high dead volume [3,4,5,6]. The active transport in space-restricted situations, such as in clinical environments, is even more challenging. The integration of micropumps can offer a cost as well as an energy efficient on-chip solution for active sample transport
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